The colors of the desert are so distinctive.  Yes, there are spots of bright color here and there, but in general, I find the colors to be “mellow”, varied and yet quite harmonious.  This was painted from a reference photo I took outside Tucson, Arizona.  I started with transparent washes across the entire painting, from the dull green at the top to the blue-violet in the foreground.  You can still see much of this initial wash in the finished painting.