To mix every color, you need the three primary colors – red, blue, and yellow. By combining these three colors in different ratios, you can create all the other colors on the color wheel. Understanding color theory and the basics of how to mix paints or other media to achieve the desired shades is essential for any artist. In this article, we will explore what primary colors are, how they mix together, and what secondary and tertiary colors can be created.
What are the Primary Colors?
The primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. They are called primary because they cannot be created by mixing other colors together. All other colors are derived from some combination of these three hues.
Red, blue, and yellow are equidistant on the color wheel. This means they are spaced evenly apart and oppose each other. Opposite colors are called complementary colors. Red and green are complements, as are blue and orange, and yellow and purple. When complementary colors are mixed together, they neutralize each other to create a gray or brown shade.
The primary colors are pure hues that have not had white, black, or any other color added to them. Using pure reds, blues, and yellows will create the most vivid secondary and tertiary colors. Primary colors are sometimes called chromatic colors.
Mixing Primary Colors to Create Secondary Colors
When you mix two primary colors together in equal proportions, this makes a secondary color. There are three possible combinations:
– Red + Blue = Purple
– Blue + Yellow = Green
– Red + Yellow = Orange
Purple, green, and orange are called secondary colors because they rely on the primary colors to exist. They occupy the spaces between the primary colors on the color wheel. Mixing primary colors to make secondary colors is essential for any painting.
The exact shades you mix will depend on the vibrancy of your red, blue, and yellow paints. Mixing a bright cadmium red with an ultramarine blue will result in a vivid purple. Combining a burnt yellow with a duller cobalt blue will make an earthy green. The possibilities are endless!
Tertiary Colors
Tertiary colors are made by mixing one primary color with one secondary color. They fill in the gaps between the primary and secondary colors on the color wheel. For example:
– Red + Purple = Red-Purple
– Blue + Green = Blue-Green
– Yellow + Orange = Yellow-Orange
There are six tertiary colors in total. Visually, tertiary colors have a less intense, muddy, or neutralized look compared to the bold chromatic primaries. This is because they involve combining a primary with a secondary color already mixed from two primaries.
With thoughtful mixing, however, you can still achieve beautiful and nuanced tertiary shades. A red-violet mixed from primary red and secondary purple can be striking. The same goes for a blue-green with vivid primary blue and green.
Mixing Color Ratios
The ratios of primary colors you use when mixing impact the resulting secondary and tertiary shades. Here are some key ratios to understand:
– 50/50 mixture – Produces the purest form of the secondary or tertiary color.
– 75/25 mixture – Resulting color has a hue predominantly towards the 75% color.
– 25/75 mixture – Mixture has a hue weighted to the 75% color.
– 60/40 or 40/60 mixtures – Subtle offshoots of the 50/50 mixture.
For example, a 50/50 mix of blue and yellow makes a pure green. A 75/25 blue/yellow mix creates a blue-green. And a 25/75 ratio makes a more yellow-based green. Subtle variations in ratios can create a wide spectrum.
The Color Wheel
The color wheel shows how colors relate based on their hue and helps visualize how primary colors mix. Here is a simplified color wheel showing just the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors:
| Primary | Red | Yellow | Blue |
| Secondary | Purple | Green | Orange |
| Tertiary | Red-Purple | Yellow-Green | Blue-Green |
| Tertiary | Red-Orange | Yellow-Orange | Blue-Purple |
Looking at this wheel shows how mixing adjacent colors creates the secondary and tertiary colors between them.
You can also see how colors directly across from each other on the wheel are complementary colors. These complementaries create neutrals and earth tones when combined.
Mixing Color Media
While the primary color theory applies universally, the exact mixing process varies depending on your medium:
– With paint – mix colors directly on a palette using a brush or knife. Adjust ratios as needed.
– With colored pencils – layer and blend colors on the page to achieve mixtures. Pressure affects blending.
– With light – combine colored gels or filters to mix hues. Vary lighting intensity.
– With dye/fabric – blend dye baths to get the colors to soak into fabric.
– With digital – use RGB sliders to arrive at the color. Can adjust numerically.
– With printers – mix colored inks like cyan, magenta and yellow to form other colors.
The fundamentals remain the same, but the process shifts across mediums. Mixing paint is most intuitive for understanding color theory.
Color Temperature
Another important aspect of color is its temperature. Some colors feel warm, and others feel cool or cold. Warm colors tend to be vivid and energetic. Cool colors are more soothing and receded.
Generally, the warm colors are reds, oranges, and yellows. The cool colors are blues, greens, and purples. But you can make a color warmer or cooler by adding white, black, or its complement.
Understanding color temperature helps in shading, contrast, and creating focal points. When mixing colors, it helps to know if you want a warmer or cooler end result.
Tones, Tints, and Shades
So far we have mixed pure primary and secondary colors. You can also alter these pure hues by adding white, black, or gray:
– Tint – Adding white to a pure color. Lightens it.
– Tone – Adding gray to a pure color. Mutes it towards neutral.
– Shade – Adding black to a pure color. Darkens it.
Mixing different amounts of white, black, or gray alters both the color’s hue and lightness/darkness. This adds variety within a single hue.
For example, mixing different tints of yellow by adding increasing amounts of white. Or shades of blue mixing in more black. Mastering tones, tints, and shades gives you control over the subtle nuances of any mixed color.
Neutral and Earth Tones
When you mix complementaries on the color wheel, the resulting color becomes neutralized, muddy, or brownish. Common neutral tones include:
– Gray – mixing all 3 primaries together
– Brown – mixing complements orange and blue
– Beige – adding white to brown
Earth tones are rustic, natural shades of brown, beige, sand, clay, and stone. They come from combining complements but in organic ratios. Earth tones lend a relaxed, outdoorsy feel.
Having a spectrum of neutral and earth tones alongside your mixed colors adds versatility and realism. They act almost as a reset for the eyes between vivid hues.
Value and Saturation
Beyond basic hue, two other dimensions affect mixed colors:
– Value – How light or dark the color is. Adds contrast.
– Saturation – How vivid or dull the color is. Impacts intensity.
Value is changed by adding white to make lighter or black to make darker. Saturation depends on dilution or how much gray is added.
A bright, highly saturated red will pop off the page. A dark, muted blue will recede. Pay attention to both value and saturation when mixing colors to get the qualities you want.
Psychology of Color Mixing
Colors evoke emotional responses. These associations are worth keeping in mind when mixing:
– Red – Passion, excitement, intensity
– Orange – Fun, playful, warm
– Yellow – Happiness, optimism, clarity
– Green – Growth, balance, health
– Blue – Calm, stable, professional
– Purple – Creativity, mysticism, royalty
The psychology of mixed colors is more nuanced than primaries. A red-orange may feel bold and energetic. A blue-green could be tranquil and centering. Consider the desired emotional impact when mixing ratios.
Mixing Color Harmony
With an endless spectrum, how do you mix colors in a aesthetically pleasing way? Color harmony provides principles for combining colors in artistic ways:
– Complementary – Pairs contrasting colors from opposite sides of the wheel.
– Analogous – Combines 3-5 adjacent colors on the wheel.
– Triadic – Mixes 3 equidistant colors on the wheel.
– Warm/Cool – Contrasts warm and cool colors for vibrancy.
– Value – Combines light, medium, and dark values of one hue.
There are also more complex color schemes like tetradic, square, and split-complementary harmonies. Mixing harmonious colors creates balance and visual interest.
Mixing Color Grays
One interesting exercise is mixing different combinations of paint to create a spectrum of grays:
– Violet-gray – blue + red
– Green-gray – yellow + blue
– Orange-gray – red + yellow
– Equal parts RBY – middle neutral gray
– Black + white – pure neutral gray
Even mixing toward gray has lots of nuance. You can opt for a warm, cool, or neutral bias based on ratios. Adding other colors then shifts the undertone.
Mixing Skin Tones
Mixing realistic skin tones for figures is challenging. Light skin starts with a middle neutral gray, avoiding too warm or cool. Then subtle undertones can be added:
– Yellow, yellow-orange – warm overtones
– Red, violet – cool overtones
Many painters start with a basic flesh mixture like:
– White + cadmium red light + cadmium yellow
Then they tweak ratios for lighter or darker skin. Adding a touch of blue cools it down. Observing and experimenting is key to improving realism.
Mixing Consistent Colors
Once you nail the perfect mixed color, how do you recreate it? Keeping careful notes helps:
– Write down ratios and record samples.
– Take photos of your mixed colors for later reference.
– Save and label unused mixed paint for touch-ups.
For projects requiring massive amounts of the same color, mix large batches at once. Store any extra mixed paint properly for reuse.
Consistency allows your original color intentions to shine through across a piece. Don’t just remix and hope for the best.
Conclusion
Mastering color mixing opens up an endless world of hues, tints, and shades. By understanding primary triads, color harmonies, and how to mix media, you can learn to create any imaginable color. Mixing also trains an artist’s eye to discern subtle value and temperature variations. Along with a grasp of color psychology, the possibilities of mixing colors are endless.
What colors do you love most to mix and work with? Which hues do you find most challenging to recreate consistently? Share your insights and keep practicing with your primaries. Soon you will have the color wheel memorized and an intuition for mixing magical colors.
