COLOUR MIXING USING THE COLOUR WHEEL – PART 3

Introduction

Welcome to this month’s Oil Painting Blog for Beginners. *

Many thanks again to ‘The Color Wheel Company’ who have very kindly granted us permission to use the front and rear images of their colour wheel which are perfect for this three-part oil painting blog:-

• Part 1 How to use the Front of the Colour Wheel
• Part 2 How to use the Rear of the Colour Wheel
• Part 3 Colour Mixing Using the Colour Wheel – tips for getting it right every time

In this month’s issue we will be dealing with Part 3 – Colour Mixing Using the Colour Wheel – tips for getting it right every time.

Let’s get started: –

Colour Mixing Using The Colour Wheel – tips for getting it right every time

As, previously mentioned above and in Part 1 and Part 2, we will be using the ‘Color Wheel’, which can be purchased from most good art stores and comes in three sizes as follows:

Here at the downstairs studio, we use the 9 ¼” diameter Colour Wheel and most of the students carry the pocket Colour Wheel in their oil painting kit.

We also use our own colour wheels, which we have included as a free download on this link:-

The Rear of the Colour Wheel

The rear of the ‘Color Wheel’ is illustrated as follows with the primary, secondary and tertiary colours being the first outer band/layer.

There are a total of 12 colours shown. However, in the above illustration, two colours [Red – Orange] and [Blue-Green] are hidden under the rotating/movable outer dial note section and can be seen in the illustration below: –

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colours and How They Are Made

For those who haven’t yet read Part 1 – HOW TO USE THE COLOUR WHEEL – THE FRONT and Part 2 – HOW TO USE THE COLOUR WHEEL – THE REAR, here’s a quick recap on the primary, secondary and tertiary colours and how they are made: –

On the ‘Color Wheel’ the three PRIMARY and three SECONDARY colours are as follows: –

The PRIMARY Colours, Red, Blue and Yellow cannot be created from mixing other colours.

Whereas the SECONDARY Colours, Orange, Green and Violet can be created by mixing equal parts of the following Primary Colours: –

Tertirary Colours

The TERTIRARY Colours, of which there are six in total, [Red-Orange], [Yellow-Orange], [Yellow-Green], [Blue-Green], [Blue-Violet] and [Red-Violet] are always located between a Primary and Secondary colour: –

TERTIRARY Colours are made by mixing the Primary and Secondary Colours that are located either side of it on the ‘Color Wheel’.

Each TERTIARY colour name will always start with the name of the primary colour first followed by the name of the secondary colour that were both used to create the said tertiary colour as follows:

Creating Tints, Tones and Shades

The rear of the ‘Color Wheel’ illustrates the possible TINT, TONE and SHADE for each of the 12 colours around the perimeter as follows: –

As previously set out in PART 2, the tints, tones and shades illustrated on the ‘Color Wheel’ are indicative only. Therefore, depending on the actual colour you are using, these may likely differ due to the actual local colour and indeed the tint (white), tone (grey) or shade (Black) you are using, given that there are many versions of each of the twelve colours available on the market, not to mention a wide range of whites, greys and blacks that are also available.

In this example, I am using Winsor & Newton, three reds Cadmium Red (warm), Cadmium Red Deep (warm) and Alizarin Crimson (cool) and Titanium White, Davy’s Grey and Ivory Black and when mixed and compared to the red on the ‘Color Wheel’ you will see that depending which red you use there is a marked variation in the colours between those mixed below and those shown on the ‘Color Wheel’ red segment above:-

Mixing Colour Using The Colour Wheel

The three PRIMARY colours RED, YELLOW and BLUE cannot be obtained from mixing other colours.

To get really vibrant SECONDARY Colours, you need to mix two primary colours, which on inspection, have some of the colour you are looking to mix / create. For example: –

To make a vibrant Orange, use a Red such as Cadmium Red and a Yellow such as Cadmium Yellow Medium as both have warm orange undertones.

To make a dull Orange, use a Red and Yellow which do not contain any warm orange understones instead use a Red with more Voilet undertones such as Alizarin Crimson and a Yellow with Green undertones such as Lemon Yellow or Cadmium Yellow Pale.

So for a vibrant SECONDARY GREEN use a Yellow such as Lemon Yellow and a Blue such as Cerulean Blue both of which have cool green undertones.

To make a dull Green, use a Yellow and Blue which do not contain any cool Green undertones instead use a Yellow with more Orange undertones such as Cadmium Yellow Medium and a Blue with Violet undertones such as Ultramarine Blue.

Now try making a vibrant and dull SECONDARY VIOLET…

To Dull or Desaturate Colour Without Using Black

You can also use your ‘Color Wheel’ to guide you on how to dull your chosen colour without using black to make more interesting shades.

To achieve a dull or desaturated colour, simply add the colour directly opposite your chosen colour on the colour wheel, that is each colour’s complement colour for example to dull Red just add Green its complement colour.

If you want to Dull [Desaturate] and cool your colour then add the colour next to its complement colour which is heading for the cool colour axis on the ‘Color Wheel’, so if you wanted to dull and cool your Red then add a little Blue-Green such Cobalt Turquoise.

If you want to Dull [Desaturate] and warm your colour then add the colour next to its complement colour which is heading for the warm colour axis on the ‘Color Wheel’, so if you wanted to dull and warm your Red then add a little Yellow-Green that you can either mix yourself with Lemon Yellow and Cerulean Blue or use a premixed [Yellow-Green] such as Micheal Harding’s Bright Green Lake.

THAT’S IT FOLKS FOR THIS MONTH……

I really hope that this 3-part series has helped your understanding on how to read the ‘Color Wheel’ and also use it to create interesting colour plans and mix colour.

If you have missed Part 1 How to Use The Colour Wheel or Part 2 The Rear of The Colour Wheel, just click on the following links.

Also, if you would like to learn more about the 12 Colours on the ‘Color Wheel’, why not check out our previous oil painting blogs on Red, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Violet, Green and Tints White and Shades Black. Each of these blogs look at the range of colours available on the market. They’ll give a little insight on the history of the colour, colour mixing and artists who used each of the said colours.

Until next month, when we will continue our oil painting journey.

Wishing you nothing but the very best of wishes and a great Summer!

Emily
July 2024