I spent about an hour today getting this painting started. I usually do my design with a mix of ultramarine blue and burnt sienna. I say “design” because I try not to start with a drawing, I start with rubbing in or blocking in the main shapes. It’s almost like fingerpainting, I use a rag and dip that in my paint, then smear that on the canvas. I can also dip the rag in odorless mineral spirits and wipe off an area that needs to be lighter, or if I want to move around elements of the design. (I wear gloves!) When I’m happy with the overall design, then I use a brush and refine some of the shapes. I try not to get too detailed at this stage because I want to leave room to define the shapes with color, that’ll come next.