What happens when you mix paint? DIY beauty: how to get blue and what colors you need to mix for this

Whatever you say, this color is magical, but it evokes dual feelings: on the one hand, it is a kind of sadness, and on the other, peace and tranquility. In this article we will look at how to get blue by mixing paints. Let's find out what shades exist and what they are called. Let's consider what percentage is needed to solve the problem set before us: how to get Blue colour?

Blue color. Psychological perception

It is this shade that has attracted humanity since ancient times. He was always given Special attention. So in Ancient Egypt the process of sacrifice to the Gods was depicted in this color. In astrology it corresponds to the planet Venus. In esotericism it is used for meditation, concentration, and also for the process of self-knowledge. IN modern world psychologists have an ambivalent attitude towards this tone: on the one hand, it promotes concentration to achieve a set goal, and on the other hand, it can separate a person from reality and introduces emotional coldness into the worldview.

In psychology, various color tests, and one of the most effective is the Luscher test, according to which the tone we describe symbolizes calmness and self-satisfaction. This test can determine a person’s stress tolerance and communication abilities. Each time the test amazes with its accuracy, it’s like true friend can provide answers to questions that for a long time were brewing inside.

Shades of blue

Our described tone is noble and stylish. It hides the peace of the cold sky and the raging passion of the sea. How to get blue? Mixing colors will give a large number of related tones and halftones, the percentage recipe is varied. There are many shades of it. And how beautifully they are called! Based on the names alone, you can understand how much we love this shade, how it inspires and gives strength. So, as an example, we give the following names of shades of blue: cornflower blue, dove blue, Niagara color, cyan, ultramarine, heavenly, sea ​​wave, blue, azure, Persian blue, royal blue, indigo, Prussian blue, sapphire, blue-black. Here are the main shades of the tone we are describing. In addition to them, many semi-shades can be distinguished, that’s how multifaceted this tone is.

Even any shade can have various characteristics: blue - frivolous and playful, because it is not for nothing that they say “blue dream”, in other words, unrealistic and unrealistic. But the shade “indigo” is identified with highly developed mental abilities. Children who are mentally gifted are often called “indigos.” It is also worth taking into account a person’s tendency in clothing and in choosing an interior in favor of the specified tone, and the first thing that can be said about him is that this person has an analytical mind. But let's return to the main question: how to get blue?

Mixing colors

After all, it is the primary color, but we can get a large number of its shades using different tones. So how do you get blue when mixing colors? Consider getting "Royal Blue". To do this, you need to use blue as the main tone, adding to it a small part of black and a drop of green. As a result of this mixing, the desired shade should be obtained. How to get blue, but a brighter shade than the previous one? To do this, we use the same colors that we described above, but in this case we need to halve the amount of black. The result of mixing should be a beautiful dark blue shade.

Now let's look at what colors to get the blue color of the sea, a shade of turquoise. To do this, it is also necessary to use the main shade of our tone, and the additional one will be a green tone, taken in a ratio of one to three. You should get an unforgettable color of the sea, eye color beautiful girl, mysterious and deep, simultaneously exciting and calming. Now I would like to figure out what tones are needed to get a Wedgwood blue. In this case, the peculiarity is that the main color will be used not blue, as it was before, but White color. To the white original tone you need to add half of our described tone. Considering the amount of base color, and as a highlight or as a cherry on the cake, add a drop of black. The result should be a peaceful, calm shade of the same tone we adore.

Let's consider this option: how to get a blue color by mixing orange colors in a very small amount with our main tone, which in this recipe we define as the original one. The result of this operation should be a heavy shade, one might even say menacing. The result obtained is identified with a dirty and harsh sky during a wild storm, when the sea roars like a wild beast, and the wind howls and tears the sails of ships.

Blue in nature

What colors are needed to produce blue in nature, you ask? In our real world at the level of physics this tone is perceived by the human eye in the range 440 - 485 nm. In other words, spectral blue color is felt when exposed to electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength whose digital value is indicated above.

Blue paint

How to get blue color artificially, you ask? As you know, natural dyes of this shade are very rare and therefore valuable. One of the dyes of the aniline series is fuchsin. Its significant drawback is that it is far from the beautiful blue tint that one would so much like to achieve; in this case, magenta gives a bluish-red tone. The result of waiting will make you disappointed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, to summarize what has been said, I would like to note that the main question of our article is how to get blue. Mixing colors in different proportions will be the answer, but do not forget that today acrylic paint of the described shade can be classified as dark blue with a purple tone. This type of shade is called "ultramarine". Moreover, the issue of mixing paints is relevant for young artists, for whom, in addition to theoretical information, practice is important. The ability to form your own style, still based on theoretical knowledge, is one of the main tasks. I would like to believe that this material will be useful and interesting.

Beginning painters and designers are often interested in how to mix paints to get desired color. There are basic shades, when combined, a new one can emerge original version. In some situations, this task arises when one paint runs out and can be replaced by mixing several options. Two or more can be used for this purpose.

How to mix paints to get different shades?

I would like to note that such a task is difficult, since some paints, after being combined with each other, provoke reactions, which ultimately in a negative way affects the result, for example, the color may become dark or even lose its tone and become gray.

Understanding what paints can be mixed, it is worth saying that it is impossible to obtain yellow, red and blue colors by combining other paints, but they are actively used in different combinations.

Let's learn how to mix paints to get some colors:

  1. Pink. To make this color come out, you need to mix red and white in equal quantities. By varying the proportion of white paint, you can obtain shades of different saturation.
  2. Green. To get this color, mix blue, cyan and yellow in equal proportions. If you want to create an olive shade, then combine green, yellow and add a small amount of brown. The light shade is obtained by mixing yellow, green and white.
  3. Orange. This beautiful color is achieved by combining red and yellow. The more red you end up with, the brighter the final shade.
  4. Violet. In this case, you need to mix the following paint colors: and blue, and in equal proportions. If you change the proportions and add white color, you can get different shades.
  5. Grey. There are a huge number of options, so to get different shades, you should mix black and white in different proportions.
  6. Beige. This color is often used, for example, when painting portraits. To obtain it, you need to add white to the brown color, and then, to improve the brightness, use a little yellow.

It is worth noting that the closer the colors are to each other on the color wheel, the similar their tone, which means the result will be purer and more saturated.

Have you ever thought about how professional artists work with different paints to create paintings? Do they really stock up on every possible shade of color for their work? Of course not. As a rule, they have several basic colors in their arsenal and with the help entertaining science- colorists - get hundreds of desired shades.

Purple in the color palette

This article is dedicated to the color purple, the very last color in the rainbow.

It is not basic in the palette. The main colors are blue, yellow and red. What does it mean? By mixing them you can get a huge variety of colors and shades. It is worth mentioning two more colors. It's black and white. They cannot be obtained by mixing. So, in essence, artists use five colors when creating their magnificent masterpieces - these are three basic colors plus black and white.

A little history

The color violet (also known as purple) is considered a cool and deep tone.

Its history is interesting and shrouded in mystery. Purple has always been considered a mystical and “royal” color.

In Byzantium, purple was called blattion and was considered imperial. Purple was very often used in stained glass windows in cathedrals in medieval times. Purple smalts can be found in Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna.

In Rus' purple bore the name Yubagr. And in England in the second half of the 16th century, only members of the royal family or reigning persons had the right to wear clothes made of purple fabrics.

The color purple also has a special meaning in Christianity. It represents the seventh day of the creation of light and is considered a day of rest. That's how it is spiritual meaning this color.

Among Catholic Christians, the traditional clothing of clergy is the cassock - this is a split dress to the floor. This purple robe can only be worn by bishops; it is prohibited for ordinary clergy.

How to get purple? The easiest way

The color scheme is very entertaining and interesting science. All children love to watch how, with the wave of a magic wand, two or three colors form a completely different, fourth one. It really looks like mysticism.

For example, in order to get Brown color, on the palette you need to mix blue, red and yellow.

To obtain orange - red and yellow, green - yellow and blue.

But how do you get purple? You only need to mix two colors - red and blue.

The depth and brightness of the resulting purple will depend on a number of indicators:

  • tones of original colors;
  • quantities of one or another paint, their proportion.

How to get different shades of purple?

But artists are not content with just one shade of purple when painting their paintings. It would then not be art, not magic. Yes, they can create dozens of different tones of this mysterious color.

How to get dark purple color?

There are two ways.

  1. Add a few drops of black to the red color.
  2. Mix red and blue, adding more of the latter, and also adjust the intensity by adding black. The result will be a very dark, muted, but violet color.

How to get a purple tint?

When mixing red and blue paints, you need to add more red. If there is more blue in the proportion, then the purple will be brighter and more pronounced.

How to get a light purple shade?

You need to mix pink and blue paints on the palette.

How can I make the resulting color lighter?

In this case, you just need to add white to the mixture.

Features of working with gouache and watercolor

The above methods are ideal if you are wondering: “How to get purple color with gouache?” This type of paint is thick and well pigmented; the artist will have no problems adjusting the color intensity. But there is one pitfall that you should not forget about: when drying, gouache becomes lighter by several tones. This is always worth remembering when getting the desired purple shade.

In some ways it’s easier, but in some ways it’s more difficult to work with watercolors. It does not have such a rich texture as the same gouache. How to get purple paint color and desired shades using watercolor?

The working methods are absolutely the same. But if there is no white, then the pallor or saturation of the desired shade must be adjusted using water (by diluting the paint with it). And, of course, it is completely clear that you cannot achieve the same color saturation from watercolors as from gouache.

Methods for dyeing mastic purple

Confectioners often color the mastic when preparing their delicious masterpieces. And just like artists, they do not necessarily have all the shades and colors of dyes in their arsenal. To answer the question: “How to get the purple color of mastic?”, you need to determine how this delicious “plasticine” fell into the hands of the master?

If the mastic is homemade, then there is nothing easier than adding two dyes - blue and red - to the still liquid mass during its preparation. They can be either dry or gel.

If the mastic is purchased and white, then the easiest way would be to first paint two balls in different colors - red and blue. And only after that mix them in different proportions, ultimately obtaining the desired shade.

The effect of purple color on humans

There is such a science - chromotherapy. She studies the effects of different colors on the human condition. So, purple has a very beneficial effect on almost all organs and senses.

  1. Promotes more rapid production of invaluable hormones of joy - endorphins.
  2. Rejuvenates.
  3. Has a calming effect on insomnia and migraines.
  4. It has a tonic effect on the pituitary gland and eyes.
  5. Increases immunity.

But you need to use this color wisely, without overloading your space with it. In excess, the color violet can lead to melancholy.

Now you know how to get purple. You know how it affects the human body and you can successfully apply the knowledge gained in practice, be it color treatment or creating a confectionery or artistic masterpiece. So multifaceted, from soft purple to almost black, this color represents everything sensual, mysterious and enigmatic.

Everyone knows that by combining 3 primary colors (red, yellow and blue), you can achieve any other color. This theory was developed in ancient times by Leonardo da Vinci. The conclusion from the theory can be drawn that it is impossible to obtain primary colors by mixing others. But what to do and, for example, how to get red? To solve the problem, let's approach it from a practical side and consider how red is made in a printing house, how artists get it and what needs to be done for this.

Red color in printing is made by mixing other basic colors. The CMYK color model is used here. All differences in the colors of the model used are made by mixing the desired base colors:

  • Blue - cyan
  • Magenta (violet) – magenta
  • Yellow
  • Black

As in other color models, you need to take at least 2 colors, and in our case, red on printed products is made by combining 2 process colors: violet (magenta) and yellow. This method is also used to make color engravings. If you acquire these paints, you can make not only red, but also achieve shades of it by adjusting the ratio of yellow and magenta (violet). The range of red colors will be from pale purple to rich orange-red.

Mix yellow and magenta to get red

Information: In addition to printing, the CMYK model underlies the operation of most printers. It is also used for professional painting of cars, decoration of interiors and facades of buildings, and in fabric production.

Natural red

In addition to artificially obtaining color, it can easily be made from natural materials. This is how bedstraw flowers allow you to paint objects bright red. To prepare this paint, flowers are dried and boiled with alum for half an hour. Safflower and St. John's wort flowers are also suitable for making red paint by boiling water until thick. Cherry paint, similar in color, is made from orange lichen. You need to finely chop the lichen and mix with baking soda(it is better to use a solution), wait 3-4 minutes and you can use it.

In nature, red color can be found quite often. Therefore, its different shades are sometimes named based on their natural hosts: fruits, minerals and berries. Among them you can find such names as: raspberry, pomegranate, cherry, coral, blue, wine, burgundy. All similar colors form the red spectrum.

Red shades in painting are made based on pigments of warm and cold shades. Quinacridone ruby ​​or violet should be considered cold, and light cadmium, orange sienna (natural and burnt) should be considered warm.


RGB and CMYK color models

Interaction with other colors

Many people wonder whether it is possible to make red from other colors, for example, pink. Our answer is no! If you replace purple with pink and mix it with yellow, then you won’t see red, only a semblance of it.

Burgundy is made from red by mixing with black. Depending on the types of paints, the ratio can reach up to 2:1 (you need 2 parts red and 1 black). By changing the concentration you can create different shades of burgundy.

Another question is, what happens if you mix red and yellow? Answer: we get orange.

Most popular question sounds like this: “what do we get when mixing red and blue colors?. To clarify, let's look at the RGB color model (red, green, blue), where you can clearly see that using blue in combination with red, we get purple.

Conclusion

The basic colors for red are yellow and magenta (violet). To create the desired color when mixing, you don’t have to use artificial paints; you can use natural ones. Red is the base color in the RGB model and must be mixed with green and blue to make other colors.

We offer you an interesting video to watch

Burnt sienna, ultramarine, cadmium yellow - these words sound like mysterious spells to the uninitiated ear. In fact, these are just names of colors, although a certain magic is, of course, present in them. One has only to pick up a brush and apply a few drops to the palette, and the imagination immediately comes to life. And all that remains for the artist is to mix the paints correctly to create real miracles.

It is sometimes difficult for novice artists to navigate the choice of colors for their painting, especially if there are many colors in their watercolor set. That is why it is recommended to buy paints with a smaller variety of shades, because it is much more interesting and, most importantly, more useful to mix the paints yourself. Ready-made colors often turn out to be quite harsh, far from natural muted tones. But a palette created with your own hands will not only help you find what you need for the desired image, but will also serve as a source of imagination and useful knowledge.

All shades of colors are divided into warm and cold. These names are absolutely telling; warm colors are sunnier, more summery: orange, red, yellow. Cold, respectively winter, refreshing: blue, light blue, violet.

The colors on the palette interact with each other, forming absolutely incredible variations. However, there are general trends, which are reflected in the so-called Itten circle. This is a model of combining primary and secondary colors.

The circle not only shows how secondary colors are formed from primary ones, but also visually divides them into warm and cold, respectively, some on the right, others on the left. It is important to understand that we are talking about base colors, not shades. After all, in comparison, some will turn out to be warmer, others colder.

Here is a small table on mixing primary colors.

Rules for mixing paints

To mix properly watercolor paints, you need to know some of their features and be sure to take them into account when applying them to paper. It's about not only about the division into warm and cold tones, but also about the hiding power of some colors, i.e. ability to overlap previous layers. Various shades are obtained not only by mixing two colors, but also by varying their quantity, as well as the amount of water used. For example, mixing the classic combination of yellow and green, when adding more yellow it will gradually change to a lighter lime green, and may even return to the original element.

Colors that are close to each other when mixed will not give a pure tone, but with their help you can get very expressive shade, it will be called chromatic. If you combine colors located on opposite sides of the color wheel, you can get an achromatic, grayish tone. For example, a combination of orange with green and purple will give this effect.

Some paints give an undesirable reaction when mixed. It's not just about dirt on the drawing, it can lead to cracking of the paint layer, as well as to its darkening when drying. The combination of zinc white with cinnabar has a beautiful light pink tone, but later this combination darkens and becomes inexpressive. Therefore, it is, of course, considered optimal to achieve brightness and multi-color by mixing a minimum number of colors. Remember that some combinations give a lasting effect, while others are completely unacceptable.

How to get yellow color when mixing paints

Yellow is one of the three basic colors, so it is impossible to obtain it by mixing it in its pure form! However, you can achieve some results by playing with shades that are close to the palette. For example, to get gold, you will need regular yellow and a drop of red or brown. A good option is also to make them yellow with red and adding white.

How to get orange color when mixing paints

Mixing is much more productive yellow paint for getting orange color. It is formed from a mixture of yellow and red. Adding a little brown and red can make it tangerine or gold, depending on the amount of ingredients. Bright orange comes from classic orange with brown and white.

How to get a mint color when mixing paints

How to get black by mixing paints

Each watercolor set contains black, but if for some reason you don’t have it, or you need a very dark shade, you can mix it yourself. You will need to combine red, yellow and blue in equal proportions. Great color comes from blue and brown. Also suitable for mixing are red, green, yellow, and purple. Cobalt yellow, cobalt blue and pink madder will give a soft black color.

How to get green color by mixing paints

Green comes from yellow and blue. However, in watercolors in its pure form it is rarely used. Much more popular colors are sunny green or olive green, midnight green, their combination and other options. Solar green uses ultramarine and cobalt yellow, olive is prepared from the same flowers with the addition of burnt sienna, and midnight is made from FC blue, yellow and a drop of black.

How to get turquoise color by mixing paints

Turquoise is better known by its other name, aquamarine. On the color spectrum its place is between green and blue. Therefore, they will be needed for mixing. You will need a slightly larger amount of blue cyan than green. However, this depends on the color intensity required. For a more subtle turquoise, you can add a drop of white or light gray paint. For a rich aquamarine, you will need to take a bright shade of blue, green and a little yellow.

How to get burgundy color when mixing paints

The burgundy color owes its name to the French wine of the same name. This is a solemn, deep color, you can mix it using three parts red and one blue. For a warmer shade, you can introduce a little yellow, or combine bright scarlet in half with brown. A cooler tone will be obtained from red, brown and black; it comes out so rich that it must be diluted with water.

How to get blue color by mixing paints

It’s very easy to get blue in watercolors; just dilute ultramarine with water, and you’re done. However, for those who are not looking for easy ways, there are always a couple interesting ways. One of them is the use of white: for 2 parts of ultramarine you will need one part of white paint. You need to dilute the blue color gradually to adjust the saturation of the tone. For a bright blue color you will need the same blue, a drop of red and white. Another shade can be obtained by adding to this mixture one part of not red, but green paint.

How to get crimson color when mixing paints

Bright and energetic crimson color has a whole range of shades. The main one can be obtained by combining red, blue and a small amount of white. To tone down a too bright color, add a little black. Instead of black, you can use brown, and instead of blue, turquoise or cyan, or purple, the results will be very extraordinary.

How to get brown color when mixing paints

You can get brown color different ways. The simplest one is mixing red and green paints. It can also be made from purple and yellow, the more yellow, the lighter the tone. Another way is to use red, blue and yellow, but you need to mix them gradually, adding more paint to adjust the shade, otherwise a black color may form, especially if red and blue predominate. A good tint comes from mixing orange and blue.

How to get purple color by mixing paints

From school curriculum It is known that purple comes from red and blue colors. However, in reality this is not entirely true. It is quite difficult to obtain a high-quality bright shade, and what comes out of these two colors is more like a nondescript burgundy. So, in order for a bright, rich lilac color to come out in a company of red and blue, the latter must predominate. In this case, the shade of red should be taken as cold as possible, otherwise there is a high probability of mixing brown rather than purple. Blue also has its own requirements - it should not contain any greenish notes, take only in its pure form, for example, cobalt blue or ultramarine. To lighten the final tone, you can use big amount whitewashed Important nuance, this is that after drying the color fades a little.

How to get blue by mixing paints

Blue is a basic color and cannot be mixed with other colors. But with the help of blue paint and auxiliary paints you can get many shades of it. For example, from bright ultramarine with white lead you can get sky blue. For a rich blue tone, take ultramarine with dark turquoise. A beautiful blue-green comes from blue with a little yellow. White will make this shade paler. The famous Prussian blue is obtained from mixing blue and green in equal parts. If you take 2 parts blue and 1 part red, you get blue-violet. And if you take pink rather than red, you get royal blue. A complex gray-blue color, excellent for drawing shadows, can be obtained from blue and brown. A rich dark blue will come out of blue and black, combining two to one.

How to get pink color by mixing paints

Usually pink color obtained from a combination of red and white, its shade will depend on the proportions. But you can also experiment with various types red The bright scarlet gives a wonderful effect, the pink color turns out to be very pure. Brick red gives a peachy tint. And bloody alizarin and white form a fuchsia color. By adding drops of purple or yellow to the mix, you can get unexpectedly interesting results. Not everyone accepts the use of white in watercolors, then you can get pink simply by diluting any red color with water. In a low concentration, this will be what you need.

How to get beige color when mixing paints

Beige or flesh color is necessary for the artist to depict people, faces, portraits, etc. Delicate beige can be obtained from white with the addition of ocher, cadmium yellow and red, sienna and sometimes ubra in minute quantities for light shading. The ratio of ocher in comparison with other components will be higher, all ingredients need to be introduced little by little, adjusting the required color intensity. Unfortunately, exact recipe no, every artist has his own vision of this issue.

How to get lilac color when mixing paints

The lilac color is quite close to purple, they are even called related. They are both cool shades and stand on color wheel close enough. Actually, the main recipe lilac color- this is the dilution of violet with white or water.

How to get gray color when mixing paints

IN watercolor paintings You will never find black shadows; they are usually drawn with the same colors as the rest of the details, but with the addition of a darker element, for example, gray. This color in watercolor can be obtained by combining black with a large amount of water or white. Interesting shades are obtained from cobalt blue with the addition of burnt sienna or burnt umber.

Mixing oil paints, mixing technology

Mixing oil paints has a slightly different specificity, unlike watercolor. Although the basic recipes for obtaining certain flowers are, of course, general. Basic Mixing Techniques acrylic paints:

  • Combining colors on the palette, i.e. physical, to obtain a new tone or shade for the purpose of applying to a drawing. If one of the paints is lighter, then it is applied in small strokes over the dark one, provided that both paints have the same covering properties. When clear paint is mixed with opaque paint, the result is opaque paint. If two transparent paints are taken, then the result will be transparent. With this method, a decrease in the purity and intensity of tones is inevitable.
  • The method of overlaying paints, otherwise known as glazing, involves layering transparent paints on top of each other directly on the image. Of course, the previous layer must be completely dry.
  • Color joining method. If you apply brush strokes very tightly together, then visually mixing of these colors occurs, like a kind of optical illusion.

Oil Paint Mixing Chart

Mixing acrylic paints, technology

Acrylic paints - great option for beginning artists and painting lovers. They are universally suitable for paper, fabric, glass, wood, etc. Their only drawback is their rather high cost, and therefore acrylic sets usually do not have a very rich palette. But nothing prevents us from expanding it using mixing technology. You must have 7 colors: red, pink, yellow, blue, brown, white and black. And then, using a special table, you can easily mix acrylic yourself.

Acrylic paint mixing table

Mixing gouache paint colors

When choosing gouache, you should not focus on large sets; they look very impressive and presentable. But in fact, you will have to overpay for completely unnecessary colors. It is much better to focus not on the number of jars, but on their volume. After all, when the primary colors run out, you will still have to buy new paints, and the unused ones will remain as dead weight. Moreover, it is very easy to obtain new colors and shades of gouache, as simple as holding a brush in your hands. There are no special rules here, except that you will need a color combination table.

Gouache paint mixing table

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