Practical colour mixing and theory

[Graham]

One of the things I struggle with as a beginner is colour mixing. I always thought that to make a colour lighter, add white. To make it darker, add black. Simple isn't it? Well, no it isn't. Add white to a red and you get a totally new colour, pink not, as I believed, a lighter red. Much as I have racked my poor old brain, I never could understand it when I read about using a dark green to create a shadow red mix.

Then, just by chance, while marvelling at the painting of a face by 'Mike - The Kiwi' on this illustrious form, I noticed he mentioned a book about Colour mixing recipes for portraits.

Thinking this would be a bit beyond me, I still checked it out on Amazon and found it was available for silly money or realistic prices. In fact one Amazon seller, The Book Depository, was doing it for less than £3!!! So, with Post & Packaging, it came to £5.16. Cheap enough for even an ex Yorkshire man to pay out.

All I can say is, first of all, a huge thank you to Mike for bringing this inadvertently to my attention. Secondly, if you are new or newish to figure painting then BUY THIS BOOK!!! It is amazing, the best £5 I have ever spent, it answers so many questions, some of which I hadn't thought to ask.......

It really is packed with information that is very useful to figure painters including colour theory in simple terms, shading, toning, eye colours and hair colour mixes.

Ok, it is mainly referring to oils and tube acrylic paints but I quite like tube acrylics so it will be great. But the ideas and practical information are well worth the asking price. Just shop around as I have seen it listed for £20 or more.

It also shows the value of keep going back to threads on this forum as they develop, you never know what gem of information you might pic up as conversations grow.

 

[megroot]

I have this one to. It's great.

Marc

 

[Graham]

I think it would sit in any figure painters library Marc

 

[clrsgt]

This is an excellent book. I found it combined with two other titles by the same author at my local Barnes & Noble at $20. It is spiral bound, which is great for having open at the bench.

 

[Tarracus]

Many of us have this book, it's some kind of bible, useful even in the case for those chaotic painters (as me) who don't use recipes and just mix colors "on the fly"...
I always take a look to its eye and hair colouring section before starting an new work.
Also will be a great help when facing with afro, oriental or native american an other "unusual" flesh tones

So highly recommended for everyone!!

 

[Nap]

Hi Graham ,

Both these books are really a lot of use all are packed full of information , I particularly like the flesh mixes

Enjoy the books

Nap

 

[garyhiggins]

Here's a mix remembered from I don't know where, shading burnt umber with prussian blue??? I don't know why it works, but it does

 

[Eludia]

The second book is the omnibus edition, for want of a better word. It includes the portrait book as well as a general colour mixing book (the first in the series) and also one on landscape mixes (third in the series), all as different sections. There is also a section on watercolour mixes, which is a bit less helpful for figure painters but I suppose that's a minor niggle. I also have a much simpler mixing book which I picked up at my local art shop which I also find helpful. I'll post a pic, or a link or something in the morning.

I find both indispensable and probably the best investment I've made after good brushes.

Cheers,
Billy

 

[DEL]

I don't use any mixing book as a reference mainly because I tend to work to a very limited palette and my subject choice is similarly limited.
But these certainly look useful.
What I do use though is everybody else's experience.
If I see anything that interests me I simply ask the artist and every time the reply has exceeded my expectations.
In fact over the years I can only remember one individual refusing to provide someone details on a technique.
Cheers
Derek

 

[Eludia]

A linky to the other book I was talking about:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Oil-Painters-Pocket-Palette/dp/0713474203

This one is a little bit different as it uses a fairly limited palette (12 colours IIRC) and concentrates mainly on 2-colour mixes (lightened with white). Its quite hard to find for a reasonable price but luckily I managed to find a copy at my local art store for about £8. Sometimes I find the recipes in the Powell book a little complicated and I like to keep things simple so this is usually the first book I reach for. I usually find the info I need here but, if not, the Powell book is always there as a backup..

Cheers,
Billy

 

[Mjølner]

One of the things I struggle with as a beginner is colour mixing. I always thought that to make a colour lighter, add white. To make it darker, add black. Simple isn't it? Well, no it isn't. Add white to a red and you get a totally new colour, pink not, as I believed, a lighter red. Much as I have racked my poor old brain, I never could understand it when I read about using a dark green to create a shadow red mix.
..................Graham

I am quite with you Graham. I had exactly the same experience when I started out in mixing colours. And inspired by the exact same thread by 'Mike - The Kiwi' I went searching for the books and have ordered the one you mention and the one on skin colour mixing. Excited to get them
One thing that helps me a lot is a colour wheel. Having one of these helps you to find the complementary colour, example: having yellow - shade with violet or having violet - lighten with yellow.

Here's a mix remembered from I don't know where, shading burnt umber with prussian blue??? I don't know why it works, but it does......garyhiggins

and that is why it works, I don't understand either but that is apparently how colours work
I think it's a great tool, especially if your brain is out of sync. with the colour world.

 

[ellie]

Hi All

Just got this book on Amazon £2.77 Plus P&P just over £5.00 in all looks like they have a few on their site all around that price. looking forward to getting my hands on it. Cheers Graham for the heads up on this book.

Ian

 

[Alex Long]

I have the color mixing recipes book also, it's a "must have" in any painters book collection. If you want something a little more in-depth that really explains the "why" in colour mixing then Blue and Yellow don't make Green is another essential purchase.

Alex.

 

[BarrieHynd]

Just orderd mine and looking forward to reading it. Cheers Graham for the heads up. £5.50 incl p+p

Barrie

 

[tonydawe]

I would agree that this is an essential tool for all beginner painters, and can also prove very useful for those of us with decades of experience. The Flesh Mixes are particularly helpful when portraying skin of different colours and hues and ensuring you get the right tonal balances. I've adapted some of the recipes in this book to make my oil washes over acrylics. Highly recommended for all aspiring figure painters.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Nice to see folks still actually mix colours using books or intuition given all the repackaged acrylic paint mix sets coming onto the market. I always wonder if the sets will homogenize acrylic painting making all modellers' work look the same. If you are going to call this hobby an art form, I think you have to be willing to chuck some colours together yourself. I have 3 of the books noted above. Blue and yellow don't make green is a great book but too in depth for me.

Colin

 

[billyturnip]

I also use the colour mixing for portraits book but use this above everything else and it is worth every penny.
http://www.fredericus-rex.de/DVD-s-CD-s--Maltechniken/So--wie-ich-male-Vol--I-661.html

The colour mixes are laid out in tabular form including shading and highlighting suggestions.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Here's another one I use a lot.

Colin

 

[garyhiggins]

Nice to see folks still actually mix colours using books or intuition given all the repackaged acrylic paint mix sets coming onto the market. I always wonder if the sets will homogenize acrylic painting making all modellers' work look the same. If you are going to call this hobby an art form, I think you have to be willing to chuck some colours together yourself. I have 3 of the books noted above. Blue and yellow don't make green is a great book but too in depth for me.

Colin

Yes Colin, there are still some of us that walk around on our knees, wearing our smocks and berets, talking in a fake French accent and listening to Debussy as we paint.......no wonder my stuff looks like an impressionist mess!!!!!

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Me too. I have colour theory knowledge akin to my grammar. I wouldn't know a dangling participle if I fell over it. If it sounds right I say it. If it looks good I paint it. And I get by. No one never tells me that I don't talk real good.

Colin