“Mixing acrylic colors from the primary 3”

10/5/2024

Tricks and Tips – Visual Art

“Mixing acrylic colors from the primary 3”

I got into this whole thing about blogging for primarily one reason, to share what I have seen, learned and experienced in the world of art making. This week I am going to talk about a basic, the mixing of acrylic colors. Of course, I am trying to give the beginner some guidance and to pass on a tip or two.

First, most art teachers will roll out the three primary colors: red or magenta, primary or phthalo blue, commonly called cyan, and yellow. My base colors are usually phthalo blue (green shade), cadmium red hue, and cadmium yellow (medium hue). As you get into regularly mixing your own color combinations, you will likely begin to order larger tubes of your favorite three primaries in 6.75 oz. or in pint bottles.

Here I will note that every artist has their preferred brands. For my blogs I will limit my recommendation regarding brand names. Suffice it to say, some brands are better than others. If you are a beginner, the quality of the paint will not be as important to you as when you begin painting pictures for the general public. Over the years I have sold hundreds of paintings. As I got better at it and started charging more for each piece, I began looking closer at the quality of my materials, including: paints, canvases, and brushes.

So, some teacher might have told you that red and blue make purple, red and yellow make orange, and blue and yellow make green. These are secondary colors, right? Yes, but there is so much more to discover. It is the amount and combination of these three colors that go into so many othervariations. Experimenting with and getting to understand the art of mixing paint is part of the fun of expressing yourself through painting with acrylics..

Here I will add that a touch of white or black to any color mix lightens or darkens that color. And so there can be a lighter or darker tint or shade of any color you mix. This, of course, is also true of the primary colors.

“Tint, shade and tone

In color theory, a tint is a mixture of a color with white, which increases lightness, while a shade is a mixture with black, which increases darkness. Both processes affect the resulting color mixture's relative saturation. A tone is produced either by mixing a color with gray, or by both tinting and shading. Wikipedia”

Again, I know there are many videos dedicated to mixing colors. I am recommending this first video as being aimed more at beginners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEkw4QYjhT8

I picked the second video because the artist not only shows how to mix a variety of colors but also gives tips on what he may use each color for in his artwork. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv9Vdfd0Krc&t=2968s

A pallet and mixing knife are very useful in this process but when I am mixing colors in larger amounts, I use a ceramic bowl and an old Z43T Royal and Langnickel bush. Basically, any old medium sized round -tipped brush will do.

Let’s say I am doing the base coloration for the sky on an 18” x 24” canvas. In this example I want the sky to be an inch or two lower than the ground element. I want this base coat to be consistent from top to bottom. Later I can add other objects, such as trees, mountains, birds, clouds, etc., which may go over the top of this base color. Covering this area is going to take a substantial amount of paint. Pre-mixing it in a white bowl allows me to shade, tint, or add other colors to my primary blue, to get just the right color for the background. This works the same for the “ground” portion of the painting or any large area you need to fill.

I start by putting a generous amount of the primary color in the center of the bowl. I will put either black or while, depending if I want this color lighter or darker. I may add a small amount of red if I want a morning or evening sky. The trick is to mix the colors thoroughly and to use a testing paper or pallet to look at the color you have created before applying it to the canvas. I scrape off as much paint from the brush on the lip of the bowl, as is possible, before testing it, also making sure that the color on the brush is well mixed and solid as a color. I then use a much bigger brush to apply the mix to the canvas.

I will add here that it is often necessary to touch up these areas at some point, so pay some attention to the exact colors you used to create the base coat. You may need to mix these in smaller quantities at a later time.

Some artists, including myself, occasionally use a thinning medium to ensure the paint does not dry out too quickly and to extend the paint over larger surfaces. You should know that using any substantial amount of water to dilute or thin the paint will break down the basic structure of acrylic paint. It will be more easily washed out and will often fade on the canvas sooner rather than later. If you need a slight moistening, dip your brush in a container of clean water then tap it on a towel or cloth to leave just a small amount on the brush before taking on more paint.

Whether you are painting a live scene or working from a photograph, matching colors is a vital part of the process. Many paint stores have color matching cards and if you are trying to decide on a good match, grab a handful of these color strips for comparison. I buy quarts of black and white acrylic paint for many of my projects so I can take a few now and then. Just remember that these cards do not tell you how much of any given color to use in making that particular hue. This knowledge comes with experience.

Another option is to find a detailed color wheel or color mixing guide at your favorite art store or on-line. They run ten to twenty dollars on average.

Finally, I should note that there are many acrylic paint sets out there with a handful or dozens of pre-mixed colors. They usually come in small tubes. Purchasing these pre-mixed paints gets expensive quickly but if purchased individually, a specialty color can add a spark to your work that you may not have otherwise been able to create on your own.

Follow your dreams – Make More Art! M.True

(C)2024 Michael S. True - Published by TruEnergy Enterprises