In this beginner's colour mixing guide, we'll explore the basics of colour theory. So, whether you're a budding artist or just curious, let's unravel the mysteries of mixing, blending, and the captivating dance of hues!
The Colour Wheel
The color wheel is a foundational tool in color theory, systematically divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary hues.
Primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) serve as the essential building blocks from which all other colors emerge. By blending these primary hues, secondary colors such as green, orange, and violet are created, each representing a balanced synthesis of two primaries.
Tertiary colors result from the combination of a primary color with its adjacent secondary hue, offering a more nuanced and sophisticated palette. This structured approach not only streamlines the process of color mixing but also deepens our understanding of the dynamic relationships and harmony between different colors.
Mixing Magic - Where Colours Collide
With the colour wheel as our guide, it's time to grab your palette, squeeze out your primary colours, and embark on a mixing adventure.
As we mentioned earlier, mixing primary colours together yield secondary colours, like:
- red + blue = purple/violet
- blue + yellow = green
- yellow + red = orange
But not all paint colours are created equally, just think of the variety of red paint you can buy at the store - cool red, warm red, pink-red, yellow-red. This is where things start to get tricky. If you have a warm orange-red and a teal blue - the colours can become muddy (more on this below!).
Complementary Colours - Sparks of Contrast
Complementary colours are pairs that, when placed side by side, create a visual contrast. Remember the colour wheel? Complementary colours sit opposite each other - red and green, blue and orange, yellow and purple.
Placed side by side, they create visual fireworks. Harness their power to bring drama and dynamism to your canvas. But when mixed together, interesting and unexpected results can arise.
The Elegance of Dulling
The trick to dulling the brightness of a colour lies in mixing a dash of its complementary colour. For example, if you want to make purple look less vibrant and more natural, add a touch of yellow.
This happens because complementary colours essentially cancel each other out. If you mix equal parts pure yellow and purple, you will end up with a neutral shade of grey, or a soft brown - depending on the exact colour of the original paints (think lemon yellow vs orange-yellow).
This is why when mixing red and blue paint it sometimes produces brown. If the red paint you are using is a warm red that contains any yellow in it (think of fire engine red!) the result will be a shade of brown. Because mixing pure red and pure blue makes purple, then adding yellow will tone it down. Cool aye?
Tints, Shades, and Mood Crafting
Tints are created by adding white to a colour, resulting in a lighter and softer version. Shades, on the other hand, are concocted by mixing black into a colour, yielding a darker and moodier variant.
Playing with tints and shades adds depth, emotion, and a touch of pizzazz to your artwork. Imagine a tranquil beach scene with varying shades of blue water and tints of golden sand - pure magic!
Blending Brilliance - From Gradient to Radiance
Blending colour is your ticket to awe-inspiring artistry. While you can purchase any shade imaginable from an art supply store, understanding how to mix your own colour allows you to create seamless sunsets, gradient skys, and gives you the ability to change the tone, brightness and vibrancy of your paintings.
So now that you know the basics, let’s get painting! If you’re keen to test out your blending skills in a fun encouraging environment, come along to Paintvine and discover how much fun playing with colour really is.
