ON MIXING COLOR 3
NOTE: Please see ON MIXING COLOR 1 and 2 before reading this--they will help in your understanding of this blog.
click here to start: ON MIXING COLOR 1
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This blog will attempt to show you why:
If the primary colors red, yellow, and blue did exist in a pure form they would only mix to make black or darker grays.
As I said in my ON MIXING COLOR 1 blog, every color contains other colors inside of it, not just the main color. Example: the color green-blue (Cerulean Blue, Pthalocyanine Blue, etc.) contains mostly blue pigment, a large amount of green pigment, and a small amount of violet pigment. No matter which "primary" color you choose, there will always be a second and third color involved:
green-blue (Cerulean Blue, Pthalocyanine Blue, etc.) contains 3 colors, not one!
Below is the color bias wheel we are now using instead of the antiquated single-primary system that has been confusing artists since the late 1700's. We have split the single primary colors of red, yellow, and blue into two primary colors, each with their own particular bias or leaning based upon the second and third colors each primary contains. All pigmented media (all paints) will have a bias to them, although you will find the bias in some paints to be more obvious to you than in others. If the bias is harder to recognize, it will not mean that it is a pure color. Note that the RED, YELLOW, and BLUE boxes in between the split primary colors are left blank (in white). This is to signify that there is no such thing as a pure primary color:
But, let's back up just a little...in the earlier blogs, remember when I said that if you want a nice, bright grass green you need to choose a blue and a yellow that contain large amounts of green already in them? Look at the wheel above. To do this you must choose a green-blue (lower right corner) and a green-yellow (lower left corner). These both have a large stripe of green in comparison to the other blue and the other yellow, which have a slimmer stripe of green in them.
Another way to use this bias wheel, and it is the most simple way, is the green-blue and the green-yellow start with the word "green." They are biased more strongly towards green. The other blue is a violet-blue, and the other yellow is an orange-yellow, so obviously they are not biased towards green and are poor carriers of green. When you want a bright green, use the colors with a "green" name in them. The actual paints to use for this system are listed near the end of this blog.
In addition, the larger green carriers green-blue and the green-yellow colors are in the shape of an arrow, pointing toward the green circle (green is the secondary color). The other blue and yellow point away from the green circle, but still have some useful green in them.
Now, here's the first mind-blowing part! Let's continue to use the green-yellow and the green-blue as the example. What actually happens when you mix these two is this: The blue and yellow are complements and microscopically stand next to each other optically creating a darker or grayer mix--this is what happens when two complementary colors are mixed, remember? Then the third colors that are carried inside the green-blue and green-yellow, in this case violet and orange (as shown on the wheel above), absorb or optically mix with each other as well. What you are left with is the color that is common to both--the green!
We were taught since childhood that blue and yellow magically mix together to make green. But the opposite is true. The blue and the yellow absorb each other and whatever green was in the colors is the green you get!
No wonder we've all had so much trouble mixing color. No one told us what actually happens when pigmented paints are mixed, we've all been misled by the obsolete 3-primary system that has been in place for over 200 years, a system based in theory that only allowed correct color-mixing based on empirical trial and error. It is now possible for a complete beginner to pick this up and mix color with very little difficulty.
Below is the color bias wheel we are now using instead of the antiquated single-primary system that has been confusing artists since the late 1700's. We have split the single primary colors of red, yellow, and blue into two primary colors, each with their own particular bias or leaning based upon the second and third colors each primary contains. All pigmented media (all paints) will have a bias to them, although you will find the bias in some paints to be more obvious to you than in others. If the bias is harder to recognize, it will not mean that it is a pure color. Note that the RED, YELLOW, and BLUE boxes in between the split primary colors are left blank (in white). This is to signify that there is no such thing as a pure primary color:
But, let's back up just a little...in the earlier blogs, remember when I said that if you want a nice, bright grass green you need to choose a blue and a yellow that contain large amounts of green already in them? Look at the wheel above. To do this you must choose a green-blue (lower right corner) and a green-yellow (lower left corner). These both have a large stripe of green in comparison to the other blue and the other yellow, which have a slimmer stripe of green in them.
Another way to use this bias wheel, and it is the most simple way, is the green-blue and the green-yellow start with the word "green." They are biased more strongly towards green. The other blue is a violet-blue, and the other yellow is an orange-yellow, so obviously they are not biased towards green and are poor carriers of green. When you want a bright green, use the colors with a "green" name in them. The actual paints to use for this system are listed near the end of this blog.
In addition, the larger green carriers green-blue and the green-yellow colors are in the shape of an arrow, pointing toward the green circle (green is the secondary color). The other blue and yellow point away from the green circle, but still have some useful green in them.
Now, here's the first mind-blowing part! Let's continue to use the green-yellow and the green-blue as the example. What actually happens when you mix these two is this: The blue and yellow are complements and microscopically stand next to each other optically creating a darker or grayer mix--this is what happens when two complementary colors are mixed, remember? Then the third colors that are carried inside the green-blue and green-yellow, in this case violet and orange (as shown on the wheel above), absorb or optically mix with each other as well. What you are left with is the color that is common to both--the green!
We were taught since childhood that blue and yellow magically mix together to make green. But the opposite is true. The blue and the yellow absorb each other and whatever green was in the colors is the green you get!
No wonder we've all had so much trouble mixing color. No one told us what actually happens when pigmented paints are mixed, we've all been misled by the obsolete 3-primary system that has been in place for over 200 years, a system based in theory that only allowed correct color-mixing based on empirical trial and error. It is now possible for a complete beginner to pick this up and mix color with very little difficulty.
Now, here's the second mind-blowing part! Take those second and third colors away, as in a "pure" color and you're left with only one color, the main color. In the case described way above, it would be blue. Without the violet and green carried inside you'd only have the blue. So when mixed with a "pure" yellow you'd get black! This is because blue and yellow are complements to each other, and complements when mixed give us darker grays or blacks. In a pure color scenario there would be no useful second or third colors to allow us to mix other colors with, so you'd be stuck with only darker grays or blacks.
Getting only grays or blacks with pure colors, however, cannot be proven because pure colors do not exist. This must remain as theory. Having a bias in a color lets us choose colors to mix exactly what we want. Thank the stars we don't have pure colors, we need those second and third colors, carried almost like an impurity, to be in the pigment so that we can control mixing as artists.
This is how I can use 3 or even 2 colors to do full-color paintings. By knowing this system, by knowing what actually happens when paint is mixed I can control it without theory and guessing. I never have problems mixing a color anymore, my only problem is how to best apply the color in the painting, which is my own painting skill level, not problems with mixing color.
Also, and very important: The more you realize what is going on inside the paints as you mix them the easier it will be to understand how to mix color effectively. I again recommend researching Michael Wilcox's website or read Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green and obtain further information. It involves a little light physics but it's not too involved and is actually very interesting and helpful.
Below are the 6 colors to use for painting in the bias wheel system. They are lightfast (non-fading), bright and clean pigments, and have an effective bias to make color mixing easy. I put the most common pigment number so that you can go look on tubes of paint and find it easier. Note that if the label says "hue" on it, then it's a mix of cheaper colors designed to simulate the higher quality color, which may or may not be the color that would work best for you.
I then added a few more colors on the bottom of this list that have special qualities that the six do not have.
Getting only grays or blacks with pure colors, however, cannot be proven because pure colors do not exist. This must remain as theory. Having a bias in a color lets us choose colors to mix exactly what we want. Thank the stars we don't have pure colors, we need those second and third colors, carried almost like an impurity, to be in the pigment so that we can control mixing as artists.
This is how I can use 3 or even 2 colors to do full-color paintings. By knowing this system, by knowing what actually happens when paint is mixed I can control it without theory and guessing. I never have problems mixing a color anymore, my only problem is how to best apply the color in the painting, which is my own painting skill level, not problems with mixing color.
Also, and very important: The more you realize what is going on inside the paints as you mix them the easier it will be to understand how to mix color effectively. I again recommend researching Michael Wilcox's website or read Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green and obtain further information. It involves a little light physics but it's not too involved and is actually very interesting and helpful.
Below are the 6 colors to use for painting in the bias wheel system. They are lightfast (non-fading), bright and clean pigments, and have an effective bias to make color mixing easy. I put the most common pigment number so that you can go look on tubes of paint and find it easier. Note that if the label says "hue" on it, then it's a mix of cheaper colors designed to simulate the higher quality color, which may or may not be the color that would work best for you.
I then added a few more colors on the bottom of this list that have special qualities that the six do not have.
These 6 principal colors will make several million possible color combinations--you will not be lacking. You will be able to mix at least 75% of any paint manufacturer's line of colors with just these 6 colors and white (or come close enough for your painting's purpose):
The six principal colors for the Bias Color Wheel above:
Some other colors with special qualities you can use:
I suggest first learning to mix color with the 6 principal colors only, and maybe the other colors with special qualities, then go get your convenience colors to save time if you wish after you
already know how to mix anything you want! Convenience colors are colors like:
Hopefully I've explained all this well enough for you. If not, write me, or get Michael Wilcox's book! After you understand the basics of the Bias Color Wheel, it's just a little practice with mixing the actual colors to make it all become second nature. Also, see the Michael Wilcox website link below to find out more:
School Of Color
This work below from a recent show was painted with just 3 colors: Quinacridone Magenta, Pthalocyanine Blue, Indian Yellow, and Titanium White (white is not a color, but used to create tints)...
The six principal colors for the Bias Color Wheel above:
- orange-red: Cadmium Red Light or Medium PR108
- violet-red: Quinacridone Red PV19 (replaces fading Alizarin Crimson PR83)
- violet-blue: Ultramarine Blue PB29
- green-blue: Pthalocyanine Blue PB15 or Cerulean Blue PB35 or PB36
- green-yellow: Cadmium Hansa Yellow Light PY3 or Cad Lemon Yellow PY35
- orange-yellow: Cadmium Yellow Light or Medium PY35
Some other colors with special qualities you can use:
- Burnt Sienna PBr7 (a transparent, dulled-down orange-red)
- Raw Sienna PBr7 (a semi-transparent orange-yellow, nice for glazing)
- Yellow Ochre PY43 (a semi-opaque dulled-down orange-yellow)
- Titanium White PW6 (not a color, but must be used for tinting colors and adding light)
- Pthalocyanine Green PG7 (a very strong and transparent mid-green)*
- note: there are more, but these I consider the most useful on the palette after the 6 principal colors
- * I list Pthalocyanine Green only because no color combination in the 6 principal colors and other colors will give you this special bright, transparent green.
I suggest first learning to mix color with the 6 principal colors only, and maybe the other colors with special qualities, then go get your convenience colors to save time if you wish after you
already know how to mix anything you want! Convenience colors are colors like:
- Naples Yellow
- Indian Yellow
- Payne's Gray
- Olive Green
- Sap Green
- Hooker's Green
- Chromium Oxide Green
- Dioxazine Purple
- Transparent Oxide Red
- Sepia
- Venetian Red
- Davy's Gray
- all GRAYS and BLACKS! (use complements instead)
- in other words--all your greens, purples, oranges, and grays and blacks! These all can be mixed with the six and a few of the other colors! I kid you not, I've done it! This will save you a lot of money, and you will be free of the marketing hype from paint manufacturers.
Hopefully I've explained all this well enough for you. If not, write me, or get Michael Wilcox's book! After you understand the basics of the Bias Color Wheel, it's just a little practice with mixing the actual colors to make it all become second nature. Also, see the Michael Wilcox website link below to find out more:
School Of Color
This work below from a recent show was painted with just 3 colors: Quinacridone Magenta, Pthalocyanine Blue, Indian Yellow, and Titanium White (white is not a color, but used to create tints)...
Felipe Echevarria Silent Sentinel oil on linen 30x40"
TO SEE MY FINE ART ONLY site please visit:
http://www.FelipeEchevarria.com
TO SEE MY COMICS/GRAPHIC NOVEL site:
http://www.felipe.tv
For the next color-mixing workshop see Felipe's WORKSHOPS & CLASSES blog.
Felipe is a registered teacher for the Michael Wilcox School of Color. If you're in the Denver/Fort Collins/Loveland area you can inquire about personal sessions or local workshops.
Email me at: felipe@felipe.tv
Felipe is a registered teacher for the Michael Wilcox School of Color. If you're in the Denver/Fort Collins/Loveland area you can inquire about personal sessions or local workshops.
Email me at: felipe@felipe.tv
TO SEE MY FINE ART ONLY site please visit:
http://www.FelipeEchevarria.com
TO SEE MY COMICS/GRAPHIC NOVEL site:
http://www.felipe.tv
Posted by Felipe Echevarria at Wednesday, April 26, 2006 10:29 AM 
Categories: PAINTING HELP, ART CAREER TIPS
Categories: PAINTING HELP, ART CAREER TIPS
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