How to mix paints to get white. Color mixing features: acrylic and oil paints

Have you decided to take up painting or are you painting furniture? But not sure how to get different shades? Color mixing charts and tips will help you do just that.

Basic concepts

Before you start studying paint mixing tables, you should familiarize yourself with some definitions that will make it easy to understand new material for yourself. The words used in shade mixing theory and practice are explained below. These are not scientific encyclopedic definitions, but transcripts in a language understandable to an ordinary beginner, without the presence of complex terminology.

Achromatic colors are all intermediate shades between black and white, that is, gray. In these paints there is only a tonal component (dark - light), and as such there is no "colored color". Those where it is are called chromatic.

Primary colors are red, blue, yellow. They cannot be obtained by mixing any other paints. The ones that can be made are composite.

Saturation is a characteristic that distinguishes it from an achromatic hue that is identical in lightness. Next, let's look at what a paint mixing table for painting is.

Range

Color mixing tables are usually represented as a matrix of rectangles or squares, or in the form of color combinations with numerical values \u200b\u200bor percentage of each color component.

The basic table is the spectrum. It can be depicted as a strip or circle. The second option turns out to be more convenient, visual and understandable. In fact, a spectrum is a schematic representation of a ray of light, in other words, a rainbow, decomposed into color components.

This table contains both primary and composite colors. The more sectors in this circle, the more and the number of intermediate shades. In the picture above, there are also gradations of lightness. Each ring has a specific tone.

The shade of each sector is obtained by mixing the neighboring paints along the ring.

How to mix achromatic colors

There is such a painting technique as grisaille. It involves the creation of a picture using gradations of exclusively achromatic colors. Sometimes brown or another shade is added. Below is a table of color mixing for paints when working with this method.

Please note that when working with gouache, oil, acrylic, a more gray shade is created by not only reducing the amount of black, but also adding white. In watercolor, professionals do not use this paint, but dilute

How to mix with white and black

In order to get a darker or lighter shade of the pigment that you have in the kit, you need to mix it with achromatic colors. This is how the work with gouache, mixing of acrylic paints goes. The table below is suitable for working with any material.

The sets come with a different number of ready-made colors, so compare what you have with the desired shade. When you add white, you get the so-called pastel colors.

Below is how the gradation of several complex colors is obtained from the lightest, almost white, to very dark.

Mixing watercolors

The table below can be used for both painting methods: glaze or single layer. The difference is that in the first version, the final shade is obtained by visually combining different tones, superimposed on one another. The second method involves the mechanical creation of the desired color by combining pigments on the palette.

How to do this is easy to understand in the first line with purple tones from the picture above. Layer-by-layer execution is done like this:

Fill all the squares with a light tone, which will be obtained using a small amount of paint and enough water.
After drying, apply the same color to the second and third elements.
Repeat the steps as many times as necessary. In this version, there are only three color transition cells, but there may be more.

When working in the technique of glazing painting, it is worth remembering that different colours it is best to mix in no more than five coats. The previous one must be well dried.

In the event that you prepare the desired color immediately on the palette, the sequence of work with the same purple gradation will be as follows:

Apply the color by taking some paint on a wet brush. Apply to the first rectangle.
Add pigment, fill in the second element.
Dip the brush back into the paint and make a third cell.

When working in one layer, all the colors you must first mix on the palette. This means that in the first method, the final shade is obtained by optical mixing, and in the second, mechanical mixing.

Gouache and oil

The techniques for working with these materials are similar, since the pigments are always presented in the form of a creamy mass. If the gouache is dry, it is pre-diluted with water to the desired consistency. White is always present in any set. They are usually consumed faster than others, so they are sold in separate jars or tubes.

Mixing (table below), like gouache, is a simple task. The advantage of these techniques is that the next layer completely overlaps the previous one. If you made a mistake and after drying you did not like the resulting shade, make up a new one and apply it on top. The previous one will not come through if you work with thick colors, without diluting them with a liquid (water for gouache, solvent for oil).

Pictures in this painting technique can even be textured, when a thick mass is applied pasty, that is, in a thick layer. Often a special tool is used for this - a palette knife, which is a metal spatula on a handle.

The proportions of the mixed paints and the required colors to obtain the desired shade are shown in the previous table diagram. It should be said that it is enough to have in the set only three primary colors (red, yellow and blue), as well as black and white. From them, in various combinations, all other shades are obtained. The main thing is that the colors in the can are exactly the basic spectral tones, that is, for example, not pink or crimson, but red.

Acrylic work

Most often, these paints work on wood, cardboard, glass, stone, making decorative crafts. In this case, it happens the same as when using gouache or oil. If the surface has been pre-primed and the paints are suitable for it, getting the desired shade is not difficult. Below are examples of mixing shades with acrylic.

They are also used for (batik) but they are sold in cans of liquid consistency and are similar to printer ink. In this case, the colors are mixed according to the principle of watercolors on a palette with the addition of water, and not white.

Once you've figured out how to use paint mixing charts, you can easily get unlimited shades by working with watercolors, oils or acrylics.

Two color mixing tables

The color mixing chart lets you know how to mix two or more colors and shades to get the desired one.

Such a table is used in various fields of art - fine art, modeling, and others. It can also be used in the building industry when mixing paints and plasters.

Color mixing table 1

Required color	Main color + Mixing instructions
Pink	White + add some red
Chestnut	Red + add black or brown
Royal red	Red + add blue
Red	Red + White for brightening, yellow for orange-red
Orange	Yellow + add red
Gold	Yellow + a drop of red or brown
Yellow	Yellow + white for lightening, red or brown for darker shades
Pale green	Yellow + add blue / black for depth
Herbaceous green	Yellow + add blue and green
Olive	Green + add yellow
Light green	Green + add white yellow
Turquoise green	Green + add blue
Bottle green	Yellow + add blue
Coniferous	Green + add yellow and black
Turquoise blue	Blue + add some green
White-blue	White + add blue
Wedgwood blue	White + add blue and a drop of black
Royal blue
Navy blue	Blue + add black and a drop of green
Gray	White + Add some black
Pearl gray	White + Add black, a little blue
Medium brown	Yellow + Add red and blue, white for lightening, black for dark.
Red brown	Red & Yellow + Add blue and white for lightening
Golden brown	Yellow + Add red, blue, white. More yellow for contrast
Mustard	Yellow + Add red, black and some green
Beige	Take brown and gradually add white until a beige color is obtained. Add yellow for brightness.
Off white	White + Add brown or black
Pink gray	White + A drop of red or black
Blue-gray	White + Add light gray plus a drop of blue
Green gray	White + Add light gray plus a drop of green
Charcoal gray	White + add black
Lemon yellow	Yellow + add white, a little green
Light brown	Yellow + add white, black, brown
Fern green	White + add green, black and white
Forest green color	Green + add black
Emerald green	Yellow + add green and white
Light green	Yellow + add white and green
Aquamarine	White + add green and black
Avocado	Yellow + add brown and black
Royal purple	Red + add blue and yellow
Dark purple	Red + add blue and black
Tomato red	Red + add yellow and brown
Mandarin orange	Yellow + add red and brown
Reddish chestnut	Red + add brown and black
Orange	White + add orange and brown
Burgundy red	Red + add brown, black and yellow
Crimson	Blue + add white, red and brown
Plum	Red + add white, blue and black
Chestnut
Honey color	White, yellow and dark brown
Dark brown	Yellow + red, black and white
Copper gray	Black + add white and red
Eggshell color	White + yellow, a little brown
The black	Black Use black as coal

Color mixing table 2

Mixing paints
the black\u003d brown + blue + red in equal proportions
the black \u003d brown + blue.
gray and black\u003d blue, green, red and yellow are mixed in equal proportions, and then one or the other is added to the eye. it turns out we need more blue and red
black \u003dit turns out if you mix red, blue and brown
the black\u003d red, green and blue. You can additionally add brown.
bodily \u003d red and yellow paint .... just a little. After kneading, if it turns yellow, then add a little red, if a little yellow paint turns pink. If the color is very saturated, it turned out to press a piece of white mastic and mix again
dark cherry \u003dred + brown + a little blue (blue)
strawberry\u003d 3 parts pink + 1 hour red
turkiz \u003d 6 hours sky blue + 1 hour yellow
silver gray \u003d 1 hour black + 1 hour blue
dark red \u003d1 hour red + a little black
rust color\u003d 8 hours orange + 2 hours red + 1 hour brown
greenish\u003d 9 hours sky blue + a little yellow
dark green\u003d green + a little black
lavender\u003d 5 hours pink + 1 hour gray
bodily\u003d some copper color
nautical\u003d 5h. blue + 1 hour green
peach\u003d 2h. orange + 1h. dark yellow
dark pink\u003d 2h. red + 1 hour brown
navy blue\u003d 1h. blue + 1h. Gray
avocado\u003d 4h. yellow + 1 hour green + slightly black
coral\u003d 3 hours pink + 2 hours yellow
gold\u003d 10 hours yellow + 3 hours orange + 1 hour red
plum \u003d1 hour purple + some red
light green \u003d 2h purple + 3h yellow

red + yellow \u003d orange
red + ocher + white \u003d apricot
red + green \u003d brown
red + blue \u003d violet
red + blue + green \u003d the black
yellow + white + green \u003d citric
yellow + cyan or blue \u003d green
yellow + brown \u003d ocher
yellow + green + white + red \u003d tobacco
blue + green \u003d sea \u200b\u200bwave
orange + brown \u003d terracotta
red + white \u003d coffee with milk
brown + white + yellow \u003d beige
light green\u003d green + yellow, more than yellow, + white \u003d light green

lilac\u003d blue + red + white, more red and white, + white \u003d light lilac
lilac\u003d red with blue, with red predominant
Pistachio paint obtained by mixing yellow paint with a small amount of blue

Every person who has ever held a brush and paints in his hand knows that from two or three colors you can get a lot of shades. The rules for mixing and matching colors are determined by the science of color. Its basis is the color wheel known to many. There are only three main colors in it: red, blue and yellow. Other shades are obtained by mixing and are called secondary.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get brown

Brown is considered complex and can be created using all primary colors. There are several ways to get brown:

Classic: green + red in proportions 50:50.
The main trio: blue + yellow + red in the same amount.
Mixing: blue + orange or gray + orange. You can vary the intensity of the hue by adding less or more gray.
Optional: green + purple + orange. This shade is obtained with a pleasant red or red tint. You can also mix yellow + purple - the color will turn out with a yellowish tint.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get purple

The easiest way to get purple is to mix red and blue in equal proportions. True, the shade will turn out to be dirty, and it will need to be adjusted.

For a colder tone, use 2 parts blue and 1 part red and vice versa.

To achieve lavender and lilac, the resulting dirty purple must be diluted with white. The more white, the lighter and softer the shade will be.

Dark purple can be obtained by gradually adding black or green to the original color.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get red

Red is considered the base color and is present in any artistic palette. However, you can get red by mixing purple (magenta) and yellow in a 1: 1 ratio. You can also mix a carmine shade with yellow - you get a more intense red. You can make it lighter by adding more yellow and vice versa. Shades of red can be obtained by adding orange, pink, yellow to the base red, white color.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get beige

Beige is a neutral and non-independent color, it has many shades, which can be obtained by varying the amount of white and yellow added.

The easiest way to get beige is to mix brown and white.

To make the color more contrasting, you can add a little yellow.

Flesh beige can be obtained by mixing scarlet, blue, yellow and white. The ivory shade is created by mixing golden ocher and white paint.

Green can be achieved by mixing yellow and blue in equal proportions. You will get a grassy green hue. If you add white to it, the mixture will brighten. By mixing brown or black pigment, you can achieve an emerald, marsh, olive, dark green shade.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get gray

The classic tandem for gray is black + white. The more white, the lighter the finished shade will turn out.

You can also mix red, green and white. The color will turn out with a slight yellow tint.
A blue-gray hue can be created by mixing orange with blue and white.
If you mix yellow with purple and white, you get a gray-beige shade.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get black

Black is the basic monochrome color. It can be obtained by mixing magenta with yellow and cyan. Also, artists often mix green and red, but the resulting shade will not be charcoal black. Intense black gives a mixture of orange with blue and yellow with purple. To get a tint of the night sky, you can add a little blue to the finished color, and a drop of white to lighten it.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get blue

Blue is the main color in the palette and it is rather difficult to get it by mixing. It is believed that it can be obtained by adding a little yellow to green, but in practice it turns out more like a blue-green tint. You can mix purple with blue, the shade will be deep but dark. You can lighten it by adding a drop of white.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get yellow

Base yellow cannot be obtained by mixing other shades. Something similar happens when you add green to orange. Variations of yellow are obtained by adding other tones to the base. For example, lemon is a mixture of yellow, green and white. Sunny yellow is a mixture of base yellow, droplets of white and red.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get pink

The easiest option is to mix red and white. The more white, the lighter the shade will turn out. It is important to know that the tone depends on which red you choose:

Scarlet + white will give a pure pink color.
Brick red + white - peach pink.
Bloody red + purple gives a fuchsia hue.
Orange-pink can be obtained by adding yellow paint to scarlet and white.

What colors of paints should be mixed to get orange

Orange can be obtained by mixing red and yellow.

A less saturated shade will turn out if you add pink pigment to the yellow paint.
Terracotta orange is the result of a mix of base orange with blue or purple.
Dark shades are achieved by mixing red, yellow and black.
If you add brown instead of black, you get a red orange.

We vary the intensity of the tone by adding more white or black.

Color mixing table

Primary colors (blue, yellow, red) are almost impossible to obtain by mixing other shades. But with their help, you can create the entire color palette!

	How to get the?	Proportions
Brown	Green + red
Violet	Red + blue
	Magenta (purple) + yellow
	Brown + white
	Blue + yellow
	White + black
	Magenta + Yellow + Cyan
	Yellow + green
	Green + orange
	Scarlet + white
Orange	Red + yellow

Knowing the basic rules of coloring, it will be easier to deal with the decoration and get the desired shade!

When you need to mix primary colors and get your favorite purple, green, orange shades, the way you get them depends on many factors. The question is, are you mixing pigments or light? We'll tell you how to work with any material and share how to get all the colors of the rainbow!

Steps

Color mixing: subtractive colors

Take paints. Any kind of paint will work - even those used to paint furniture or walls - but the best (and cleaner) way is to practice with a few small tubes of oil or acrylic paint. First, let's see what happens if we mix just two colors - red and blue.

Note: Black can be obtained by mixing the available colors. Black pigment, of course, exists, but its use is too conspicuous. It is better to get dark colors by mixing transparent primary colors: the shadows also have shades, depending on the time of day and other factors.
Check out the More Tips section below for guidance on choosing the best Magenta and Cyan.

Mix red and blue. Everyone knows that red and blue when mixed together give purple, right? Indeed, but it is not that bright, vibrant purple. Instead, they form something like this:
- Not very pleasing to the eye ,? This is because red and blue absorb more and reflect less, giving a dark, muddy purple instead of a vibrant and vibrant one.
Now try this: mix magenta with a little cyan and you will see the difference. This time, you will get something like this:
- Magenta is a shade of magenta, cyan is a blue-green shade, often referred to as bright blue or turquoise. Along with yellow, they are the primary colors in the CMYK model, based on a subtractive color shaping scheme (obtaining color by subtracting individual components from white). This scheme is used in the printing industry, including color printers.
- You can see that using the true primary colors - magenta and cyan - results in a much brighter and more vibrant hue. If you want a richer purple, add more blue. For a deep purple add black.
Mix pigments to create primary and secondary colors. There are 3 main color pigments: cyan, magenta and yellow. There are also 3 secondary colors obtained by mixing two primary colors:
- Cyan + yellow \u003d green
- Cyan + magenta \u003d blue
- Magenta + yellow \u003d red
- Cyan + magenta + yellow \u003d black
- With subtractive color mixing, the combination of all colors results in black.
"Check out the information below. See Mixing Colors for more detailed recommendations for a wide variety of shades, including light, dark and grayish. The Tips section provides an extensive list of colors and combinations that you can use to get those colors in the palette.

Light mixing: additive colors
1. Take a look at your monitor. Look at the white areas on this page and get as close as possible. It's even better if you have a magnifying glass. Moving closer to the eye to the screen, you will see not white, but red, green and blue dots. Unlike pigments, which work by absorbing color, light is additive, that is, it works by adding light fluxes. Cinema screens and displays, whether it's a 60-inch plasma TV or your iPhone's 3.5-inch Retina display, use an additive way of mixing colors.
  
  Blend light to create primary and secondary colors. As with subtractive colors, there are 3 primary colors and 3 secondary colors, obtained by mixing primary colors. The result may surprise you:
  - Mixing red + blue \u003d magenta
  - Mixing blue + green \u003d cyan
  - Mixing green + red \u003d yellow
  - With additive color mixing, all colors combine to produce white.
  - Note that primary additive colors are secondary subtractive colors and vice versa. How can it be? Know that the action of subtractive color is a combined process: it absorbs some of the colors, and we perceive what is left, that is, reflected light. Reflected color is the color of the luminous flux that remains when all other colors are absorbed.
Modern color theory
1. Understand the subjective nature of color perception. Human perception and identification of color depends on both objective and subjective factors. While scientists can identify and measure light down to the nanometer, our eyes perceive a complex combination of not only hue, but also the saturation and brightness of color. This circumstance is further complicated by the way we see the same color on different backgrounds.
  
  Hue, saturation, and lightness are the three dimensions of color. We can say that any color has three dimensions: hue, saturation, and lightness.
  - Tone characterizes the position of the color on the color wheel - red, orange, yellow, and so on, including all intermediate colors, such as red-orange or orange-yellow. Here are some examples: pink refers to a magenta tone or a red (or something in between). Brown refers to an orange tone because brown is a dark orange.
  - Saturation is what gives a rich, vibrant color, like a rainbow or color wheel. Pale, dark, and muted colors (shades) are less saturated.
  - Lightness shows how close the color is to white or black, regardless of the color. If you take a black and white photo of flowers, you can tell which ones are lighter and which ones are darker.
    - For example, bright yellow is a relatively light color. You can lighten it even more by adding white and making it pale yellow.
    - Bright blue is naturally dark and low on the light scale, and dark blue is even lower.
Mixing paints
1. Follow this guide to get any color you want. Magenta, yellow and cyan are the main subtractive colors, which means that by mixing them you can get any other color, but they themselves cannot be obtained from other colors. Primary subtractive colors are used when mixing pigments such as inks, dyes and paints.
  
  Low saturation colors (dull colors) are of three main types: light, dark and muted.
  
  Add white for lighter colors. Any color can be lightened by adding white to it. To get a very light color, it is better to add a little base color to white, so as not to waste extra paint.
  
  Add black for darker colors. Any color can be darkened by adding black to it. Some artists prefer to add a complementary (complementary) color that is opposite the given color on the exact CMY / RGB color wheel. For example, green can be used to darken magenta and magenta to darken green, because they are opposite each other on the color wheel. Add black or complementary color a little at a time so you don't overdo it.
  
  Add white and black (or white and a complementary color) for muted, greyish colors. By varying the relative amount of added black and white, you can achieve any desired level of lightness and saturation. For example: add white and black to yellow for a light olive. Black will darken the yellow, turning it into an olive green, while white will lighten this olive green. Various olive green hues can be obtained by adjusting the amount of colors added.
  - For desaturated colors such as brown (dark orange), you can adjust the hue in the same way as for bright orange — by adding a small amount of nearby colors on the color wheel: magenta, yellow, red, or orange. They will brighten the brown while changing its hue. But since brown is not a bright color, you can also use colors located on the other sides of the triangle, such as green or blue, which darken the brown while changing its hue.
2. Get black. This can be done by mixing any two mutually complementary colors, as well as three or more equidistant from each other on the color wheel. Just don't add white or any color that contains white unless you want a shade of gray. If the resulting black tilts too much towards a color, neutralize it by adding a little complementary color to that color.
  
  Don't try to get white. White cannot be obtained by mixing other colors. Like the three primary colors - magenta, yellow and cyan - you will have to buy them, unless, of course, you work with materials like watercolor, for which paper itself serves instead of white, if necessary.
  
  Develop an action plan. Think about the hue, lightness, and saturation of the color you have and the color you want, and make adjustments accordingly.
  - For example, the shade of green can be brought closer to cyan or yellow - its neighbors in the color wheel. It can be lightened by adding white. Or darken by adding black or a complementary color, namely purple, magenta or red, depending on the shade of green. You can tone it down by adding black and white, or make the desaturated green a little brighter by adding (bright) green.
  - One more example. You mixed red and white to get pink, but the pink came out too bright and warm (yellowish). To correct the warm shade, you will have to add a little magenta. To muffle hot pinks, add white, complementary (or black), or both. Decide if you want a darker pink (add only the complementary color), greyish pink (add white and a complementary color), or just a lighter pink (add only white). If you plan on adjusting the hue with magenta and muffling the pink with green or cyan (complementary to magenta and red), you can try combining these actions by using a color between magenta and cyan, such as blue.
3. Mix colors and start creating a masterpiece! If all of this seems impossible to you, you just need a little practice. Creating a color guide for your own use is a good way to practice using color theory principles. Even by printing it from a computer, you will provide yourself useful information for the time when you do not have practice yet and you cannot work on an intuitive level.
Color samples and methods of obtaining them
- Select the color you want to get and follow the instructions below. Each sample offers a range of possibilities; you can adjust the amount of paint used to get exactly the color you want. For example, any light color can be lightened or darkened by adding more or less white. Complementary, or complementary, colors are colors that are opposite each other on the RGB / CMY color wheel.
- Red: Add some yellow or orange to the magenta.
  - Light red (salmon pink, coral): Add white to red. Use less white and more red to get coral.
  - Dark red: Add some black (or cyan) to the red. Cyan is complementary to red.
  - Muted red: Add white and black (or cyan) to the red.
- Yellow: Yellow cannot be obtained by mixing other colors. You will have to buy it.
  - Light yellow: Add white to the yellow.
  - Dark yellow (olive green): Add some black (or violet-blue) to the yellow. Violet blue is complementary to yellow.
  - Muted yellow (light olive): Add white or black (or violet-blue) to the yellow.
- Green: Mix cyan and yellow.
  - Light green: Add white to green.
  - Dark green: Add some black (or magenta) to the green. Magenta is complementary to green.
  - Gray-green: Add white and black (or magenta) to the green.
- Cyan (turquoise blue): Cyan cannot be obtained by mixing other colors. You will have to buy it.
  - Light cyan: Add white to cyan.
  - Dark Cyan: Add some black (or red) to the cyan. Red is complementary to cyanogen.
  - Blue-gray: Add white and black (or red) to cyan.
- Violet blue: Mix magenta with cyan or blue.
  - Light Violet Blue (Lavender): Add white to purple-blue.
  - Dark violet blue: Add some black (or yellow) to the violet-blue. Yellow is complementary to purple.
  - Grayish violet blue: Add white and black (or yellow) to the purple-blue.
- Violet: Mix magenta with a little cyan, blue, or violet blue.
  - Light purple: Add white to purple.
  - Dark purple: Add some black (or lime green) to the purple. Lime green is complementary to purple.
  - Muted purple: Add white and black (or lime green) to purple.
- The black: Black can be obtained by mixing any two complementary colors or three equidistant colors on an exact CMY / RGB color wheel, such as red, green, and blue. If you get a dark color instead of pure black, correct it by adding a complementary color.
- White: White cannot be obtained by mixing other colors. You will have to buy it. For a warm white (like cream), add some yellow. For a cool white, add some cyan.
- Gray: Gray is a mixture of black and white.
- When mixing paints, add a little of them to adjust the color. You can always add more. This is especially true when working with black and blue, which tend to dominate other colors. Add a little at a time until you achieve the desired result.
- To find out if a color is complementary, use your own eyes. This is an old trick: stare at the color, then look away at the white surface. Due to the "color fatigue" of the eyes, you will see the opposite color.
- Choosing primary colors when shopping can be tricky. Look for a magenta that is free of white and blue pigments (PW and PB). Best of all are purple and red pigments such as PV19 and PR122. Good cyanogen PB15: 3. PB15 and PG7 are also good. If you need artistic paints or glazes, you can try using a printer to match colors. Print a sample from your computer to a printer to take with you to the store, or look for the primary colors on the sides of your cereal or cookie package.
- You need one color triangle of colors that provide visual balance to the picture, and another color triangle to identify pairs of colors that neutralize each other, since the complementary colors for these tasks are slightly different. So, ultramarine goes well with lemon yellow and other beautiful yellows, but to darken those yellows, use purple. More information on this subject can be found online.
- How many tubes of different colors do you actually need to paint a picture? Jean-Louis Morell's book on watercolor painting shows how, using the cyan-yellow-magenta color triangle, you can get almost any color you want from just four or five, but this can also be done using the three plus white (as white in watercolor painting favors paper)!
  - The best range of shades can be obtained by mixing colors close to the CMY primary colors, but to get a darker shade, one - or even better two - must be darker than these primary colors, for example, Persian blue or cobalt blue, alizarin crimson.
- What are you writing? The colors you need depend entirely on what you are writing. For example, ultramarine, Neapolitan yellow, burnt sienna and whitewash are useful for distant landscapes if you don't need bright greens and yellows.
What do you need
- Palette - disposable paper works well.
- Palette knife (any size)
- Watercolor paper or primed canvas (can be purchased from your local art store; ready-made primed canvas will work well)
- Containers with water or solvent for cleaning brushes
- Synthetic brush of your choice (# 8 round or # 6 flat works well)
- Spray bottle to prevent waterborne paints from drying out
- Paper towels for removing dirt and cleaning brushes
- Color circle
- Paints
- Bathrobe or old shirt that you don't mind getting dirty
- Gloves

When decorating the surfaces of walls, furniture and other objects with paint, the question arises of mixing them to obtain the desired color. It is not always possible to find the desired color or shade in stores, so you can use the mixing table. Creating a color by hand from scrap paints is also cost effective.

Features when working with acrylic paints

Acrylic paint is an inexpensive material that is easy to work with and dries relatively quickly. But the disadvantage is the narrow color palette, so you need to create the desired shade manually. You can get burgundy, purple, turquoise, sand, wenge, lilac, and others by mixing paints.

There are some rules when working with acrylic:

The surface to be painted must be smooth, clean, free of oil and grease stains. Previously, it must be cleaned from the previous finish. It is not recommended to apply a new layer of paint to the old one;
Before painting, the walls must be leveled with putty, and then apply several coats of primer. The primer is used for better adhesion of the paint and for less paint consumption;
Before use, acrylic must be diluted with water or special solvents, but it is better to do this in a separate container, with a portion of paint. This is necessary in order not to spoil the entire volume at once, but to use only as much as necessary.
After work, used rollers and brushes must be thoroughly rinsed with water, otherwise they will become unsuitable for further work. You also need to wash other tools that were used. The top of the paint bucket must be wiped down so that the lid can be opened in the future.
Most often, painting takes place in 2-3 stages, and for an effective result, it must be done in one direction. To simplify and speed up the work, you can take a spray bottle.

Important! Also, do not forget about the precautions, before work it is better to cover or glue all the places and objects that will not be stained. You can work with the material at a temperature not lower than 5 degrees and not higher than 27 degrees.

Another main rule of application is to use paint first on a small area or on a completely separate surface. When creating the desired shade, it is better to try it on a draft. You also need to wait until it dries completely, since after that the color becomes slightly darker or lighter, depending on the type of paint. And already if the color matches the expected desired result, then you can start painting the surface or decorating objects.

What colors need to be purchased

Tinting is the name of the science that studies mixing styles and getting the shade you want. It is this science that helps to obtain a lilac color, as well as fuchsia, ivory, sea waves or seas when mixing paints. In theory, yellow, red and blue are sufficient to create many colors. But in this case, you can get a narrow spectrum.

To create a wide palette, it is enough to buy the following colors:

Red;
Yellow;
Brown;
Pink;
Blue;
The black;
White.

These colors are quite enough for applying basic scales. Gold, silver, mother of pearl and other additional colors are also used to decorate the drawings.

Mixing features

You can find out how to mix correctly and get the desired shade by consulting with a specialist in the store when buying.

Advice: The main rule of mixing is that you can not combine dry and liquid colors. They don't match.

There are 4 basic colors - white, red, blue and green. Many others can be created with their help. For example, khaki can be obtained by mixing brown and green. And get brown color when mixed, you can use red and green. Beige - take brown and white.

Working with a table

Working with the table is to find the desired color and shade, and next to the line, the required colors for mixing will be indicated. For example, you can get a purple color by mixing acrylic paints, you can mix red and blue. And to make it light or dark, just add a little white or black color scheme, respectively. The disadvantage of working with the table is that it does not indicate the amount of added pigment - the ratio. Therefore, mixing requires practice and color perception.

Here you can simply take and mix colors, first in the same proportion, and then add another one for the desired shade. Or use specialized tables that have been developed by experts to work with the material.

For example, to get orange color when mixing acrylic paints, it is enough to mix red and yellow.

Color mixing table for acrylic paints

Picture	Color name	Required colors
	Gray	White and black
	Plum	Red, blue, black
	Light green	Yellow, white and green
	Dark-blue	Blue and black
	Bordeaux	Red, brown, yellow, black
	Dark green	Green and black
	Orange	Red and yellow

Working with paints is simple, the only difficulty lies in creating the desired shade, without proportions. But, if you deal with the mixing table and practice, as well as know the rules for working with acrylic, then you can create a unique and inimitable interior design with your own hands and relatively cheaply.