Oils Value of the color

[Piotrec]

Here is the aspect of the color mixing theory I am struggling to understand. I mean the changing the color value without interfere into its hue. I have read that we can achieve best results when mixing the color with neutral grays. Some people consider white and black as neutrals as well.

Here is what I am struggling with. Let's assume I have a yellow color with a value 5. When creating neutrals we are getting an earth colors. Usually dark and dirty. I guess those tones would be perfect for creating darker values. Now is the question. What would you use to change the color to lighter value? What kind of neutral grays and how do you create them? I would rather avoid using white since it has tendencies to change the color hue.

 

[megroot]

Piotr,
If i read it good it is as follow. The value of a color is his brightness. If the color is closer to white it has a high value, is the color closer to black it has a low value.
When you mix a color (for instance yellow) for shading you do that with violet. You can see if you have the right color when you mix violet to the yellow and then some white in it. If this mix turn into grey you have the right mix of yellow and violet to shade the yellow.
Is this the right answer to your question???
What is a neutral grey, is it a warm grey for you or a cooler gray. I believe that is a matter of personal taste.

 

[Piotrec]

Not really Marc. You just added a complementary color to the yellow. Some poeple believe that adding a complementary color is the best way to change the intensity not the value. That would make my yellow dull.

Still, this could work for shading, but what I am looking for is how to change the color to a higher value without changing it hue. Simply, how to make it lighter.

 

[housecarl]

I don't know if this will answer your question Piotr? http://www.worqx.com/color/index.htm
Carl.

 

[megroot]

I've looked into the books about color theorie and this is what i found.

Color Value
Color value refers to the lightness or darkness of the hue. Adding white to a hue produces a high-value color, often called a tint. Adding black to a hue produces a low-value color, often called a shade.
Intensity
Intensity, also called chroma or saturation, refers to the brightness of a color. A color is at full intensity when not mixed with black or white - a pure hue. You can change the intensity of a color, making it duller or more neutral by adding gray to the color. You can also change the intensity of a color by adding its complement (this is the color found directly opposite on the traditional color wheel). When changing colors this way, the color produced is called a tone.
When you mix complementary colors together, you produce a dull tone. However, when you put complementary colors side by side, you increase their intensity. This effect is called simultaneous contrast - each color simultaneously intensifies the visual brightness of the other color.

Maybe you have to look to the intensity.
Hoping that Einion Rees is dropping in, maybe he has some very good ideas.

Marc

 

[Einion]

Here is the aspect of the color mixing theory I am struggling to understand. I mean the changing the color value without interfere into its hue. I have read that we can achieve best results when mixing the color with neutral grays.

This is the best single method to lower chroma, not to alter value.

Some people consider white and black as neutrals as well.

White and black are neutrals usually but they often don't mix as though they were - this is one of the complexities of mixing on a practical level as opposed to just theory.

What would you use to change the color to lighter value?

Lighter value only? White.

Lighter value and duller? A light neutral grey. Or a light mix of violet may work well. Or white and then adding a tiny amount of something else (usually mixed with white in advance).

Much more interesting is what you'd add to yellow to make it darker

What kind of neutral grays and how do you create them? I would rather avoid using white since it has tendencies to change the color hue.

You have to use white, unavoidable.

Neutral greys can be mixed in a number of different ways but the easiest and most reliable method is the one used commercially and by most painters who mix their own - white + black + a little earth.

The earth colour usually used in Burnt Umber, although something like Raw Sienna is often preferred for the lighter values.

Einion

 

[Piotrec]

Thank you guys. I knew I can always count on you. Now it is time to practice some mixing.

 

[Einion]

Now it is time to practice some mixing.

If you have any follow-on questions Piotr be sure to ask; this can be a complicated area since mixing results often don't come out quite like we expect (although that depends on what you expect ).

Einion

 

[Einion]

I posted this on CMON recently so I thought I'd include it here to show the colour dimensions:

This shows a cutaway of the Munsell colour solid for anyone unfamiliar with it.

Einion