Color Mixing Part 4: The Quirks

This lesson is actually the second part of the previous lesson which was way too long.

The Quirks

Most colors schemes follow the rule of compliments pretty well. The dark colors, however are real troublemakers. Viridian is pretty easy because its compliment is derived from Alizarin. Violets and Blues give some students fits because the compliments are fairly light (at least on our palettes) and don't help much with the shadow making process.

To start with, the compliment of violet is, what? Come on, think about it. That's right, Green. No, yellow. No, orange? No. Yes, Orange. Definitely, orange! Right? ..... Learn the color wheel. You will be quizzed. The answer is Yellow. If you add Cadmium Yellow Light or Yellow Ochre to a mixture of Ultramarine and Alizarin, well, it's not going to make it very dark, is it? Let's look at it another way. For the light side of the violet thing that you are trying to paint, adding white is fine. For the dark side, get rid of the Ultramarine, or most of it anyway, and use Viridian instead. Yes, Viridian. Think about it. Technically, you are combining red and blue (violet) with yellow. It really doesn't matter where you get the red, yellow and blue, you just need to combine them in a certain way. How about combining blue and yellow (green) with red - or - Viridian with Alizarin. If the object that you are trying to paint is blue you might try adding its comliment, orange (red and yellow) which would again be too light. Instead, try combining green (blue and yellow) and red. In terms of paint it would be, again Viridian and Alizarin (and a little Ultramarine) but in a different proportion.

This brings up an interesting point. If you haven't already noticed, each color that is mixed for the dark side of things is actually a combination of all the primary colors. Think about it this way: look at the color wheel and you will notice that first, the compliment of a primary color is a secondary color, which is made up of two primary colors. Second, the compliment of a secondary color is a primary. This is usually where I loose some students. They normally repeat this several times slowly then look at me with a blank stare. Not to worry. If this part confuses you, don't worry you're not alone. Forget it for now. It's just an observation and a different way of looking at it. At some point however, this may help to clarify many color mixing issues.

The Poor Misunderstood Red

Sometimes the name that we give a color can effect the way we see a color and ultimately how we mix a color. I've never been a big fan of naming colors like Kelly Green, Beige or Mauve. These names don't lend themselves well to color mixing so, when it comes time to mix... well, what color is Kelly, anyway? The word Beige in a classroom is usually preceded by the phrase "I don't know." And, we can't even decide on how to pronounce the word Mauve. These words muddy-up the whole color mixing process, not to mention the colors.

I Got The Pinks

Sometimes the problem is more deeply rooted as in the word Pink. If we add white to blue we get light blue. If we add white to green we get light green. When we add white to red however, we get Pink. Pink is a word more established than the aforementioned Mauve. It engenders a whole gender. The problem with the word Pink is that it prevents us from seeing the color for what it really is, light red. Poor misunderstood red, the most noble of colors, it must share its spotlight with that interloper, Pink.

Every student new to painting will at some point ask the question "how do I lighten red?". If you're a fan of Pink then the answer is: you can't. If you believe in the separation of red and Pink then chances are good that what you're trying to paint is probably as light as you can get. What a lot of students don't understand is that If we use Cad. Red Lt. for the lightest red (without making Pink) what you have is a color that is gray in tone. Not dark and not light but mid-tone. See the illustrations below:

The lighter red in this painting is mostly Cad. Red Lt. It is probably the lightest red that can be achieved without using white.

Now let's look at the image in black and white or greyscale.

Notice how dark this red area is. What most students perceive as a light red is actually a mid-tone red.

We can see in the color image that the red on the table is bright but as we see in the greyscale image, it is not very light. Never mistake bright for light.

Now look at the diagram below.

Students are forever trying to make color a as light as color b. The result is either something too pale or too orange (if you add Cad. Yellow Lt. to instead of white) and far too frustrating.

White

Finally, I've been dancing around this for the better part of four posts. How does white officially factor into all of this? It's pretty simple, It's used primarilly to facilitate most of our basic color theories.

The Paint

I normally use Titanium White because it relatively warm straight from the tube. I usually tend toward warm whites so this saves time. In general, white areas on a painting are somewhat thicker so when choosing a brand look for something thick. It should have little, if no extenders. Opasity is paramount in a white, so when you find one with these qualities you can be assured that it will be opaque.

Uses

White is used in several different ways. I'll breifly discuss three of them. First, it is used to lighten all the other colors on your palette. Without it almost half of the colors on our palette would never be seen. I'm refering of course to the three darkest colors Utramarine, Alizarin and Viridian. In regards to color mixing the rule of thumb for white is "use as needed." That having been said it is often mis-used. Many beginner s will use far too much white either because they can't think of an alterative of because they are trying to adjust colors while there is too much white canvas showing. Painting on a white surface will cause all of your colors to loof too dark (this may also be said of mixing on a white palette. But that's another lesson). The rewsult is a pasty image.

The second way to use white is for highlights. These are the reflections usually from the primary light source. Basically they are applied heavily slightly larger than needed then they are "carved" away until the desired size and shape are achieved. The white used for highlihts is always tinted in some way either by adding an orange to make them warmer or some painters add the compliment of what the highlight is sitting on.

The third way that white is use, is when you paint something that is white. As with highlights, the white used to paint this object will need to have other colors mixed in. White should never be used straight from the tube no matter how tempted you may be. This rule also applies to every color. There are an infinate number of colors in the spectrum and only seven on our palette. The odds are pretty good that you can mix a better color than any that comes from a tube. Choosing the proper color for a white object is tough. I've often asked new students what color they see and without fail the answer is "white." Without training it is difficult but I keep coming back to the rule of compliments. There is little color in a white object so the only thing left to influence it is the light that is shining on it, either direct or indirect. If a white object is being lit by an incandescant bulb the it will the color will be warm. Think orange, yellow-orange or red-orange. Consequently the dark side will be its compliment, blue, blue-violet or blue-green. Sometimes it's easier to choose a color by looking at the dark side. Again, look to the compliments. You should, of course never overlook the natural tint of the object itself as this does have an effect on its appearance.

There two other major color influences which are reflected light and local color. I promise to go over these in future lessons.

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In our next lesson I'll begin to discuss tools and materials.

(c) 2010 Holm. All Rights Reserved.

Color Mixing Part 3: A How-To Guide

Putting Theory Into Practice

Theories are wonderful. They are a culmination of a series of "what-ifs." Without theory life would be a continuous stream of reactions with surprises waiting around every corner (much like driving around this area). The natural progression of a theory is to put it into practice. In our last lesson I began talking about just this. In this lesson I will get a little more specific about color mixing.

Palette Layout

The most important part of laying out a palette is that it be layed out the same way each time. It is important that it makes some sense, either basing it on the spectrum or color wheel (see previous post) or based on practicality. This will help prevent a loss of concentration from having

to constanly search for your colors.

Below is a common palette layout that is based on the color wheel.

Think Pairs

It is safe to assume that most subject matter that is painted representationally will have a dark and light side, it is the primary way in which we create form in a painting.

What I would like you to remember is to always mix your colors in pairs. A color for the light side and the corresponding color for the dark side. This also applies to cast shadows.

Let's Get Our Hands Dirty

Let's go over some common color mixing scenarios step-by-step. We'll start out with our old stand-by, the lemon:

1. Look: Look at your subject. This sounds like a given but you'd be surprised how many students don't.
2. Closest Color: Ask yourself which color on your palette is closest to the subject color. Think about it this way, if you had to describe the subject with only one paint color which would you choose*. You're looking for a starting point. In the case of the lemon you would probably choose Cadmium Yellow Light.
3. Base Color: Pull a small amount of this color into the mixing area. Now, to get this color closer to what you need it has to be adjusted. Rarely does a color work straight from the tube. We adjust a color along the color wheel, one way or the other. Assuming you've chosen the right color you will need to add one of the analogous colors (see previous post). On the palette it may its neighbor. This mixture is your Base Color. In the case of the lemon however, Cad. Yellow Lt. itself is pretty close.
4. Divide: Divide yourt base color into two small piles. One side will be your light color the other will be your dark color.
5. Light Side: To the light color you will probably only need to add a small amount of white.
6. Dark Side: To the dark side you add its compliment (see previous post). This is the most confusing step for most beginning students because it is so counter intuitive. That is to say that the compliment is probably the last color that you would think of. In the case of our lemon the compliment is violet. This is mixed using Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson. Things to remember about this step: a) Your goal is to come up with a dark version of the base color so if you're coming up with a violet on the lemon's dark side you need to add more yellow. b) Just because you've added violet it does not mean that you've added the right violet . What this means is that if the dark side of the lemon turns green then there's not enough red, so, add more Alizarin Crimson. Conversely, if the dark side turns orange, there's not enough blue, so, add more Ultramarine Blue. c) Most importantly, NEVER add the compliment to your light color to make it a dark and, you guessed it, NEVER add white to the dark color in hopes of getting the color for the light side. There are colors used in each that are incompatible with the other. Doing either of these two will only result in mud not to mention extreme frustration and a waste of paint.

For Those Who Prefer Diagrams

Are you confused yet? No?

Lets try mixing colors for an orange.

How about a lime?

In our next lesson I'll discuss some of the quirks in color mixing. They may not seem to follow the rules but its all in how you look at it.

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* Some paint colors are darker than others. This may cause students to choose the wrong color because the right color looks too dark. For instance, in my landscape class it is common for new students to choose Cerulean Blue for the sky over Ultramarine Blue merely because it is the right tone. To help avoid this and to become generally more familiar with your paint, lay out a small amount of each color on your palette then add white to them as needed to make all the colors equal in tone. Remember you don't need to add white to the Cad. Yellow Lt..

(c) 2010 Holm. All Rights Reserved.

Color Mixing Part 2: Palette v. Color Wheel

The Paint

In our last lesson I talked about the theory of color mixing. Now let's begin to discuss the nuts and bolts of it and how it relates to theory.

I generally use, what is called a limited palette. All that this means is that I use a limited number of colors, seven (and white) to be exact. Although anyone who has had me as an instructor knows that I usually only talk about six (more on that later). The seven colors are representative of the spectrum or color wheel but none of them align precisely with its colors. Remember in the previous lesson that I mentioned that in theory, primary colors are ones which can not be mixed? Well, in practice it's another story. First let us list all seven colors:

1. Alizarin Crimson
2. Cadmium Red Light
3. Cadmium Yellow Light
4. Yellow Ochre
5. Viridian
6. Cerulean Blue
7. Ultramarine Blue

......and Titanium White.

The seventh color is Yellow Ochre which is an earth tone. I don't use many earth tones. I believe in using the brightest colors that I can find. The reason is that it is easier to make a bright color dull than it is to make a dull color bright. If you start with earth tones inertia dictates that you will probably end up with what I call a brown painting. Most students tend to mis-use earth tones -- Black for shadows, Umber's for ground, Sienna's for tree trunks or anything made of wood. The only earth tone that I use is Yellow Ochre and I use it sparingly. Only as students get further along do I even "allow" them bring it into class. There are many reasons for the aversion

to earth tones which I'll probably address in future lessons (in live class sessions my aversion to earth tones usually results in an inadvertent and more than likely inappropriate response. Please feel free to imagine your own expletive).

Aligning Your Paint Colors with The Color Wheel

Now let's talk about aligning your palette to the color wheel. Because none of these seven paint colors falls on any of the primary or secondary colors it would help to know just where they reside. Below is our color wheel with the paint colors situated between the primary and secondary colors.

Brand Differences

Please note that this diagram shows where my colors fall, not necessarily where your colors will fall. It depends on the brand of paint you use. I currently use Utrecht but at one time I used Winsor & Newton. I remember that WN Cadmium Yellow Light was a bit warmer than Utrecht. They also offer a Cadmium Yellow Pale which was a little cooler than Utrecht Cadmium Yellow Light. You may also have noticed that most of the paint colors are located on either side of a primary colors in pairs. If you mix the paired paint colors a certain way you should be able to come up with that primary. For instance, if you mix Ultramarine Blue with Cerulean and you get Primary Blue (shooting that "Primaries can't be mixed" theory all to hell). The only stand alone color is Viridian. This is on my palette for practical reasons which I will discuss in the next lesson.

Why We Do This

Even though this alignment is rather subjective it is a necessary process if, for no other reason, than that it will get you thinking about the properties of your paint. The most important reason is that it is helpful to know what the compliment of each of your paint colors is. This will give you an idea of which direction to move a color. Not just in theory but in practice.

One of the most common mistakes that a student will make is to assume that a paint color is what it is called. For instance, Cadmium Red Light is not so much a red as it is a reddish orange, Alizarin Crimson is more of a reddish violet than red. Another common mistake that I see regularly is when a student over simplifies the process and assumes that each color on their palette has a ready-mixed compliment, resulting the question: "Why is the dark side of my lemon turning orange?" The answer is: "Alizarin Crimson is not the compliment of Cadmium Yellow Light." Alizarin Crimson may be a violet of sorts but not necessarily the right one. See the diagram below.

Best Guess

Color mixing is, in the end, a lot of guess work. There are too many variables to reasonably come up with a concrete formula from which to work. That said, there are methods and procedures for color mixing that can make it much more of an educated guess so that you're not starting from square one each time you need to mix something.

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In our next lesson I will discuss one simple method for color mixing. It is, by no means the only way to do it, but, it may be a good place to start. In future posts I will also discuss some of the quirks of color mixing and answer the question "How does Titanium White fit in to all this?"

Ah, patience.

(c) 2010 Holm. All Rights Reserved.

Color Mixing Part 1: The Power of Compliments

The thing that never ceases to amaze me is the power of complimentary colors. Time after time the answer to almost any color mixing problem is found by looking across the color wheel. For those unfamiliar with the color wheel let me illuminate. When light is sent through a prism it is refracted or separated into its parts. The parts of light are color. Think of a rainbow. For clarity, artists depict these colors in a wheel. The primary colors, red, blue and yellow, are placed evenly around the wheel. The secondary colors are placed between the primaries from which they are mixed (orange goes between red and yellow, green goes between blue and yellow, etc.).

The basic theory goes like this:

1. There are three primary colors: Red, Yellow and Blue. In theory these colors can not be mixed from any others. These are the colors from which all other color are made. The holy trinity of color.
2. There are three secondary colors: Orange, Green and Violet. Each secondary color is created by mixing two primary colors.
3. The colors that are next to each other on the color wheel are called analogous colors.
4. The colors that are opposite on the color wheel are called complimentary colors. Pay close attention to these relationships.

For those who get more from pictures than words, (and lets face it isn't that why we do this?) let's look at the diagram below.

Color Wheel

There are two ways to use complimentary colors. First is how we create shadows, both cast shadows and the dark sides of objects. Second, is to create depth without necessarily, using contrast.

1. Shadows: The common misconception by beginner painters is that you make a shadow by adding black. In reality, all that this makes is a mess. No, worse, a dull mess. The best way to create a shadow is to add the compliment. If I were to paint a lemon, I would start with Cadmium Yellow Light. For the light side I would add a small amount of White. For the dark side, I would add (to the Cad. Yellow Lt.) its compliment, Violet made from Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson.
   
2. Depth: Most students who have done any painting at all know how to create depth in a painting by using varying tonal values, darks and lights. few, however know that there is an equally powerful method for creating this illusion, I call it an illusion because it is impossible to create actual depth within a two dimensional surface. The second way to create depth is by using complimentary colors. By placing the subject, let's say the same lemon, in front of its compliment, violet, you are creating the illusion of depth. Now imagine the same lemon in front of one of it's analogous colors, orange. The depth is now lost. Try to think of it this way: the further away something is on the color wheel the further away it will appear to be in your painting.
   

This is the theory part of color mixing. Next, we'll talk about how this theory translates into actual paint.

(c) 2010 Holm. All Rights Reserved.