Sepia
Posted: May 26, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized 21 CommentsWhile working in the garden this week I noticed the interesting patterns the reflections of trees make on my glass tabletop. With rain falling this morning, I decided it would be a good subject for a value study, using Sepia paint that I bought a few weeks ago. This is a colour I added to my palette a few weeks ago because I love it in John Yardley’s work, but sadly this is not quite the same version of the pigment. Thanks to blog readers sending me some info, it turns out that Winsor & Newton has discontinued the Warm Sepia in Mr. Yardley’s beautiful interiors. If I want to replicate that, apparently adding a bit of Burnt Sienna will do the trick. In the meantime this is Sepia straight from the tube which I think is ideal for a value study on a muggy, overcast day.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
I like this painting a lot! It illustrates the meaning of a “value painting” well too!
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Thanks Jean. I loved working on this. It was really fun to paint the abstract pattern in the table.
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I hadn’t realized that WN had discontinued its warm sepia, a color I liked. Thanks for the tip!
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Very nice value study.
I don’t know if it’s the same color as WNs was but Sennelier makes a warm sepia.
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Thanks Jeff. I will investigate!
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Schmincke has a few versions of Sepia as well, and I think M. Graham offers it, too. It’s very atmospheric and you got so many different subtle value changes from it.
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Thanks Janine. So many people have sent me different suggestions. Much appreciated!
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Before I read your text, I found that the table’s reflection was so easy to see and so interesting! Beautiful study, great values.
Cheers, C
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Many thanks Chris!
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Regarding Joh Yardley’s warm sepia i found the answer on the wetcanvas forum.
sashntash
11-23-2011, 09:45 AM
I have watched several DVDs by John Yardley and in them he mentions that Warm Sepia is one of his favorite colors. Knowing that he uses Winsor & Newton watercolors, I went to the W&N website and could not find a Warm Sepia listed in their artist’s watercolor line.
so… I emailed them the question.
Their answer was that they used to make Warm Sepia and Sepia but have discontinued making the Warm Sepia that John Yardley loved… sigh.
They recommended taking some Sepia and mixing a touch of their Burnt Sienna in it to duplicate the Warm Sepia color. I tried it.. it works 🙂
As far as I know, the W&N Burnt Sienna is a little warmer/richer than other Burnt Siennas so it probably would not work with the Burnt Sienna from another brand.
ETA: I don’t like Sepia as a color… very flat… very dull… very boring… but the Warm Sepia is a lovely color. John Yardley uses it when painting antique wood furniture pieces in his paintings of interiors of old English homes.
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Thanks so much Katerina. Such useful research!
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Hi Shari
I was recently at a workshop with Amanda Hyatt and she uses a lot of Sepia – she said that Maimeri was her favourite.
Cheers Judy
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It’s great to hear from you Judy. I love Amanda Hyatt’s work. Thanks for the tip! Hope you’re well.
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So cool!
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Thanks Gil!
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You seem to be able to make any pigment sing in your sketches! Really loving your regular blog postings and looking forward to seeing you again in Porto. Sepia is a staple on my palette, a warm Holbein version.
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Thanks Susan. I’m looking forward to seeing you in Porto too! Perhaps we’ll run into each other at breakfast again!
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I like Sennelier’s warm sepia. By the way, great painting, as always!
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Thanks Edda! I will have to look that one up.
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I love the way the reflections on the table glass came out. Lovely!!
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Thanks Joan!
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