Learning how to mix colours is one of the most important steps for making a painting. Why buy lots of expensive tubes of paint when you can mix your own colours?
Not only will it save you money, you'll also have fun creating a variety of shades and discovering what they're suitable for capturing. A sunset? A cascade of fruit? A spring landscape? The possibilities are endless once you've mastered the art of paint colour mixing.
Your simple guide to colour mixing
Start with the primary colours
To begin mixing colours, a good starting point is to have the three primary colours: red, yellow and blue. A primary colour is a colour that cannot be created by mixing other colours together. The primary colours red, yellow and blue sit equal distances apart on the colour wheel.
Make secondary colours
When you mix two primary colours together in equal parts, this makes a secondary colour. For example:
Red + Yellow = Orange
Red + Blue = Purple
Blue + Yellow = Green
On the colour wheel, orange, purple and green sit halfway between the two primary colours it is mixed from.
Once you’ve created your secondary colours, you can lighten or darken the shade by adding white or black.
Make tertiary colours
When you mix a primary colour and secondary colour in equal parts, this makes a tertiary colour. There are six tertiary colours. On the colour wheel, they sit between the primary and secondary colour they are mixed from.
Yellow + Orange = Yellow-Orange (also known as amber)
Yellow + Green = Yellow-Green (also known as spring green)
Red + Orange = Red-Orange (also known as vermillion)
Red + Purple = Red-Purple (also known as magenta)
Blue + Purple = Blue-Purple (also known as violet)
Blue + Green = Blue-Green (also known as turquoise)
Once you’ve created these tertiary colours, you can lighten or darken the shade by adding white or black.
Guide to colour temperatures
Warm tones and cool tones
Each of the primary colours red, yellow and blue come in 'warm' and 'cool' tones. Warm tones mean the colour has a hint of red or yellow in the shade. Cool tones means the colour has a hint of blue or green in the shade.
For example, Cadmium red is a 'warm' red because it has a hint of yellow in the shade. Crimson red is a 'cool' red because it has a hint of blue in the shade.
Ultramarine blue is a 'warm' blue because it has a hint of red in the shade. Cerulean blue is a 'cool' blue because it has a hint of green in the shade.
Cadmium yellow is a 'warm' yellow because it has a hint of red in the shade. Lemon yellow is a 'cool' yellow because it has a hint of green in the shade.
It's important to bear these tones in mind when mixing paint. For example, if you're trying to make a vibrant purple (which is red and blue mixed together) and it turns out dull and murky, it's most likely because the tone of your red is 'warm' and the tone of your blue is 'warm'.
What materials do I need to mix paint?
For mixing your colours you'll need paint brushes and a palette. If you don't have a palette, a plate or a large tile will work just as well. You might want to use a palette knife to mix the paint with, but paint brushes are also fine for mixing.
Paint brushes
It's useful for artists to have an assortment of brush types suited to a variety of paint mediums. This 10-brush set from Cass Art has a great range of all-round brushes suited to watercolours, acrylics and oils. It also comes with a handy zip case!
Palettes
Whether you use acrylics, oils, gouache, watercolours or inks, a paint palette is a handy piece of kit for any artist.
Artist's palettes can be used for thinning colours before you apply them to paper or canvas, or to blend a beautiful array of shades for your latest work in progress.
This Frisk Stay Wet palette is ideal if you're the kind of artist who likes to return to a project the next day. As the name suggests, these palettes are designed to keep your paints wet so that you can use them for longer.
What paint should I use for colour mixing?
You can use any paint you like, whether it be acrylic, watercolours, oils or gouache.
If you're a beginner that's new to mixing colours, acrylic paint is a good medium to start with. Its water-soluble nature makes it easy to work with, plus it has many of the benefits of oil paint in terms of colour translucency, opacity and body, without the need for solvents for mixing and cleaning.
This top quality acrylic paint set features a broad spectrum of basic colours, perfect for budding artists taking their first foray into colour mixing.
Some handy tips for colour mixing
- Always use a clean brush or palette knife before mixing colours. Any residue paint left on the brush/knife will affect the colour you're trying to create.
- When adjusting the shade of your colour mix, use small amounts of paint, adding more as needed.
- Perception of colour can be influenced by the hues surrounding it, so it’s a good idea to mix your paint on a neutral surface like white.
How to make green
Perfect for painting landscapes, green is a vital colour on an artist's palette. Learn how to make green by mixing together blue and yellow.
Read our guide to how to make green.
How to make brown
Making the colour brown is super easy! Simply by mixing the three primary colours – yellow, red and blue – you can make a lovely chocolatey shade.
Read our guide to how to make brown.
How to make purple
It's hard not to love the colour purple! From delicate lavender to vivid violet, the colour purple can add richness, softness and vibrance to a painting, and is particularly useful for creating shadows.
Read our guide to how to make purple.
How to make orange
Orange is a strong, eye-catching colour that can create atmosphere and warmth in a painting.
Read our guide to how to make orange.
How to make red
The colour red can add warmth, depth and vibrancy to a painting. It is a primary colour, which means it can't be created by mixing other colours.
However, there are many easy ways to make different shades of red. From light raspberry to deep crimson, mixing pure red with other colours can create a range of beautiful shades.
Read our guide to how to make red.
Enter the magical world of paint colour mixing
Once you’ve made your secondary and tertiary colours, you can lighten the shade by adding white or darken by adding black. Just take care to add them in tiny amounts until you have your desired colour.
Why every artist needs a paint palette
Whether you use acrylics, oils, gouache or watercolours, a paint palette is a handy piece of kit for any artist. Read our guide to using a paint palette.
