Portfolio: Beginning Color Mixing

Tips and techniques for mixing vibrant colors and cohesive palettes

Kimberly Adams

• Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781633224902
• eBook ISBN: 9781633224919
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art Techniques

Learn the core concepts and techniques for mixing any color your palette needs with Beginning Color Mixing.

Perfect for aspiring, beginning, and intermediate artists, this guide's concept- and technique-driven approach makes this challenging subject approachable for artists of any skill level.

Loaded with techniques on how to use and create color for vivid artwork, Beginning Color Mixing explains every key aspect of color mixing. You’ll learn about basic color theory, hue and saturation, value, temperature, and color relationships and discover how to wield color to create mood and atmosphere.

Each key concept is clearly explained, allowing you to master the core techniques and put them into practice immediately, whether you’re working in oil, acrylic, or watercolor. Featuring plenty of step-by-step exercises, expert instruction, and inspiring artwork illustrating the techniques,this is a resource no painter’s library should be without.

The Portfolio series covers essential art techniques, core concepts, and media with an approach and format that’s perfect for aspiring, beginning, and intermediate artists.

Also available from the series:Beginning Acrylic, Beginning Drawing, Beginning Watercolor, Beginning Pastel, Beginning Colored Pencil, Beginning Color Mixing, Expressive Painting, Beginning Pen & Ink, and Beginning Composition.

Painting
FROM LIFE

If you’re looking for something to paint, try taking a relaxing walk outside. Allow nature to fill your mind with its spectacular array of sights, smells, and sounds. Enjoy feeling the warm breeze as you take in your surroundings, while using nature to ignite your imagination. As artists, we can use all our senses as inspiration to narrate a story.

When I teach workshops, I encourage my students to concentrate on the story they’re trying to portray and let their interpretation of composition, color, and style represent their voice. Just as a playwright can bring an idea from concept to stage, an artist can interpret life in a painting.

In this portion of the book, I’ll break down how I create a painting, step by step from start to finish—using nature as inspiration to paint from life, while also discussing composition, color, and style.

Lighthouse

This photo was taken on the coast of Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. After walking on a trail for some time, we came to a clearing and saw this lighthouse in the distance.

I chose a triadic color scheme (red, yellow, and blue) for my interpretation of this scene. Although secondary and tertiary colors will also be present, they’ll support the primary colors. I also didn’t want to deviate far from the actual setting. To begin, I use a chalk pastel to sketch all the major characteristics of the scene. To ensure the rule of three applies to the composition, I divide the canvas into thirds. I place the horizontal rocks in the bottom third of the canvas and the cliff/lighthouse in the right third. This creates a more interesting composition than putting the focal point in the middle of the canvas.

tip

DRY PASTELS ARE A GREAT TOOL FOR SKETCHING ON CANVAS. THE DRY, CHALKY RESIDUE IS EASY TO WIPE OFF IF YOU NEED TO RESKETCH. IT ALSO BLENDS WELL WITH OIL PAINT.

I begin painting the background first, starting with the lightest blue value, misty blue (or radiant), and apply a very thin layer to block out the sky and water. I’m careful not to put too much paint on the canvas at this point. If the paint is applied too thick during this phase, it can become difficult to work with as you add more layers.

1 The thin layer allows the canvas to show through.

Next I paint the top two corners with a middle value of blue—in this case, horizon blue. I also add a little horizon blue where the shadows will be in the water.

Then I blend the paint into the misty blue from side to side, building depth and covering the remaining white areas of the canvas, resulting in a nice layer that covers the sky. You should see contrast between the two blues. If you overblend and no contrast is visible, you can add a small amount of misty blue over the darker blue.

Next I add my darkest blue value—cobalt. Starting at the corners and blending from side to side again, I continue to add depth and contrast. I purposely leave all three values represented in the sky. Then I add lavender and lilac to represent land in the distance at the horizon line, as well as a touch of both colors in the sky to give it a lilac tint as it nears the ho...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• INTRODUCTION
• GETTING STARTED
• COLOR THEORY
• PAINTING WITH COLOR
• PAINTING FROM LIFE
• QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
• CLOSING THOUGHTS
• ABOUT THE ARTIST
• Copyright