Learn to mix colors

**bombertaylor** · January 15th, 2010, 09:26 PM

Hi everyone,

From the start I study shape , form and everything with pencils.Now I want move to next step to study color.I want to study traditional mixing color way,but I am not sure which medium should I use.Oil?Arcrylic? or color pencils?.I dont have my own working space so I dont want to create mess.I am not sure the way mixing water color pencil is the same with others?.

Thank you in advanced.

**xinranliu** · January 16th, 2010, 12:14 PM

I would suggest oils, they won't dry in your face when you're mixing them
I wouldn't go for colour pencils, you're not reeeally mixing stuff together

**hitnrun** · January 16th, 2010, 12:38 PM

Oils don't dry quickly unless you add a thinning medium to them such as liquin, and I'm pretety sure Linseed Oil is a thinning medium. I usually just stick with liquin and mineral sprits (liquin thins, mineral spirits to clean my brushes). Time wise for mixing and experimenting, I think oils are your best bet. The downside is they can get pretty costly. Then again, acrylics aren't cheap either.

Acrylics will dry super fast, and they dry darker than the color you apply them as. You'll probably drop a good 3 shades. If you work a little faster, you can get some good practice with color in.

Colored Pencils aren't mixing colors. you're setting down layers of color, and if you have a sharp enough point, they should start to blend together by themselves. Note that blending is NOT mixing.

All in all, I'd go with oils. It's expensive no matter what, but oils have the slowest drying times (again, unless you add a thinning agent).

**Aphotic Phoenix** · January 16th, 2010, 01:39 PM

Golden brand acrylics now make a slower drying acrylic called Golden Open Acrylics that is designed to be suitable for plein air, and some oil techniques. This stuff is kinda new (released in 2008ish?), and I haven't personally tried it, but reading other peoples personal accounts it does indeed take a bit of time to "skin over" depending on temperature and humidity. An option if you aren't keen on diving into oil painting yet.

**dbclemons** · January 16th, 2010, 10:59 PM

The advantage that oils give you for studying color is the pigments stay true as you mix them. The other mediums have a tendency to change tone as they dry which can throw you off until you learn how to handle that. Also, some fool years ago decided to only sell watercolors and gouache in small tubes and unfortunately most of them still do. On the plus side, the best quality acrylics tend to be less expensive than the better oils, and you'll be going through lots of paint as you learn, so that might be a good place to start, especially if the place you work may affect others. I'm a proponent of learning with the best materials you can get.

**Ninjerk** · January 17th, 2010, 04:29 AM

You could probably start with the big Winton tubes (titanium white, cad red, cad yellow, cobalt blue, black) and work in a limited palette until you get sick of it.

**thanh** · January 17th, 2010, 04:54 AM

thanks

**bombertaylor** · January 17th, 2010, 08:53 PM

Thank you everyone,I am really appreciate this.

I just wonder water color pencils is mixing as same as liquid mediums?

**gogidolim** · January 18th, 2010, 01:58 AM

If you live in Los Angeles area, there's a art supply store in Koreatown. They sell Korean-made gouaches that are dirt cheap comparing to W&N gouache, which is a rip-off. Gouache is great for studying color-mixing.

**Aphotic Phoenix** · January 18th, 2010, 02:19 AM

Originally Posted by gogidolim

If you live in Los Angeles area, there's a art supply store in Koreatown. They sell Korean-made gouaches that are dirt cheap comparing to W&N gouache, which is a rip-off. Gouache is great for studying color-mixing.

Except gouache is infamous for color shifting, and if you try to make purple all you'll get is purplish mud.

**bombertaylor** · January 18th, 2010, 09:28 PM

Hi. Just another question.I have heard that some mediums like acrylic produces toxic fume ,is that right? So you cannot have air tight environment.How is it effect your health?

**bombertaylor** · January 18th, 2010, 09:28 PM

Hi. Just another question.I have heard that some mediums like acrylic produces toxic fume ,is that right? So you cannot have air tight environment.How is it effect your health?

**Flake** · January 18th, 2010, 09:36 PM

It's paint, not radioactive waste. Some pigments are bad for you but most are dirt mixed with vegetable oil.

Don't eat it.

The worst of all paint and mediums pale into insignificance compared to stuff that is under your sink or in your garage

Oil painting is about as dangerous as cleaning your bathroom. Wash your hands, don't lick anything.

Chill.