One thing that I learned from my readings was the importance of learning some essential knowledge such as the correct way to make a color wheel and how to mix properly on the pallet. although I have not yet started my painting portion of my studies I have been researching some crucial elements so that I am more prepared when I do. another technique I learned was that of the old masters which were to pre-mix your colors which could take a lot of time. each color had a different brush so that they remained pure and un-muddled. these colors can be stored and made in large quantities. sometimes they would have up to thirty colors at once which meant up to thirty brushes at once. while this might not be a technique that I will always employ I believe that it is valuable because it helped me understand the great importance of preparation and precision in painting. as well as the great amount of organization and constraint which should be employed in painting or at least understood. i read about this in John Sloan’s “Drawing and Painting” book.