Always begin painting with cadmiums, because they are middle tones. Never begin with chromes--they are the brightest tones.

If you begin with chromes, there is no way to highlight your figures after you are done.

If you begin with phthalos and lakes, which are the darkest tones, there is no way to shade your figures after you are done.

Middle tones allow you to go higher on bright or lower on dark when you have to.