How to get green from paints. How do I get purple? Methods for mixing paints to create different shades

»We touched upon the basic provisions of drawing - what you need to do to draw approximately what you want. And they did it using the example of a pencil and paper. Why? Because it is easier than learning to paint with paints, because in the case of using paints, in addition to the problem “ How do I draw it? " the problem "" appears - so that what is obtained is very similar to what is intended. And in this article we will try to give an exact answer to this question.

How do I get the color I want? There are two ways. The first is traditional, using the color wheel known to many:

So, there are basic colors:

• yellow
  
• blue
  
• Red .

Which, when mixed, give

• Orange
  
• green
  
• purple
  
• Brown .

Moreover, the shades of mixed colors depend on the proportion of the primary colors. And, using the color wheel, you can get the desired color like this:

1. Take some amount of the main color (for example, blue )
2. Add some amount of a second base color (e.g. yellow )
3. Compare the resulting green with what you wanted to get
4. Add one or another base color to correct the hue.
5. Or simply take the desired shade of green from a tube jar.

Why does the last point arise - take the desired shade from the jar? Because getting the color you want by mixing basic sometimes happens hard.

Basically, to start, you can get the desired color using such a color wheel. However, as skill grows, so does the need for more accurate color matching. Indeed, with the help of the described principles, quite often it turns out dirt... For example, it is very difficult to get a good purple color by mixing red and blue... Or is it hard to get necessary shades green , orange, brown flowers. That is, the principles do not take into account any factors that affect the result when mixing colors.

We are happy to tell you that these factors really exist, and, moreover, they can be used to cope with the problem of "dirt" and still learn to get the colors you want not by intuitive mixing, but by using the usual simple sequence of actions... This sequence and the reasons for the "dirty" of the standard color wheel were not surrounded by us, but by Michael Wilcox. Who wrote the book " ... How to get the color you really want". By the way, you can download this book by Michael Wilcox by following the link Blue and yellow don't give green.

Naturally, it will not be possible to present all the material of the book in one article, so we will restrict ourselves to the main points, and we recommend that you glean the details from this very book by Michael Wilcox "Blue and yellow do not give green".

So how do you get the exact color you want reliably and accurately?

For this it is necessary to take into account an important theoretical point. Why do we see color? Because different objects (including paint pigment) have different surface which reflects light differently from the sun or other light source. That is, the surface of, for example, a bathtub has such a structure that it reflects all colors and does not absorb anything. And all the colors of the rainbow, as we know, form white. Accordingly, the bathtub appears white. On the other hand, the surface of the soot is structured in such a way that it absorbs all light incident on it. And the soot doesn't reflect anything. As a result, we see black soot.

What happens if you mix white and carbon black? It will turn out beautiful Gray Colour. Why? Because the light reflects off the pieces of white completely, as white. And immediately it is partially absorbed by soot particles. The more soot in the whitewash, the darker the gray is obtained - due to the fact that more and more white light reflected by the white particles is absorbed by the soot particles.

The exact same principle works for colored pigments. Thus, red paint is red because it primarily reflects Red Colour. Blue looks blue because the pigment in its composition absorbs all colors except blue. Similarly, it "works" and yellow color - the pigment absorbs most colors except yellow.

Next, let's move on to mixing colors. So, for example, you take blue paint and red paint. You mix them up and get dirt... Why? Because the reflected red ABSORBED blue pigment in the same way as the entire falling color. Accordingly, the red pigment absorbs all the radiation is blue - because the nature of its surface is designed in such a way as to reflect mainly the red pigment.

But you may ask: “What nonsense, because mixing blue and yellow we still get green, and according to your theory, you should also get dirt? " Well, if there were really pure colors in nature, then we would see the formation of dirt. But there is one but, which makes it possible not only to mix colors, but also to carefully and reliably select the really desired shade of color.

So, pigment reflects more than just one light. Light of one wavelength is reflected in greater least. So, the red pigment mainly reflects Red Colour. But nevertheless, all other colors are also reflected (for example, purple or Orange). The exact same can be said about yellow color - predominantly the pigment reflects yellow, but nevertheless, it can be reflected in a sufficiently large amount Orange or green... WITH blue the same thing - it can carry additional "harmonics" green or purple .

So there is not three primary colors. There is six primary colors:

1. Mostly reflective paint Red and to a lesser, but significant, degree Orange .
2. Paint that reflects mainly Red and to a lesser (but significant) degree purple .
3. Pigment reflecting predominantly yellow and in addition green .
4. Pigment that predominantly reflects yellow and plus additive orange .
5. Reflective material mainly blue and partly purple .
6. Material that predominantly reflects blue and partly green .

Well, have you already understood the principle of color formation?

It's very simple: you take yellow from point 3 and blue from point 6, mix these colors. The blue pigment neutralizes the yellow color, the yellow pigment absorbs the blue color. Which color remains? Right, green! And not just green, but beautiful, bright and juicy green.

Likewise: by mixing the blue from point 5 and the red from point 2, you neutralize the blue and red colors, and the juicy and rich appear purple Colour.

And finally: by mixing yellow 4 and red 1, you get Orange due to the fact that the red pigment absorbs radiation from the yellow, and yellow - the reflected radiation from the red pigment.

The result was NEW color wheel of six primary colors:

The colors have arrows that indicate the path for optimal blended color development. Respectively, variety of shades is born as a result of one or another combination of these SIX primary colors... "Wrong" combinations (for example blue 6 and red 1) produce dull shades of colors (for example, dirty purple). The combination of one "correct" paint and one "incorrect" (for example, blue 6 and red 2) produces more pronounced shades (for example, a brighter purple). Finally, the combination of the "right" colors (eg blue 5 and red 2) produces a pure and bright color (bright and beautiful purple).

Naturally, reading the article is not enough to master the obtaining of the desired color. It is best to read the book " Blue and yellow don't give green»Michael Wilcox plus do practical exercises on the selection of colors described in the book. Nevertheless, the answer to our question has been received.

Mixing colors is one of the most difficult procedures that a person who decides to make repairs on their own may face with the need to perform. The point is that it is very important to know which colors to mix to create a certain tone. It should be noted right away that it is better to purchase white paint and tint it in the store using a special machine, so the tone will turn out to be uniform. If you decide to do everything yourself, then you can find out how to mix colors correctly.

These materials are universal, they are used for many purposes: with their help you can simply paint walls, paint stained glass windows, apply a picture on the wall and ceiling. In general, the scope of their use is limited by fantasy. The compositions are easy to work with, adhere well to the surface. But if you decide to paint a multi-component image on the wall, then buying paint of all the necessary colors will be too expensive, and after the completion of the work, it will remain a large number of unnecessary material. In this case, it is better to buy a basic range, and to create certain shades, mix acrylic paints.

Main color range

Even from school, everyone knows: when you combine yellow and red, you get orange, but if you add blue to the same yellow, you get green. It is on this principle that the acrylic mixing table is built. According to her, it is enough to purchase only the basic colors:

• White;
• black;
• Red;
• Brown;
• blue;
• yellow;
• pink.

You can simply mix the acrylics in these tones to achieve most of the existing shades.

Basics of mixing by table

To properly mix materials, you cannot do without a table. At first glance, working with it is easy: to get the desired result, it is enough to find a color and see what components are required. But the color mixing table does not indicate the proportions, therefore, it is necessary to gradually add tinting material to the main paint and apply the mixture to some unnecessary product: a sheet of plywood, drywall, and so on. Then you need to wait until the material dries. If the color is correct, you can start working on the main surface.

Tinting technique

Now about how to get colors. By mixing acrylic materials, two main tones can be achieved: light and dark. Basic tones: earthy, green, orange, purple. To create color, it is recommended to adhere to certain rules:

1. Light. In this case, titanium white is the main material, to which one or two colourants are added. The less additional paintwork is used, the lighter the tone will come out. This is how you can make most of the shades of the light palette.
2. Dark. To form shades of this type, the opposite should be done. Before mixing the colors, it is necessary to prepare the base tone, the black dye is gradually introduced into the base. When working with black paint, you need to be careful, as it can make the color not dark, but dirty.
3. Green. This shade is not in the main palette, so you will need to mix yellow and blue. The exact ratio can only be found empirically.
4. Purple. it cold color, which is obtained by mixing blue with pink or red. In some cases, you will also need to add black to darken the material.
5. Orange. To create this color, you need to mix red and yellow. For a richer orange, it is recommended to add more red and vice versa. If you want to create a soft color, for example, coral, then you need to lighten the material with whitewash. Can dark colors be added? Yes, you can, but mixing paints can result in a dirty tone.
6. Earthy. Here the main color is brown. By adding various shades to it, a color from beige to dark woody is obtained.

Rules for working with the palette

To get started, you need a basic set of paints, brushes, a container of water and a palette (you can take any surface, including school products for painting).

It is recommended to place whitewash in the center, as it is used in most shades. Dyes of the main color range are placed in the grooves around (if any). You need to mix carefully, gradually adding tinting material and constantly checking the result. After mixing the colors, the brush should be rinsed in a container with water.

On a note! Working with acrylic-based materials using a table and palette is quite simple. The main thing is to practice more, each time the result will be better.

Oil paints

If you compare this material with watercolor or acrylic, the oil is more fluid. Because of this, you need to mix the compositions very thoroughly. different colors... On the one hand, this is a drawback, but on the other hand, this feature allows you to get the following effects:

• If thoroughly mixed, a uniform tone will be obtained. Such material is perfect for both full surface painting and partial decoration.
• If mixed partially, then multi-tone streaks will appear on the coating.

Mixing

Now how to mix oil paints... For mixing paint colors on oil based a table is also used. It indicates the colors obtained by combining various tinting components. In addition, here you can find such an indicator as the combination of gloss. If you add a little gloss to a matte base, then there will be practically no result, but if you do the opposite, then the shine will be slightly muted.

Mixing methods:

1. Mechanical. In this case it comes about mixing two or more materials of different colors in one container. Color saturation is controlled by the number of bright hue formulations. The desired color is created even before processing the wall or ceiling.
2. Color overlay. Step-by-step application several strokes on top of each other.
3. Optic. This is the most difficult method available only to specialists. It involves mixing glossy and matte substrates while applying paint to the surface. You can only mix the colors of the paints on the surface to be treated, otherwise you will get a more even tone.

Peculiarities

The first method fully corresponds to the data in the table. When it comes to color blending, the result is unpredictable. One of the easiest options optical illusions is a glaze: a dark tone is applied to the surface, after it dries, paint is put a little lighter, and then completely light. As a result, each color will be visible through the upper layers.

Thus, there is no definite scheme. To find out which colors to mix, it is not enough just to take and look at the table, it is important to constantly practice and not be afraid of experiments. This way you can create a new effect that will make the interior unique. It is also important to remember that a mixed shade is very difficult to repeat, so the proportions should be remembered.

Now the question of how to mix paints correctly does not seem so difficult.

Knowing about color mixing options can come in handy not only in professional activity artists. The individual design of the living space often poses the question of how to achieve this or that interesting half-tone before the designer. The suggested combination options and the color mixing table will help you get the desired effect.

Everyday life is filled with the widest range of all kinds of colors. To get the right one, you need to know the subtleties of combination.

Blue, red and yellow paint are three whales that support a wide palette of halftones. It is impossible to form these colors by mixing other paints. At the same time, their combination with each other gives an unusually many combinations.

Important! You can create a variety of shades by mixing only two colors by changing their proportions.

Depending on the volume of one part of the paint added to the other, the resulting result approaches one or another of the original color. One of the most famous examples is a mixture of blue and yellow, resulting in the formation green color... The result obtained when adding new portions yellow paint will gradually change, as close as possible from green to yellow. You can return to blue by adding more of the original element to the green mixture.

Mixing chromatic colors located close to each other in color wheel, give a paint that does not have a pure tone, but has an expressive chromatic shade. Combining colors on opposite sides of the chromatic circle will result in an achromatic tone. An example is a combination of orange or magenta with green. That is, a mixture of paints closely spaced in the color wheel gives a rich chromatic hue, the maximum removal of colors from each other when mixed leads to a grayish tone.

Separate paints, when interacting, give an undesirable chemical reaction, which can result in cracking of the decorative layer. In some cases, the resulting background may darken or gray. An illustrative example serves as a mixture of white lead and red cinnabar. Attractive pink color darkens over time.

It is optimal when the impression of multicolor is achieved by mixing a minimum number of colors. It is important to take into account which paints, as a result of mixing with each other, give a lasting result, and which ones are unacceptable to combine. The knowledge gained allows us to exclude from the work fading or further darkening paints.

The table of undesirable mixtures below will help to reduce the risk of mistaken combinations:

Having tried these examples in practice, future painters and designers will gain valuable professional experience.

Methods for obtaining red and its shades

Red is one of the three primary colors and is always present even in the smallest sets. But for mass printing, the tone of magenta is used. The answer to the question of how to get red is quite simple: mix the proposed magenta with yellow in a 1: 1 ratio. There are other options for getting red when mixing paints:

In the center is the main red. The following are the mixing options. The next circle is the result of combining the first two colors. Finally, color options are presented when added to last result red, black or white paint.

Blue and its shades

Blue belongs to the primary colors, so blue paint is required to form all its shades.

Attention! No combination of other colors gives a shade of blue, so the presence of this paint in the kit is required.

Even having a set of 12 colors available, the question periodically arises of how to get the blue color. The classic tone is called "royal", and in a set of acrylic paints the ultramarine color is often the main one, which has a bright dark shade with a purple undertone. A lighter effect is achieved by mixing blue and white in a 3: 1 ratio. Increasing white results in a lighter tone down to sky blue. If you want to achieve a moderately rich result, dark blue paint is mixed with turquoise.

What colors need to be mixed to get shades of blue, consider further:

• The effect of a dark blue-green tone is achieved by mixing blue and yellow colors in equal proportions. Adding white paint will result in a lighter shade with a simultaneous decrease in brightness due to the combination of 3 elements.
• The creation of "Prussian blue" is carried out by mixing 1 part of the basic blue and adding 1 part of the composition of bright green and light green. A rich and deep shade can be diluted with white, and its clarity will not change.
• Combining blue and red in a 2: 1 ratio produces blue with a tinge of purple. The addition of white can lighten the dark and saturated tone.
• The royal blue is distinguished by the brightness, a similar effect is achieved by mixing the main blue with the mangent pink in equal parts... The addition of white traditionally lightens the result.
• Combination with orange gives a gray mass. Replacing orange with brown in a 1: 2 composition to the base creates a dark color with a complex gray-blue tint.
• Dark blue is formed using an admixture of black in a ratio of 3: 1.
• To create a blue tone on your own, you can mix the base color with white.

A small table of combination options is presented below:

Palette green

To solve the problem of how to get green in the absence of it in the set is quite simple: combine yellow and blue. A rich palette of green halftones is created by changing the proportions of the original components and adding additional elements, performing the function of dimming or lightening. This role is played by black and White paint... The olive and khaki effect is achieved by mixing two basic elements (yellow and blue) and a slight admixture of brown.

Comment! The saturation of the green depends entirely on the quality of the constituent elements: the intense tones of the sources guarantee a bright result.

If the green is obtained by mixing, then all subsequent halftones will be duller. Therefore, it is better to experiment with the gamut of green, having the primary color initially ready. There are many combination options:

• A combination of equal proportions of blue and yellow gives a grassy green.
• Increasing yellow to 2 parts with the addition of 1 part blue results in a yellow-green effect.
• Experimenting in reverse with a 2: 1 blue-yellow ratio will produce a blue-green tone.
• If you add ½ part of black to the previous composition, you will achieve a dark green effect.
• Light green warm tone is formed from yellow, blue and white paint in a ratio of 1: 1: 2.
• For a similar light green shade, but a cool tone, you need to take yellow, blue and white bases in a ratio of 1: 2: 2.
• Dark olive color is formed when mixed in equal parts of yellow, blue and brown paint.
• A gray-brown tone is obtained from similar elements in a 1: 2: 0.5 ratio.

The expressiveness of the green color is directly dependent on the original elements, respectively, the brightness of the halftones is repelled by the saturation of the green. A visual representation of the mixing options is given by the graphic palette:

As in the case of the red circle, the main paint is located in the center, then the mixing options follow, then the result of the experiments. The final circle is the shades of the previous level when adding base, white or black paint.

Other combination options

There are many other techniques to create the desired effect by adding some color to the base color. The answer to the question of how to get the ivory color is multifaceted and depends on the surface where the paint is planned to be applied. The easiest option is to mix a snow-white base with a yellowish one. For example, yellowish ocher or a minimum amount of strontium is added to whitewash. To tint paper, a small amount of potassium permanganate is diluted in water. A light pink tint indicates a properly diluted solution. A cotton swab, brush or sponge is moistened in the resulting composition, after which the surface of the paper is processed.

Advice! For double-sided tinting, the sheet can be lowered for a couple of minutes into a container with a potassium permanganate solution. After drying, it will acquire the desired ivory effect.

There are also several ways to get black:

• by mixing the three base colors red, blue and yellow;
• when combining cyan, magenta and yellow;
• a combination of green and red, but the result will not be 100% clear, but only close to the desired effect.

We will try to answer the most popular questions about mixing options:

• How to get a raspberry color: the base is blue with the addition of red, white and brown tones.
• Receive turquoise, the second name of which is aquamarine, is possible by mixing blue and green. Depending on the proportions, the tones of the new shade range from soft pastels to intense and vibrant.
• How to get the yellow? It belongs to the main ones and it is impossible to get it by combining other paints. Something similar to yellow can be created watercolors when green and orange or red are combined. But it is impossible to achieve purity of tone in this way.
• How to get the brown tint? To do this, you need base paints: red, yellow and blue. First, a small amount of yellow is added to the red (in an approximate ratio of 10: 1), then the volume is gradually increased until an orange tone is obtained. Then they proceed to the introduction of the blue element, 5-10% of the total volume will be enough. Minor adjustments to the proportions will give a wide variety of brown effects.
• The combination in different ratios of black and white element gives a varied range of gray tones.

As you can see, the options to achieve the desired effect in creative process the design is innumerable. A table with color mixing options and a video will complement the information provided:

Brown is a versatile color that has many possible uses, but it may not always be found in paint kits. Fortunately, different shades of brown can be obtained by mixing the three primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. Just mix these three primary colors and you have a brown color. You can also start with a secondary color, such as orange or green, and add a primary color to it until you get brown. To achieve the desired shade of brown, add more of one of the primary colors, use a little black, or mix two or more different shades.

Steps

Mix the primary colors in equal proportions

Squeeze a small drop of each color onto the mixing surface. Apply red, blue, and yellow paints next to each other on a palette or sheet of paper. The exact amount depends on how much brown paint you need. In this case, it is important that each paint is equally divided.

• Leave some space between flowers. In this free space in the middle, you will mix different colors.
• To get brown from primary colors, you just need to mix them in equal amounts.

Advice: in principle, this combination can be used for oil sticks, watercolors or crayons, but the final color may not be uniform as they are more difficult to mix.

Mix the colors completely. Run the tip of the palette knife along the inner edges of all three paints to pull them towards the center. Then, in ever wider circular motions, stir the paints with the flat bottom surface of the tool. As you do this, you will notice that the mixture gradually takes on a rich brown color.

Add some white to give the brown depth. After you mix the colors and get brown, add some white paint and keep stirring until it is completely gone. Be careful not to use too much white paint - usually no more than ⅓ of the total paint is required.

How to get brown from secondary colors

1. Mix red and yellow together for an orange color. Start with enough red paint and gradually add yellow paint to it until you end up with a 1: 1 ratio. At the same time, stir the paints until you get a dark orange color.

   • You can use a little more red to make the brown dark enough.

2. Mix orange and blue for brown. Use a little less blue than orange — the amount of blue should not exceed 35–40%. Stir the colors well until you have a chocolate brown color.

   Mix red and blue to get purple. Use the two colors in roughly equal proportions. The perfect combination of red and blue will give purple, and if you deviate from exact proportion you get a magenta or similar red hue.

   • Getting the right purple color is pretty tricky. If the final blend is reddish or bluish, add a bit of the opposite color to achieve balance.
   • If you add too much blue paint, purple will be harder to fix. It is easier to achieve the correct shade with an excess of red.

3. Add a little yellow paint to the purple until you get a brown color. As you mix the paints, you will notice a dull brown tint start to show through. Continue adding yellow paint in small increments until you get the color you want.

   Mix blue and yellow for green. Squeeze out a large blob of blue and gradually add yellow paint to it. As with orange, you should start with the most saturated green and work your way towards the middle of the spectrum.

   • For better results green should be closer to dark blue than light aquamarine.

4. Add in green the right amount red paint to get brown. Stir in quite a bit of red at first and continue adding and stirring as needed to get a darker color. A mixture of green and red can give an earthy olive brown to a warm burnt orange.

   • To get as "real" brown color as possible, the mixture should contain 33-40% red paint. With equal proportions, red will be slightly dominant.

   Advice: the brown color obtained with a mixture of red and green is perfect for landscapes and nature depictions.

   How to get different shades

   Add some more red or yellow paint to give the brown a warmer hue. If you want to lighten or enhance brown, just add a small amount of one of the warm primary colors. Add paint in small portions and stir continuously until you get the desired shade.

Take paints. Any kind of paint will work - even those used to paint furniture or walls - but it is best (and cleaner) to practice with a few small tubes of oil or acrylic paint. First, let's see what happens if we mix just two colors - red and blue.

• Note: Black can be obtained by mixing the available colors. Black pigment, of course, exists, but its use is too conspicuous. It is better to get dark colors by mixing transparent primary colors: shadows also have shades, depending on the time of day and other factors.
• Check out the More Tips section below for guidance on choosing the best magenta and cyan.

1. Mix red and blue. Everyone knows that red and blue when mixed together give purple, right? Indeed, but this is not that bright, vibrant purple. Instead, they form something like this:

   • Not very pleasing to the eye ,? This is because red and blue absorb more and reflect less, giving a dark, muddy violet instead of a vibrant and vibrant one.

2. Now try this: mix magenta with a small amount cyan - and you will see the difference. This time you get something like this:

   

   • Magenta is a shade of purple, cyan is a blue-green shade, often referred to as bright blue or turquoise. Along with yellow, they are the primary colors in the CMYK model, based on a subtractive color shaping scheme (obtaining a color by subtracting individual components from white). This scheme is used in the printing industry, including color printers.
   • You can see that using the true primary colors - magenta and cyan - results in a much brighter and more vibrant hue. If you want a richer purple, add more blue. For a deep purple add black.

3. Mix pigments to create primary and secondary colors. There are 3 main color pigments: cyan, magenta and yellow. There are also 3 secondary colors obtained by mixing two primary colors:

   • Cyan + yellow = green
   • Cyan + magenta = blue
   • Magenta + yellow = red
   • Cyan + magenta + yellow = black
   • With subtractive color mixing, the combination of all colors produces black.

4. "Check out the information below. See Mixing Colors for more detailed guidelines for a wide variety of shades, including light, dark, and greyish. The Tips section provides an extensive list of colors and combinations that you can use to get those colors in the palette.

   Light mixing: additive colors

   1. Take a look at your monitor. Look at the white areas on this page and get as close as possible. It's even better if you have a magnifying glass. Moving closer to the eye to the screen, you will see not white, but red, green and blue dots. Unlike pigments, which work by absorbing color, light is additive, that is, it works by adding light fluxes. In movie screens and displays, whether 60-inch plasma TV or the 3.5-inch Retina display on your iPhone, using additive color mixing.

      Blend light to create primary and secondary colors. As with subtractive colors, there are 3 primary colors and 3 secondary colors, obtained by mixing primary colors. The result may surprise you:

      • Mixing red + blue = magenta
      • Mixing blue + green = cyan
      • Mixing green + red = yellow
      • With additive color mixing, the combination of all colors results in white.
      • Note that primary additive colors are secondary subtractive colors, and vice versa. How can it be? Know that the action of subtractive color is a combined process: it absorbs some of the colors, and we perceive what is left, that is, the reflected light. Reflected color is the color of the luminous flux that remains when all other colors are absorbed.

   Modern color theory

   1. Understand the subjective nature of color perception. Human perception and identification of color depends on both objective and subjective factors. While scientists can identify and measure light down to the nanometer, our eyes perceive a complex combination of not only hue, but also the saturation and brightness of a color. This circumstance is further complicated by the way we see the same color on different backgrounds.

      Hue, saturation, and lightness are the three dimensions of color. We can say that any color has three dimensions: hue, saturation and lightness.

      • Tone characterizes the position of a color on the color wheel - red, orange, yellow, and so on, including all intermediate colors, such as red-orange or orange-yellow. Here are some examples: pink refers to a magenta tone or a red (or something in between). Brown refers to an orange tone because brown is a dark orange.
      • Saturation is what gives a rich, vibrant color, like a rainbow or color wheel. Pale, dark and muted colors (shades) are less saturated.
      • Lightness shows how close the color is to white or black, regardless of the color. If you do black and white photography colors, it will be possible to tell which ones are lighter and which ones are darker.
        • For example, bright yellow is relatively light color... You can lighten it even more by adding white and making it pale yellow.
        • Bright blue is naturally dark and low on the light scale, and dark blue is even lower.

   Mixing paints

   1. Follow this guide to get any color you want. Magenta, yellow and cyan are the main subtractive colors, which means that by mixing them you can get any other color, but they themselves cannot be obtained from other colors. Primary subtractive colors are used when mixing pigments such as inks, dyes and paints.

      

      Low saturation colors (dull colors) are of three main types: light, dark and muted.

      Add white for lighter colors. Any color can be lightened by adding white to it. To get a very light color, it is better to add a little base color to white, so as not to waste extra paint.

      Add black for darker colors. Any color can be darkened by adding black to it. Some artists prefer to add a complementary (complementary) color that is opposite the given color on the exact CMY / RGB color wheel. For example, green can be used to darken magenta and magenta to darken green, because they are opposite each other on the color wheel. Add black or complementary color a little at a time so you don't overdo it.

      Add white and black (or white and a complementary color) for muted, greyish colors. By changing the relative amount of added black and white flowers, you can get any desired level of lightness and saturation. For example: add white and black to yellow for a light olive. Black will darken the yellow, turning it into an olive green, while white will lighten this olive green. Various olive green hues can be obtained by adjusting the amount of dyes added.

      • For desaturated colors such as brown (dark orange), you can adjust the hue in the same way as for bright orange — by adding a small amount of nearby colors on the color wheel: magenta, yellow, red, or orange. They will brighten the brown while changing its hue. But since brown is not a bright color, you can also use colors located on the other sides of the triangle, such as green or blue, which darken the brown while changing its hue.

   2. Get black. This can be done by mixing any two mutually complementary colors, as well as three or more equidistant from each other on the color wheel. Just don't add white or any color that contains white unless you want a shade of gray. If the resulting black tilts too much towards a color, neutralize it by adding a little complementary color to that color.

      Don't try to get white. White cannot be obtained by mixing other colors. Like the three primary colors - magenta, yellow and cyan - you will have to buy them, unless, of course, you are working with materials such as watercolor, for which paper itself is used instead of white, if necessary.

      Develop an action plan. Think about the hue, lightness, and saturation of the color you have and the color you want, and make adjustments accordingly.

      • For example, the shade of green can be brought closer to cyan or yellow - its neighbors in the color wheel. It can be lightened by adding white. Or darken by adding black or a complementary color, namely purple, magenta or red, depending on the shade of green. You can tone it down by adding black and white, or make the desaturated green a little brighter by adding (bright) green.
      • One more example. You mixed red and white to get pink, but the pink came out too bright and warm (yellowish). To correct the warm shade, you will have to add a little magenta. To muffle hot pinks, add white, complementary (or black), or both. Decide if you want a darker pink (add only the complementary color), greyish pink (add white and a complementary color), or just a lighter pink (add only white). If you plan on adjusting the hue with magenta and muffling the pink with green or cyan (complementary to magenta and red), you can try combining the two by using a color between magenta and cyan, such as blue.

   3. Mix colors and start creating a masterpiece! If all of this seems overwhelming to you, you just need a little practice. Creating a color guide for your own needs - good way practice using the principles of color theory. Even by printing it from a computer, you will provide yourself useful information for the time when you do not have practice yet and you cannot work on an intuitive level.

   Color samples and methods of obtaining them

   • Select the color you want to get and follow the instructions below. Each sample offers a range of possibilities; you can adjust the amount of paint used to get exactly the color you want. For example, any light color can be lightened or darkened by adding more or less white. Complementary, or complementary, colors are colors that are opposite each other on the RGB / CMY color wheel.
   • Red: Add some yellow or orange to the magenta.
     • Light red (salmon pink, coral): Add white to red. Use less white and more red to get coral.
     • Dark red: Add some black (or cyan) to the red. Cyan is complementary to red.
     • Muted red: Add white and black (or cyan) to the red.
   • Yellow: Yellow cannot be obtained by mixing other colors. You will have to buy it.
     • Light yellow: Add white to the yellow.
     • Dark yellow (olive green): Add some black (or violet-blue) to the yellow. Violet blue is complementary to yellow.
     • Muted yellow (light olive): Add white or black (or violet-blue) to the yellow.
   • Green: Mix cyan and yellow.
     • Light green: Add white to green.
     • Dark green: Add some black (or magenta) to the green. Magenta is complementary to green.
     • Gray-green: Add white and black (or magenta) to the green.
   • Cyan (turquoise blue): Cyan cannot be obtained by mixing other colors. You will have to buy it.
     • Light cyan: Add white to cyan.
     • Dark Cyan: Add some black (or red) to the cyan. Red is complementary to cyanogen.
     • Blue-gray: Add white and black (or red) to cyan.
   • Violet blue: Mix magenta with cyan or blue.
     • Light violet blue (lavender): Add white to violet-blue.
     • Dark violet blue: Add some black (or yellow) to the violet-blue. Yellow is complementary to purple.
     • Grayish violet blue: Add white and black (or yellow) to the violet-blue.
   • Purple: Mix magenta with a little cyan, blue, or violet blue.
     • Light purple: Add white to purple.
     • Dark purple: Add some black (or lime green) to the purple. Lime green is complementary to purple.
     • Muted purple: Add white and black (or lime green) to purple.
   • Black: Black can be obtained by mixing any two complementary colors or three equidistant colors on an exact CMY / RGB color wheel, such as red, green, and blue. If you get a dark color instead of pure black, correct it by adding a complementary color.
   • White: White cannot be obtained by mixing other colors. You will have to buy it. For a warm white (like cream), add a little yellow. For a cool white, add a little cyan.
   • Gray: Gray is a mixture of black and white.
   • When mixing paints, add a little of them to adjust the color. You can always add more. This is especially true when working with black and blue, which tend to dominate other colors. Add a little at a time until you achieve the desired result.
   • Use your own eyes to find out if the color is complementary. This is an old trick: look closely at the color, then look away at the white surface. Due to the "color fatigue" of the eyes, you will see the opposite color.
   • Choosing primary colors when shopping can be tricky. Look for magenta free of white and blue pigments (PW and PB). Best of all are violet and red pigments such as PV19 and PR122. Good cyanogen PB15: 3. PB15 and PG7 are also good. If you need artistic paints or glaze, you can try using a printer to match colors. Print a sample from your computer to a printer to take with you to the store, or look for the primary colors on the sides of your cereal or cookie package.
   • You need one color triangle of colors that provide visual balance to the picture, and another color triangle to identify pairs of colors that neutralize each other, since the complementary colors for these tasks are slightly different. So, ultramarine works well with lemon yellow and other beautiful yellows, but to darken those yellows, use purple. Additional information on this subject can be found on the net.
   • How many tubes of different colors do you really need to paint a picture? Jean-Louis Morell's book on watercolor painting shows how, using the cyan-yellow-magenta color triangle, to get almost any desired color from just four or five, but this can be done with the help of the listed three plus white (paper acts as white in watercolor painting)!
     • The best range of shades can be obtained by mixing colors close to the CMY primary colors, but to get a darker shade, one - or even better two - must be darker than these primary colors, for example, Persian blue or cobalt blue, alizarin crimson.
   • What you write? The colors you need depend entirely on what you are writing. For example, ultramarine, Neapolitan yellow, burnt sienna and whitewash are useful for distant landscapes, if you do not need bright greens and yellows.

   What do you need

   • Palette - disposable paper works well.
   • Palette knife (any size)
   • Watercolor paper or primed canvas (can be purchased from your local art store; a finished primed canvas will work well)
   • Containers with water or solvent for cleaning brushes
   • Synthetic brush of your choice (# 8 round or # 6 flat works well)
   • Spray bottle to prevent waterborne paints from drying out
   • Paper towels for removing dirt and cleaning brushes
   • Color circle
   • Paints
   • Bathrobe or old shirt that you don't mind getting dirty
   • Gloves