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Basic Color Mixing

Characteristics of Color

  • The primary hues are red, yellow and blue. Except for these three primary pigments, all other colors are mixtures of two or more colors. You cannot produce the three primary colors by mixing.
  • Mixing two primary colors, which form orange, green and violet, creates secondary colors.
  • Mixing a primary with a secondary color creates tertiary colors. These new colors include red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet and red-violet.

Complimentary Colors

The complimentary colors are exactly opposite on the color wheel, whether they are primary, secondary or tertiary.

Unlimited Colors

As different amounts of complimentary color are added to mixes, unlimited colors are created, each becoming more 
neutral (grayed) as more of the complimentary color is added. Complimentary colors will dull (soften) the intensity 
of a color. To brighten or clear up a dull color, add the pure primary from the appropriate color family.

Mixing Colors

Colors may be altered in seven ways:

    1. Tint with white
    2. Shade with black
    3. Tone with black or white
    4. Soften with the complimentary color
    5. Soften with an earth color such as Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna
    6. Darken with a neighboring color on the color wheel
    7. Lighten with a neighboring color on the color wheel

Quick Tips

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