Mixing colors really depends on the medium used. The rules for mixing paint color pigments are very different from mixing light colors. Fortunately, by studying the primary and secondary colors for each medium and understanding how they react when mixed (whether additive or subtractive), you can learn how to mix colors that work in any situation.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Combining Primary and Secondary Colors
Step 1. Mix primary pigment colors to create secondary colors
Color has 3 primary pigments: red, blue, and yellow. These colors cannot be "made" by mixing other colors. However, these primary colors can be mixed to produce secondary colors: red and blue make purple, blue and yellow make green, and red and yellow make orange.
Be aware that when you mix primary colors, the secondary colors won't be too bright or light. This is because the new combined pigment absorbs more and reflects less light from the color spectrum so the result looks dark and cloudy instead of bright and bright
Step 2. Create an intermediate paint color by mixing primary and secondary pigments
There are 6 intermediate paint colors that can be produced through various combinations of primary and secondary pigments. These colors are yellow-orange (yellow mixed with orange), red-orange (red mixed with orange), purple-red (red mixed with orange), purple-red (red mixed with purple), blue-violet (blue mixed with purple), blue green (blue mixed with green), and yellow-green (green mixed with yellow).
These intermediate colors are between the primary and secondary colors on the color wheel
Step 3. Combine the pigments to create a tertiary paint color
In addition to primary, secondary, and intermediate colors, there are 3 tertiary colors that come from a combination of 2 secondary paint colors. These colors are brown (green mixed with orange), brick (orange mixed purple), and slate (purple mixed green).
These colors are not usually included in the paint color wheel, but they are still available and can be produced by mixing colors
Step 4. Try not to mix paints to produce white pigment
Paint colors are subtractive, which means they absorb some of the light spectrum and reflect others to produce the colors we see in paint pigments. This means that mixing colors tends to make them appear darker because they absorb more light. Thus, it is impossible to mix paints to make white paint.
If you want to use white paint for a project, buy white paint instead of mixing it up
Step 5. Combine all the primary colors to make a brown color
Brown paint can be made by mixing the three primary colors. This color can also be made by mixing 2 complementary colors.
If the brown color you are making tends to go towards another color, neutralize it by adding a bit of the opposite color to it
Step 6. Mix brown paint with blue to make black
The easiest way to make black is to mix brown paint with blue until you get the black you want. You can also use black by mixing the three primary colors, but make sure you add more blue than the other colors.
Make sure you don't add white or a color that has white, such as opaque yellow or opaque green yellow, as this will make the black look more like gray
Method 2 of 3: Creating Shade, Tint, and Tone
Step 1. Add white to other pigments to make a tint
Tint is a lighter version of the color. Add white paint to brighten the color and create a tint. The more white pigment you add, the brighter the color will be.
- For example, mix red and white to get pink, aka pink.
- If you have added too much white pigment and the color is too light, you can add the original color to darken the pigment again.
Step 2. Create a color shadow by adding black
The shade is an older/darker version of the color. This color is obtained by mixing the pigment with black paint; the more black paint is mixed, the darker or darker the pigment will be.
- Some artists prefer to add color complements, which are opposite colors on the accurate CMY/RGB color wheel. For example, green can be used to darken magenta, and magenta to darken green because they are opposite on the color wheel.
- Add black or complementary paint, a little at a time so you don't overdo it. If the resulting shadow is too dark, you can lighten it by adding a bit of original color to the mix.
Step 3. Mix colors with black and white paint to produce dull and muted colors
The color produced by mixing black and white in a color will make it less intense and saturated than the original color. By varying the amount of white and black pigment you mix, you can get the level of brightness or darkness you want.
- For example, add black and white to yellow for a light olive green. Black will darken the yellow and turn it into an olive green, and white will lighten the olive green. Different light olive greens can be obtained by adjusting the amount of each pigment mixed.
- For an unsaturated color like brown (dark orange), you can adjust the shadows the same way you would make a bright orange; mix up a little of the neighboring colors on the color wheel, for example magenta, yellow, red, or orange. These colors will lighten the brown as well as change the hue.
Method 3 of 3: Mixing Paint Colors in the Palette
Step 1. Pour a small amount of paint you want to mix into the palette
Add according to the amount of paint to be mixed, or slightly less. The amount of paint that is poured should be approximately the same if the proportion of each color you want to use and give a distance between them. If you plan to mix one color more than another, adjust the amount of paint that is poured in the palette.
- For example, if you want to mix brown paint, it's a good idea to put blue, yellow, and red in equal proportions. However, if you want to make a mixture of black paint, you should add a bit more blue to the palette.
- It's usually better to put too little color into the palette instead of too much because you can always add more.
Step 2. Use a palette knife to place a single color in an empty part of the palette
Take a small portion of one color of paint with a palette knife, and place it in the center of the palette or in another empty space. Gently tap the knife against the palette if the paint is sticky enough on the knife.
Palette knife is suitable for mixing colors in paint. This tool not only blends more evenly, it also extends the life of your paintbrush because it's not used to mix paint
Step 3. Clean the palette knife with a cloth
This prevents the colors from mixing when you pick up the paint with a palette knife. Use a paint-soaked rag or tissue to clean the paint off the palette knife.
Step 4. Take the second color and add it to the paint in the middle of the palette
Use a clean palette knife to pick up a small portion of the second paint color and place it gently on top of the paint in the middle of the palette. The amount of paint that is taken depends on the proportion of each color to be mixed.
For example, if you want to mix two colors in equal proportions, the amount of each paint must be the same
Step 5. Repeat this process to add a third or more paint color
If you plan to mix more than 2 colors, repeat the process of cleaning the palette knife and drawing paint to the center of the palette until you have added all the colors you want to mix.
Step 6. Use a palette knife to mix the paint
Once you've finished moving the paint, it's time to mix it up. Move the palette knife in a circle to mix the paint, making sure the paints touch each other. Press the palette knife down sufficiently.
- If it becomes a new color, it means your colors are mixed!
- If the resulting color isn't exactly what you wanted, clean the palette knife and add color until you're happy with the result.
Tips
- Always consider hue, saturation, and brightness when mixing colors. Hue refers to the position of a color on the color wheel; saturation is what gives a color its richness and brightness, such as a color in a rainbow or the color wheel, and brightness indicates how close a color is to black or white, regardless of the color itself.
- All colors can be said to have 3 dimensions: hue, saturation, and brightness.
- If you want to mix gold, there are a few extra challenges and options to consider.
