painting greens

I suppose it is becuase we have more receptors in our eyes for the colour green than any other colour that it is such a difficult colour to use.  The other day, becuase of the plants in the window were bouncing light into the room, I thought it would be interesting to capture the moment in paint - silly me - the colours got muddy.  I think it is not only the number of receptors (if that is the right word) but the tricks the brain does to generalise the subject of interest that muddles the issue,  I find that if the subject has a strong shape or strong colour then similar shapes and colours tend to becomes emphasised in the parts of the visual field that I am not concentrating on.    Have recently been in touch with the dep of psychology here in Manchester regarding my interest in the problems that arise when we try to represent what we think we see on to canvas. This all comes from the time my uncle, a professional painter and illustrator told me to 'paint what you see'  - I have been trying to follow his advice off and on ever since.  Norman Sutcliffe, his name.  A man of kindness and wit.