Make your own colour chart.
One of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of watercolour painting is the ability to mix your own colours. Greens, in particular, are incredibly versatile and essential for a wide range of subjects, from lush landscapes to delicate foliage. Creating your own green mixes can add depth and harmony to your paintings. In this blog, we’ll explore how to mix your own greens using a simple chart or grid, and why understanding the transparency of your greens is crucial for successful watercolour paintings.
Why Mix Your Own Greens?
While many watercolour tubes can be bought with pre-mixed greens, mixing your own allows for a greater range of hues and a more cohesive palette. By experimenting with different combinations of yellows and blues, you can create unique shades that suit your specific painting needs.
Creating a Green Mixing Chart
A green mixing chart or grid is an excellent tool for understanding the range of greens you can achieve with your paints. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating your own:
Materials Needed:
- Watercolour paper
- Your watercolour paints (include various yellows and blues)
- A pencil
- A ruler
- A paintbrush
- Water and a mixing palette
- PATIENCE!
Steps:
- Prepare Your Grid:
- Use the ruler and pencil to draw a grid on your watercolour paper. Allow for one free square in the top left corner. So, if you have 6 colours, then make a grid 7 x 7. Label the rows with the names of your yellows and the columns with the names of your blues.
- Mix and Paint:
- In each grid square, mix the corresponding yellow and blue to create a green. Paint a small swatch in the square.
- For example, if you’re mixing Lemon Yellow with Ultramarine Blue, paint that mix in the square where the Lemon Yellow row intersects with the Ultramarine Blue column.
- Experiment with Ratios: * Optional
- Try more than one chart with different ratios of yellow to blue. You might paint a swatch with a 1:1 ratio, then another with more yellow, and another with more blue. This will give you a better understanding of the range of greens you can achieve.
Understanding Opacity and Transparency
One important aspect of watercolours is the opacity or transparency of your paints. This characteristic can significantly impact the look and feel of your painting.
- Opaque Greens: These are more solid and can cover other layers of paint. They’re great for creating bold, defined shapes but can sometimes appear heavy or less vibrant when layered.
- Transparent Greens: These allow light to pass through, creating luminous, glowing effects. They’re ideal for layering and creating depth in your painting.
When mixing your greens, pay attention to whether your yellows and blues are opaque or transparent. Mixing a transparent yellow with a transparent blue will typically result in a transparent green, while mixing opaque colours can lead to a more solid, less luminous green.
Practical Tips
- Label Your Chart: Clearly label each swatch with the colours and ratios used. This will make it easier to replicate mixes in future paintings.
- Test on Scrap Paper: Before committing to a mix in your painting, test it on a scrap piece of paper (the same sort of paper that you’re using for your finished painting) to see how it interacts with other colours and layers.
- Keep Notes: Jot down any observations about the behaviour of your mixes, such as which combinations create the most vibrant greens or which are best for subtle, natural hues.
Conclusion
Creating a green mixing chart is a valuable exercise for any watercolour artist. It not only helps you understand the range of greens available to you but also gives you insight into the properties of your paints. By experimenting with different combinations and paying attention to opacity and transparency, you can create beautiful, custom greens that enhance your artwork.
So, grab your paints and start mixing! Your chart will be a handy reference and a testament to your exploration and creativity in the world of watercolours. Happy painting!
If you’ve liked my hints and tips this month and you’d like to learn more, why not take a look at my online courses
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If you’d like to download my free PDF all about the colour wheel. CLICK HERE
If you’d like to download my free PDF all about tricks and techniques in watercolour, CLICK HERE.