Color Mixing: A Fun Challenge for Mastering Color

Color mixing exercise at ArtistsNetwork.com | "Dahlias" by Iris Scott
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It may go without saying that if you’re an artist, you enjoy a good challenge. Painting and drawing doesn’t come easy to most people, and it’s the thrill of trying to do something that makes us want to accomplish some of our creative goals. But coming up with desired results takes a series of steps, and mixing colors is likely one of them. Carrie Schmitt’s book Painted Blossoms: Creating Expressive Flower Art with Mixed Media features a variety of artists who share their techniques for painting beautiful flowers. In the following excerpt, Iris Scott explains a fun and experimental way to master the art of mixing colors for successful paintings.

Color mixing exercise at ArtistsNetwork.com | "Dahlias" by Iris Scott
Dahlias by Iris Scott (Pin this!)

“My best advice on how to become an amazing colorist is to start very simply. As a beginner painter, try the following color mixing exercise: Cut out color swatches from any and everything. Then with the colors you already own, work to match the swatch samples so precisely that your painted swatch disappears when placed upon the target color swatch. “If you cannot match the hue exactly, do NOT say to yourself, Oh well, close enough. Seize this moment to go buy a color or two more from the art store so that ‘close enough’ becomes ‘perfect match.’ Be insanely precise about matching colors and buy new colors until you can match practically any color you’re given. “Put a tremendous number of hours into practicing this game and quite soon you’ll be amazed at what you can automatically do. There are no tricks to color.” Scott’s paintings and insights are featured in Schmitt’s Painted Blossoms. 

Schmitt also has a handful of videos and downloads about mixed media flower painting, available on Artists Network. You’ll love Schmitt’s friendly teaching style, and will be painting beautiful art in no time. Happy color mixing, Cherie

Cherie Haas, online editor

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