Useful Color Mixing Combos

Here are some colors I mix together frequently for my paintings. Some are just combinations that are really nice. When mixing colors, the final result will lead towards one color over the other (e.g. more "blue") depending on how much you put in. Also, some colors mix stronger than others so you have to be careful not to add too much when trying to mix a certain color.

In practice, I find myself often mixing three or more colors together to get what I want. And in turn, combining the mixed colors to get more colors. I definitely use and open pallet, meaning I mix colors as I go. However, at the start of a painting I try to mix most of the colors I need. Most of the paint and color names are what Gamblin uses, other companies have their own versions.

(French) Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna - this is an extremely common combination to mix some really deep blacks. It's common belief in art school to mix black for richer colors. Every so often I'll use black from a tube. Typically when I'm painting a manufactured item that's a pretty dull black in real life. This combination is easy to make warmer or cooler by either adding more ultramarine or burnt sienna.

Sap Green and Alizarin Crimson - this is another color combo that makes nice darks. However, instead of black it makes a nice dried blood color that can learn more green or red. Since both colors are transparent, this combo makes a nice warm glaze. I'd recommend using this to glaze area of figures.

Cadmium Yellow Light and Phthalo Green - For a while I didn't have phthalo green, but as I started painting more plants I decided to buy it. When mixed with cad yellow it makes a super bright kinda fake looking, almost fluorescent green. Super fun. One of my favorite colors just to look at.

Quinacridone Red and Titanium White - in intro to painting class we had to buy cadmium red and alizarin crimson. Both very useful reds for beginners, but if you've ever tried to mix pink with those colors, it's basically impossible. Quinacridone red mixed with white makes a super bright pink color. I've also tried quinacridone magenta, but that color gets more dull as it's mixed, even with just white.

Red Earth and Assorted Colors - I didn't try Red Earth (an Old Holland color) until a residency at the New York Academy of Art. It used to be called "flesh tint"; you can see how that's problematic. That being said, it's the perfect color for mixing to get warm looking skin colors. Mix it with tons of colors-whites, yellows, red, browns, blues-to get a wide range of skin colors. I think it works so well because it's not very bright, but retains a muddy red when mixed. While it's an opaque color, if you're careful, it's a great color to glaze over the more red areas of figures: like finger tips and noses.

Originally published in May 2024 edition of newsletter, "From the Artist's Studio"