Color Mixing Chart Tutorial

How to create a color mixing chart

Creating a color mixing chart is a great way to gain a better understanding of color mixing. It will also provide you with a great reference tool for finding the perfect color as you work through future paintings. There are many ways to layout your color chart. I have demonstrated one below. I use all colors on both axes of the chart. One set of pairs is devoted to opaque color. The other set contains the same mixtures applied as a wash. (The order of colors I used: Alizarin, Cad Red Lt., Cad Yellow Med., Cad Yellow Lt., Hooker's Green, Thalo Blue, Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna)

On a piece of 9x12 watercolor paper (you can use a canvas board or canvas) lay out a grid with all of your colors along the top and along the side. I have divided the horizontal rows in half so that I can apply pure color and the tint of the color.

Arrange your colors around your palette and on your paper in order (cool red, warm red, warm yellow, cool yellow, warm green, cool green (not present in my example), cool blue, warm blue, cool brown, warm brown)

For each pair (e.g. Alizarin + Cad Yellow Light), mix the two and paint the top box with the pure mixture. I then add white to the mixture and paint the bottom box. Since I put all the colors along both the top and the side, I end up with two instances of each combo (e.g. Alizarin + Cad Yellow Light, and Cad Yellow Light + Alizarin). I used one set for opaque color, then I did a wash on the other set. You can see the line where the two types meet.