Artist Paint Mixing Guide

Color mixing follows the subtractive color model for paints and pigments.

Primary colors (cannot be mixed):

• Red (Cadmium Red or Alizarin Crimson)
• Blue (Ultramarine or Phthalo Blue)
• Yellow (Cadmium Yellow or Lemon Yellow)

Secondary colors (2 primaries):

• Red + Yellow = Orange
• Blue + Yellow = Green
• Red + Blue = Purple/Violet

Tertiary colors (primary + adjacent secondary):

• Red + Orange = Red-Orange
• Yellow + Orange = Yellow-Orange
• Yellow + Green = Yellow-Green
• Blue + Green = Blue-Green
• Blue + Purple = Blue-Violet
• Red + Purple = Red-Violet

Mixing tips:

• Always add dark to light (easier to darken than lighten)
• Use white to create tints, black sparingly for shades
• Mix more paint than you think you need
• Complementary colors (opposites) mixed together create browns/grays