I want to share the approach I use for painting seasonal illustration because the seasonal palette work has become one of the most consistent parts of my practice.

Each season has a dominant color temperature logic: spring — cool, slightly desaturated, with bright greens and delicate warm flower accents; summer — high saturation, warm direct sun, deep warm greens; autumn — warm oranges, reds, and yellows with cool blue-grey shadow; winter — cool overall, high contrast, neutralized color, snow as near-white with sky color reflection.

Within each season there are sub-moods: early spring versus late spring are different palettes. Early morning versus midday in any season is dramatically different. These sub-variations keep seasonal work from becoming formulaic.

The practice: I do at least one painting per month with the intent to capture a specific season and time of day. After doing this for two years I have a visual library of seasonal light that I can recall and apply to commissioned work without needing reference.