A city's palette, one doorway at a time

Start with one street

Look for a few colours that recur: a faded green door, warm stone or the dark blue of a painted railing. A small area gives you enough repetition to see relationships without becoming overwhelmed.

Allow for the light

The same surface can look different in sun and shade. If you take photographs, treat them as reminders rather than exact colour samples. What interested you may have been the contrast between two surfaces rather than either colour alone.

Make a modest collection

Write down three colours or make a small sketch when you return. Limiting the collection makes you choose what mattered. It can become a starting point for a drawing, a room or simply the next walk.