Green is obtained by mixing blue and yellow. Once you understand basic color theory, you can create green using a variety of media, such as paint, frosting, and polymer clay.
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Method 1 of 4: Understanding Color Theory
Step 1. Mix the yellow and blue colors
Green is a secondary color. If you want to create green, you must mix blue and yellow in equal proportions. Blue and yellow are the primary colors.
- “Primary” colors are created naturally and cannot be created by mixing other colors. There are three primary colors: red, blue and yellow. To make green, you only need blue and yellow.
- “Secondary” colors are created by mixing two primary colors. Green is a secondary color because it is obtained by mixing blue and yellow. The other two secondary colors are orange and purple.
Step 2. Create different shades of green by changing the proportions of the primary colors
Pure green color is obtained by mixing pure yellow and pure blue. If you add more blue or yellow, the resulting green will have a slightly different tone.
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“Blue-green” and “yellow-green” are the two most basic color variations. This color is known as a "tertiary" color because it falls between the secondary and primary colors on the color wheel.
- Blue-green is made by mixing blue and yellow, or green and blue.
- Yellow-green is produced by mixing yellow and blue, or by combining green and yellow.
Step 3. Add black or white to change the intensity of the green
You can make a lighter green without changing its shades by adding white. If you like a darker green, add black.
Light colors are usually called “tints” (the white element added to the color) and dark colors are called “shades” (the black elements are added to the color)
Method 2 of 4: Making the Paint Green
Step 1. Mix yellow and blue paint
Pour equal proportions of pure blue and yellow onto a plate or paint palette, then use a palette knife to mix the two together.
- Once the two colors are mixed, you will get a pure green color.
- For an accurate green color, use a brush to apply a small amount of green paint to the drawing paper.
Step 2. Vary the proportions of each color
Depending on what the paint is for, pure green may not be an ideal choice. The easiest way to change shades of green is to add more yellow or blue.
- Note that adding more yellow will create a warmer green, and adding more blue will produce a cooler green.
- When trying to change color shades, mix in additional colors little by little until you get the shades you want. Changing the color slowly will be easier and won't be a waste of paint than having to add another color to balance it out by adding too much of one color. In addition, you also have to start from the extreme point.
Step 3. Experiment with different colors of yellow and blue
Clean up the palette and try mixing up some different shades of yellow and blue. This way, you will get different shades of green.
- Mixing yellow and pure blue will produce pure green, but changing this initial color will give you a different shade of green. For example, if you mix golden yellow and standard blue, the resulting green is softer and more brown. On the other hand, mixing standard yellow with light blue will produce a light green color.
- The best way to find out the ratio of the blue and yellow colors used to produce different shades of green is to experiment. Choose a few different shades of yellow and blue. Start by mixing yellow and blue in equal proportions, then experiment by varying the ratio of the two. Remember to record the experimental results for future reference.
Step 4. Experiment with mixing different shades of green
If you get two shades of green that are close to the color you need, but still don't quite match, try mixing the two shades of green to get the green you want.
- Every green color is made of blue and yellow. By mixing different greens, you will get new shades of green.
- You can also experiment with mixing green with different variations of yellow or blue for a dramatic change in color tone.
Step 5. Change the color intensity using black and white
Once you've got the right color, you can change its intensity, without changing the color, by adding black or white.
- Add white for a lighter color or black for a darker color.
- If you want to change the color intensity for any need, add white or black paint little by little so that the intensity of the resulting green color is not too light or too dark.
Method 3 of 4: Making the Green Frosting
Step 1. Prepare several sample bowls
To make green icing, you can use several methods and produce different shades of green. Experimenting with multiple samples at once allows you to learn more about the process.
- Prepare a minimum of four sample bowls, but there's nothing wrong with preparing 6-12 sample bowls to make this experiment more effective.
- Add to cup (60-125 ml) of white icing to each bowl. Make a note of how much icing is used as this will affect the amount of food coloring needed.
- Prepare at least four food coloring: green, yellow, blue and black. You can also use shades of green, yellow, or blue to experiment.
- Food coloring in the form of pastes, powders, and gels is made for coloring frosting. Try to use this type of dye as it will not change the consistency of the frosting. You can use liquid dye if you want a very light color. Too much liquid coloring will change the consistency of the frosting.
Step 2. Add green food coloring to one bowl
Use a toothpick to scoop out some of the dye, then dip the same toothpick into the bowl of white frosting to color it in. Stir until the colors are evenly mixed.
- To get an even color, you'll need to keep stirring until there are no streaks of color in the frosting.
- The type of dye used will affect the color of the icing. For example, "moss green" dye will create a warmer color than "kelly green" or "leaf green" dye.
- The amount of food coloring will affect the intensity of the color. Since you're using white icing, a small amount of green coloring will result in a very light pastel green. The more dye you add, the brighter the color will be.
Step 3. Mix blue and yellow in equal ratio in another bowl
Use a different toothpick to scoop a bit of yellow and blue (in equal amounts) into a second bowl of white icing. Stir until well blended.
- After mixing the blue and yellow dye, you will get a green frosting.
- The resulting shades of color will vary, depending on the shades of yellow and blue used. The intensity of the color will also vary, depending on how much food coloring is used.
Step 4. Mix the green and black colors in another bowl
Make a third green icing by mixing equal portions of green or blue and yellow coloring, following the same procedure as in the previous sample. Add a little black to the third sample bowl.
- After mixing in the black dye and stirring until well blended, you should get a green that is darker than the previous green. However, the color shades will not change.
- Know that black can have a dramatic impact on the appearance of color. So, use it sparingly.
Step 5. Experiment with other color combinations
Use the remaining white icing bowl to experiment with different color combinations. Take note of the resulting color shades and the dyes used in each sample for future reference.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions to come up with a different color or new experiment.
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Here are some interesting ideas:
- Mix sky blue and leaf green in equal proportions to get an aqua color.
- Create a chartreuse color by mixing 9/10 lemon yellow and 1/10 leaf green.
- Mix leaf green and royal blue, then add a little black. You will get a dark jade green color.
- Mix varying amounts of lemon yellow and sky blue for a teal or turquoise color.
Method 4 of 4: Making Green Polymer Clay
Step 1. Prepare polymer clay in several colors
Provide at least two blue clays, two yellow clays, one white clay, one transparent clay and one black clay.
- Preferably one of the blue polymer clays is warm (slightly greenish), and the other is cold (slightly purplish). Likewise with yellow clay, one should be warm (slightly orange) and the other cold (slightly greenish).
- You can use more variations of blue and yellow clay, but starting with two clays for each color will allow you to understand how to get the shades of green you want.
Step 2. Combine one blue clay with one yellow clay
Take a pinch of warm blue clay and cold yellow clay in equal proportions. Mix the two pieces of clay and knead with your fingers until evenly mixed.
- Roll, pull, and knead the clay mixture continuously until the colors are evenly mixed. When finished, there will be no more blue or yellow streaks on the clay.
- In the end, you'll end up with a pretty bright green clay because blue and yellow tend to lead to green.
Step 3. Make another color combination
Mix equal proportions of blue and yellow clay, following the same procedure used to make the first green sample. Continue until you have tried all possible combinations.
- The combination of warm yellow and cool blue will produce a dull green that is slightly brownish.
- The combination of warm yellow and warm blue will produce a medium warm green with a strong yellow undertone.
- The combination of cool yellow and cool blue will produce a medium cool green with a strong blue undertone.
Step 4. Add white color to one sample
Choose your favorite shade of green and make the same mixture again. When you're done, add a pinch of white.
Mix the whites into the greens until there are no visible streaks of color. The resulting green color will not be too bright and become lighter. The more white you add, the lighter the green will be
Step 5. Add transparent clay to another sample
Make the same green mix as the previous sample, but don't add white. This time add a pinch of transparent clay.
- Once mixed, the transparent clay will make the green color less bright, but the intensity or tone of the color will not change.
- If you add more transparent clay than green clay, you'll get a semi-transparent green instead of an opaque green.
Step 6. Add black color to the last sample
Make a green sample like the one used to experiment with white and transparent colors. This time, take a pinch of black and mix it in the sample until the color is even.
- After mixing black with green, the sample will turn darker while the shades remain the same.
- In general, you don't need a lot of black to make greens dramatically darker. So, just add black to a minimum.
