Mixing Two Watercolors

Mixing with Opaque's

Mixing Cerulean Blue, an opaque color, with staining and non-staining primaries.

Example 14.
a non-staining color.

Example 15.
a staining color.

Example 16.
another opaque.

Rose Madder Genuine

Permanent Alizarin Crimson

Cadmium Yellow

Mingles well
with the blue

Overpowers
the blue

Mixes well
with the blue

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Although you can start a painting with a pre-chosen watercolor from your palette, there will be times when you will want a variation of that color. You can do this by mixing it with another color or colors.	Mixing Two Watercolors
	Instructions and guidance
		Opaques - Staining - Adding a tad

By mixing one watercolor with another watercolor, will allow you to enhance its appearance, gray-down or neutralize the color, warm up or cool down the color's temperature, and sometimes even ruin the color, because not all watercolors mix well with one another.

Yellow and Red Make Orange
	Watercolors used for this example are: New Gamboge, a warm yellow. Permanent Rose, a cool red.
	Mixing yellow with red will make the color orange. The amount added of each color will determine the final color.	Example 1. Orange When you mix equal valued amounts of yellow and red, as shown in Example 1., you will achieve an orange true to those two watercolors being used.	Example 2. Example 3. Yellow Orange Red Orange When you change the proportion size of the yellow and red, as shown in Examples 2. and Example 3., you will get variations of that orange.
Yellow and Blue Make Green
	Watercolors used for this example are: New Gamboge, a warm yellow. French Ultramarine Blue, a warm blue.
	The same rule applies when mixing yellow and blue.	Example 4. Green When you mix equal valued amounts of yellow and blue, as shown in Example 4., you will achieve a green true to those two watercolors being used.	Example 5. Example 6. Yellow Green Blue Green When you change the proportion size of the yellow and blue, as shown in Examples 5. and Example 6., you will get variations of that green.
Red and Blue Make Violet
	Watercolors used for this example are: Permanent Rose, a cool red. French Ultramarine Blue, a warm blue.
	Again, the same rule applies when mixing red and blue.	Example 7. Violet When you mix equal valued amounts of red and blue, as shown in Example 7., you will achieve a violet true to those two watercolors being used.	Example 8. Example 9. Red Violet Blue Violet When you change the proportion size of the red and blue, as shown in Examples 8. and Example 9., you will get variations of that violet.

Mixing Two Transparent Colors
	Mixing a non-staining color with another non-staining color.
		Example 12. Example 13. Rose Madder Genuine Aureolin Cobalt Blue Cobalt Blue	When mixing a non-staining color with another non-staining color they are equal in the respect of allowing each other to intermingle with one another on the surface of the paper.
	Mixing a staining color with a non-staining color.
		Example 14. Example 15. Permanent Alizarin Crimson Winsor Yellow Cobalt Blue Cobalt Blue	When mixing a staining color with a non-staining color, the staining color will not only absorb immediately into the surface of the paper, it will also overpower and stain the non-staining color.

Adding Just a "tad" of Color
	Adding just a tad of another color is a quick and easy way to tone down, enhance, or slightly alter your colors appearance or temperature.		Example 17.	When you are mixing colors, this works extremely well when wanting to vary a color, as within the petals of a flower. Adding a tad of the blue to the pink, as shown in Example 17., you can create shadow petals, just as adding a tad of yellow to the pink can create sun kissed petals.

How to Mix
Watercolor

Watercolor Painting Basics

Mixing Two Watercolors

Mixing Three
Watercolors

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