Calangute in North Goa, India

I think this piece is a great example of how to make a painting look very bright. I use the white paper for the sunny parts of the road and the buildings. This helps the light really shine through.

The palm trees in the background use some of my favourite greens like viridian green and cobalt green. I put these next to the warm red colours of the rooftops. I find that using cool greens next to warm reds makes the scene feel very tropical and warm. The sky is a very light blue which lets the dark green trees stand out.

Shadows are the most important part of this painting. I used ultramarine blue mixed with a bit of neutral tint to get those deep, cool shadows on the ground. See how the shadow of the motorcycle in the front helps lead your eye into the street? I also used a touch of cobalt blue to keep the shadows looking fresh and not too muddy.

When I paint people, I keep them very simple. A few small marks of cadmium yellow and cerulean blue for their clothes is all you need. This helps them look like they are moving through the busy market. I also used a little bit of white paint at the end to add some highlights on the figures and the cars.