How to Mix Color, limited palette-Color mixing Part 1

The "How to mix Color" series was created by Impressionistic landscape artist Kevin McCain specifically for his Plein Air painting workshops. This video together for those who want to know how to control your color mixes in oil paint. This is a quick tutorial on strategies to help you control you mixing of color in oil paint.

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www.azpaintingoutdoors.com
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[KevinMcCainStudios]

To lighten a color you can add black to deepen or white to lighten. Be aware of two things white and black will dull you color. Also know that black or white are the last colors to add to a mixture and never add both black and white to a color mixture unless you are very experienced painting. It will avoid a lot of frustration. Hope that helps Gigi.

[KevinMcCainStudios]

I could add that but with any color as I tried to explain the closer colors are on the color wheel the more intense color you will get. While the further apart the colors are the more muted or dull or even brown they will be. example purple if I use alizarin crimson( a violet red) and mix it with say ultramarine blue( a violet blue) I will get a more intense purple and but contrast if I mix thalo blue(a green blue) and Cad red Light(Orange red I will get a browner purple).

[KevinMcCainStudios]

Yes, I need to redo this video with some stronger and better lighting. On my to do list.

[DLee33333]

I'm not even an artist but this makes me want to play with paint! :)

[KevinMcCainStudios]

@DLee33333 Thanks I appreciate it. Painting is alot of fun. I really enjoy it. if you want to learn more about painting let me know.

[KevinMccainArtist]

"Knocking Down the Color or Lowering color intensity" When you mix colors the further away they are on the color wheel the lower the intensity or another words make the color less bright. So if you mix green and red they are opposite on the color wheel you will get browns. If you however mix yellow orange and orange red they are next to one another you color is as intense as you can get. So if you might mix medium yellow and a medium red your orange you get a less intense orange and so on.

[KevinMccainArtist]

To keep your mixtures more intense or "Brighter" you need to mix the colors that are closer on the color wheel so for example if you mix a orange red and a deep or oranger yellow you will get a very intense orange mixture. If you want to "Knock Down or Gray Down" a color you can use color that are further away on the color wheel such as alizarin crimson(a purple red) and a lemon yellow(green yellow) these will give you a less intense orange or an orange that approaches the earth tones.

[cciemail]

to get lighter color, you said you needed to mix colors that were closer on the color wheel, but then you proceeded to mix colors that are farther away from each other. then for the next example, you did the opposite again. then you said something about "knocking down", but you didn't explain well.

[cybrid1940]

Hi Kevin , I need a variety of violet tons from dark to light would help , please...

Thanks

Gigi

[cybrid1940]

Hi Kevin , I need a variety of  violet tons would help , please...

Thanks

Gigi

[4natureart]

valuable instructions....thanks so much.

The lighting in your studio severely limits your presentation though...good luck !

[KevinMccainArtist]

Thank you KingBaje. I appreciate it.