Colour Mixing
I have done some colour theory work, a long time ago when in my City and Guilds Preparing Working Designs course, however it was very limited, and taught by the needlework tutor who leaned the course heavily towards pattern design, with only enough colour theory to do coloured patterns, and the painting was done in gouache.
The first part, ‘Mixing Colours’ was really interesting, far from easy, but did explain why, on the few occasions I have got paints out, I have struggled to mix colours.
In doing the first three flat blocks of colours, I became aware that the different pigments handle in different ways. The cadmium red going on smoothly, evenly and very dense in one coat. The cadmium yellow going on equally evenly, but with a transparency that required a second coat to get a dense layer. The ultramarine was streaky and uneven, and more coats had to be applied to get a dense even colour.
When it came to the mixing, I got what I expected from the orange group, however the green I expected to come out more to an emerald tone rather than the olive, and the red/ultramarine mix was a surprise, but also instantly explained why I have always ended up buying a violet paint.
Moving on to mixing the black and white into the colours, I was surprised by how little black is needed to achieve a change and in direct contrast, how much white is required. I think most of my darkened tones are, in hindsight, too dark from start to finish. I did not have this same problem doing this one the design course, so wonder if a part of this is the difference between gouache and acrylics.
The mixes with the orange and green did pretty much go as I would have expected, the the red/ultramarine did not, and it was interesting to see the lightened shade of this mix, which I could not have predicted.
The colour circle was enlightening. Although during my design studies we had been made aware that of variation in colours, the information we were given did not go far enough to explain the colour mixing, in the sense of needing two different reds to get a pure red, and likewise with the yellow and blue. Doing this exercise has opened my eyes to how important it it to be aware of exactly which specific pigments need to be combined to get to the colour which is wanted.
The tone scale was something I had some difficulties with initially, finding that squinting helped, I then just took my glasses off! Being very short sighted, no glasses means all I can see are colours, no edges, and identifying tone became easier. Though it also left me feeling that a greater number of greys were needed in the grey scale, and although I had reduced the amount of black being added it was still too much. In the extended tone chart, I found some mixes were so close, they came into the same grey match, so cut them in half and put two in one square. In the case of one of the ultramarine, the last mix is so dark, that I do appear to have achieved a black, and so have stuck that square in there.
I was surprised by the range of browns achieved by mixing the complementary colours together. Whether using coloured pencils or paints, I usually find I never have the brown I want, so although I have a few purchased browns, I will be trying out more of these mixes, as I feel this way I will eventually be able to create more natural browns.
Effects of Colours on Each Other
I read the Itten book when I did the colour drawing course. However many of the illustrations are so small, that it is difficult to see what he is saying in the text. All became clear by painting these much bigger squares.
I have to admit that I was often surprised by the result. At this stage, rather than trying to control the results, I was trying to predict it, having done the grey squares first, followed by the fourth row with blue centres, where the outer colours have the same tonal value. This row I think has resulted in far less a change in the centre colours. After this I just worked my way down the sheet. I expected the dark violet to kill the yellow, but it hasn’t, though the dark yellow does not do a lot for the pale yellow. I was suprised how orange the red became when surrounded by the lemon yellow.
I went on to do a few experiments in pointillism, whilst I can see the patterns in the mix, I cannot honestly say they create the colour that would be achieved if you mixed the paints. Though the further away you get, the great the effect of ‘mixing in the eye’. Though I perhaps struggle here because although I can appreciate the work of Seurat, I personally prefer my colours in sweeping shapes in the style of van Gogh, or big bold blocks such as Leger did. I have to say I admire the patience of artists who worked in pointillism, I actually get very bored, very quickly doing that.
The final stage of this, the red cross on the grey paper. Unfortunately, the light is very poor at present, therefore the effect is minimal. There being insufficient light for the cone to really get stuck on the red. However I have visited Rousillon, and went into the are where the pigment were mined. In the bright light of southern France, and surrounded by all the oranges, when I came away from the mine, I was aware of seeing greens everywhere for quite a few minutes. I also notice the orange of the ground made by denim shoes appear to fluoresce in the bright sunshine.
What have I Achieved ... and Learned.
I failed to get smooth even colour everywhere, mainly because I failed to make enough of some colours to be able to add additional coats. I have been surprised by how much paint is needed to cover various size areas. At the moment, my estimation is falling short, but this is something that I think will change with more practice.
My control is improving but still needs work. I like leaving the acrylics alone, and only having a little water on my brush when I dip into the paint. However at the moment I sometimes get too much on the brush which gives me a ridge, and removing the ridge gives me a smudge in the wrong place.
I think my colour mixing will still take practice, but I think I can now approach it better, as these exercises have given me a better understanding of each pigment and their differences, and I can better analyse what will be needed to make a particular colour. these were exercises I enjoyed doing, and an looking forward to practising. I had the basic understanding taught to us as children, and unfortunately the colour work in my design course had taken me very little further. I usually gave up painting because I got frustrated by mixing colours and not getting the expected result, in the end I usually reverted to a very large box of colour pencils for my design work. This is the area I have always seen as my failing, however these exercises have shown me that it is not that I am unable to mix colours, it is that I have been trying to do it without enough knowledge of the contents and therefore reaction of the pigments to one another.
I have enjoyed doing these exercises, particularly because they have addressed things I have struggled with, and given my logical answers. My confidence has increased by finding that I can draw with a brush straight on to paper, it may be only simple shapes, but I have been able to do it. Also, being able to actually mix a whole variety of colours by finding out about the different properties of different pigments.
I have even been out and bought an A4 spiral bound pad of paper heavy enough to apply acrylics on, simply to use as a sketch book with acrylics, and I would have to say it is because I have just had so much fun in my initial discovery of acrylics.
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