Selecting Primary Colors in Watercolor

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	To fully understand how to mix various colors in watercolor, you must first begin with your primary colors; yellow, red, and blue. Named primary, as there are no two colors you can mix together that will create these colors. But, from these three colors, you can mix all colors found in the spectrum.		Selecting Your Primary Colors
			Which triad will work best for you
				Soft & Delicate - Medium - Bold & Strong

Selecting Three Primaries

		Probably the best way to choose primary colors is to browse through various art instruction books until you find an artist that sees color in the same way as you do.	Deciding on which three primary watercolors to begin with can seem quite daunting, especially if you are new to watercolor.
			Once you discover which three primary colors the artist uses consistently throughout their paintings, create a color wheel based on those three colors. Study the colors. Are the colors still appealing and similar to what you invision in a painting? If the majority of them are, then you are ready to begin.

Which Primary Watercolors to Choose?
	To help you with your selection, I set up three popular primary triads (or trios as I fondly call them), showing them as a primary color on the color wheel, along with the secondary and tertiary colors they make when mixed.

		Rose Madder Genuine Auerolin Cobalt Blue
			Luminous transparent color, all non-staining. Mix extremely well other non-staining colors.
			Yellow to Orange Orange to Red Red to Violet Violet to Blue Blue to Green Green to Yellow Mixing all three Warm to Cool Gray

This soft trio contains a primary blue with strong sediment			This soft trio contains a primary blue that is opaque
Raw Sienna Permanent Manganese Rose Blue			Raw Sienna Permanent Cerulean Rose Blue

		Permanent Rose New Gamboge French Ultramarine Blue
			Luminous deeper color, all non-staining. Mix extremely well other non-staining colors.
			Yellow to Orange Orange to Red Red to Violet Violet to Blue Blue to Green Green to Yellow Mixing all three Warm to Cool Gray
			This trio is my personal favorite, and the one I use most often in my paintings.

		Permanent Alizarin Crimson Winsor Yellow Winsor Blue
			Luminous transparent color, all very staining. Mix extremely well other staining colors, but will overpower and dominate non-staining colors.
			Yellow to Orange Orange to Red Red to Violet Violet to Blue Blue to Green Green to Yellow Mixing all three Warm to Cool Gray
	If you are new to watercolor, I would recommend beginning with either the soft or medium primary colors as they are non-staining. Once you become more familiar and confident painting with non-staining watercolors, then slowly introduce yourself to the staining colors.

Understanding
Color Temperature

Watercolor Painting Basics

Selecting Your Primary Colors

How to Use Color
In a Painting

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