Viridian is a distinctive and often misunderstood green in watercolor. Known for its cool temperature and subtle granulation, it plays a vital role in balanced palettes—especially for artists who value atmospheric color, natural mixtures, and thoughtful color theory.
Why Viridian Works as a Secondary Green
I use Viridian as the SECONDARY GREEN on the color wheel because it is a pure transparent color that is perfect for its complementary color listed below. Its cool, blue-leaning character allows it to interact cleanly with reds and violets, producing a wide range of muted neutrals and shadow colors without overpowering a mixture.
Viridian’s relatively low tinting strength makes it ideal for controlled mixing and layered washes. Rather than dominating a mixture, it allows other pigments to participate—an important quality when studying color relationships or working within a limited palette.
Pigment Information: Genuine Viridian vs. Viridian Hue
True Viridian is made from Hydrated Chromium Oxide (PG18), a historic pigment introduced in the 19th century as an alternative to the less stable Emerald Green.
Key characteristics of genuine Viridian (PG18):
- Excellent lightfastness
- Cool, slightly bluish green
- Moderate transparency
- Natural granulation in washes
Because PG18 is relatively weak in tinting strength and slower to rewet, many manufacturers also offer Viridian Hue, which is often formulated with Phthalo Green (PG7 or PG36), a transparent STAINING pigment, and other pigments to increase chroma and flow.
While Viridian Hue can appear brighter and more staining, it does not behave the same way in mixtures. Artists who prioritize subtlety, granulation, and historical handling often prefer genuine Viridian.
Handling Characteristics & Surface Behavior
Viridian is known for:
- Soft granulation, especially visible in textured paper
- A slightly chalky appearance when used thickly
- Gentle diffusion in wet washes
These properties make it particularly effective for:
- Water
- Atmospheric distance
- Shadowed foliage
- Cooling down warm passages without darkening them excessively
Viridian also lifts more easily than staining greens, which is helpful in watercolor corrections and light adjustments.
Why Viridian Excels in Color Theory Studies
Viridian is especially valuable in structured color systems because it:
- Mixes beautifully with reds to create natural neutrals
- Avoids harsh blackening when paired with its complement
- Maintains harmony in secondary and tertiary mixtures
Its restraint makes it an ideal teaching pigment for understanding balance, temperature shifts, and value control.
Color Schemes Using Viridian
The following color schemes are based on Stephen Quiller’s “Quiller Color Wheel” and his book “Color Choices: Making Color Sense Out of Color Theory.“
Complementary
The complementary color sits on the opposite side of the color wheel. For Viridian, the complementary color is:
This pairing produces a wide range of muted violets, browns, and near-neutrals—excellent for shadows, bark, and subdued passages.
Split-Complementary
The split-complementary colors are the two colors located on either side of the complementary color on the color wheel. The following are the split-complementary colors for Viridian:
This scheme allows for expressive variation while maintaining balance and avoiding overly harsh contrasts.
Analogous
Going clockwise on the color wheel from GREEN to BLUE, the analogous colors for Viridian are:
These combinations are especially effective for water, sky reflections, and cool atmospheric transitions.
Triadic
This Triadic consists of three SECONDARY colors. In addition to Viridian, the other colors that make up this Triadic color scheme are:
This triad offers a sophisticated balance of cool and warm notes, ideal for expressive yet harmonious compositions.
Viridian vs. Phthalo Greens: A Practical Comparison
Viridian is often compared to Phthalo Green, but their behavior differs significantly:
- Viridian: softer, granulating, lower tinting strength, easier to control
- Phthalo Green: intense, staining, high-chroma, easily overpowering
Viridian excels when subtlety and atmosphere are more important than saturation.
When Viridian Shines—and When It Doesn’t
Best Uses
- Water and reflections
- Distant foliage
- Cooling warm passages
- Shadow neutrals
- Classical and limited palettes
Limitations
- Not ideal for bright spring greens without modification
- Can appear dull if overused alone
- Requires mixing to achieve high-chroma greens
A Note on Viridian’s Place on the Palette
Viridian is not a shortcut green—it is a “thinking” green. Its strength lies in restraint, balance, and interaction with other colors. For artists focused on color harmony, atmospheric depth, and intentional mixing, Viridian remains an essential and irreplaceable pigment on the watercolor palette.