Watercolor technique – Mixing colors is combining two or more watercolor paints to create a variety of color mixtures. The most common method uses a palette to which paints are added and mixed together with water and other colors. Another method for mixing colors is by combining colors directly on the paper surface.
Understanding Pigment Properties When Mixing Colors
Successful color mixing in watercolor depends not only on color theory but also on how individual pigments behave. Every watercolor paint has unique characteristics that influence how clean or dull a mixture appears.
Some important pigment properties to be aware of include:
- Single-pigment vs. multi-pigment paints – Single-pigment colors generally create cleaner, more predictable mixtures, while multi-pigment paints can become muddy more quickly.
- Staining vs. non-staining pigments – Staining pigments are harder to lift and tend to dominate mixtures, while non-staining pigments allow for softer blends.
- Granulating vs. non-granulating pigments – Granulating pigments separate and settle into the paper texture, creating textured mixes rather than smooth, even color.
Understanding these properties helps explain why two paints that look compatible on the color wheel may behave very differently once mixed.
Best Watercolors for Mixing Colors
Not all colors mix well together. So, it is important to know which colors to choose before mixing them. Jim Kosvanec did extensive studies of watercolor paints and developed a color chart that categorizes watercolors into groups of colors by their characteristics. See Which Watercolor Paints Are Transparent for help in choosing watercolors for mixing colors.
For the best results, only use transparent and semi-transparent watercolor paints for mixing colors.
Single-Pigment Colors and Clean Color Mixing
When possible, choose single-pigment watercolor paints for mixing. These paints contain only one pigment, which reduces the chance of dull or overworked mixtures. Clean mixes are especially important when creating bright secondary and tertiary colors.
Using fewer pigments in a mixture also makes it easier to recreate the same color later in the painting.
Mixing Colors on the Palette
Preparing a palette is central to starting the painting process. It involves selecting paint colors and placing a sufficient amount of paint for mixing on the palette surface. A palette can be made specifically for the purpose of mixing colors and have compartments to hold each paint color. It could also be an enameled butcher tray or a plain dinner plate.
Two color mixtures are prepared at the start of a painting:
- The first is a large mixture of paint containing a lot of water for washes that will be used the most in the painting. A separate bowl or enameled butcher tray would be ideal for this purpose.
- The second are small puddles of water mixed with color on the mixing area of the palette. The brush is used to drag color from the paint wells onto the flat area of the palette, where it is mixed with water.
When adding watercolor paint to the palette’s paint wells, arrange the warm colors on one side and the cool colors on the other side. Use two brushes, one for warm colors and one for cool colors, to keep colors and mixtures clear.
The Importance of Water-to-Paint Ratio in Color Mixing
The amount of water used when mixing colors has a significant impact on the final result. Water affects transparency, value, and how pigments interact with one another.
- More water creates lighter, more transparent mixtures and allows colors to mix optically.
- Less water produces stronger, more saturated color but can quickly overpower a mixture.
- Testing mixtures at different dilutions helps prevent unexpected color shifts once paint is applied to paper.
Many muddy mixtures are the result of too much paint rather than poor color choices.
Mixing Colors on Watercolor Paper
Three different approaches used to mix colors directly on the watercolor paper are:
- Glazing or Layering – is painting a warm Primary color as the first layer, and after it has dried, painting a cool Primary color as the second layer over the first. The two Primary colors layered over each other will result in a Secondary color. For example, a Blue layer painted over a Yellow layer will result in a Green color.
- Organic Mingling – is dropping one color into a wet painted area of another color and letting the two colors mix organically.
- Variegated Bleeds – is painting one color at one end of a shape and painting another color at the opposite end of the shape, then using the brush to drag the two colors together at the center of the shape, allowing them to bleed color into each other.
Optical Mixing vs. Physical Mixing in Watercolor
Watercolor allows for two distinct types of color mixing:
- Physical mixing occurs when pigments are fully blended together on the palette.
- Optical mixing happens when colors are layered or mingled on the paper and visually mix in the viewer’s eye.
Techniques such as glazing, organic mingling, and variegated washes rely heavily on optical mixing and often result in more luminous color than palette mixing alone.
Using Complementary Colors Without Creating Mud
Complementary colors naturally neutralize each other when mixed. While this can lead to muddy results if overmixed, it can also be used intentionally.
Complementary mixing is useful for:
- Creating natural shadows
- Muting overly bright colors
- Developing subtle neutrals for backgrounds
The key is to mix complements gradually and stop before the mixture becomes dull and lifeless.
Mixing Colors for Harmony Instead of Accuracy
Color mixing in watercolor is often more about harmony than exact color matching. Using a limited palette encourages consistency and visual unity throughout a painting.
Ways to create harmonious color mixtures include:
- Repeating the same mixed colors in multiple areas of a painting
- Pulling a small amount of one color into several different mixtures
- Allowing colors to mix naturally on the paper rather than forcing exact matches
This approach leads to more cohesive and expressive paintings.
Testing Color Mixtures Before Painting
Before applying a mixed color to your painting, it is helpful to test it on scrap watercolor paper.
Testing allows you to:
- See how the color looks once dry
- Observe transparency and granulation
- Adjust water or pigment before committing to the painting
Labeling test swatches with pigment names rather than color names can also improve color learning over time.
Common Watercolor Color Mixing Mistakes to Avoid
Some frequent issues painters encounter when mixing watercolor colors include:
- Mixing too many pigments together
- Using opaque pigments unintentionally
- Overworking mixtures on the palette
- Not allowing layers to fully dry before glazing
Being mindful of these common mistakes can greatly improve color clarity and confidence.