One of the most useful colors to achieve by mixing paints is green. You can use it to create hills, trees, grass and many other things. Unfortunately, this is not always easy to make and can often result in a dark mud-like color; however, thanks to a few tips, you can learn how to create it correctly. You can use standard paint or acrylic, oil, or water-based paints specifically for artists.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Get a Simple Green Paint
Step 1. Get the supplies
Many people pick up a brush right away when mixing paint, but it's not really the best tool. That way you don't just risk damaging the brush, but you won't be able to get a very uniform color either. Instead, use a spatula or a popsicle toothpick.
Here is the full list of what you need:
• Blue paint
• Yellow paint
• Palette, plate or paper cup
• A stirring tool (spatula, spoon, wooden stick, etc.)
Step 2. Put a coin-sized drop of yellow paint on a palette
Consider this quantity "a part of yellow". When mixing paints, you will be working with "parts" as the unit of measurement.
Step 3. Add a drop of blue paint
To start, the two drops should be the same size. This way you will get a simple shade of green. If you are interested in getting a different shade, click here.
Step 4. Mix the two colors
Keep mixing them until the result is uniform and you don't notice streaks of the original colors. If you are using a very diluted paint, such as tempera or acrylic paints for crafts, try using a spoon or wooden stick. If, on the other hand, the paints you use are denser and pasty, such as oil or acrylic paints for painting, use a metal palette knife to squeeze and move the colors until you get a uniform result.
Step 5. Use color
You can create a green landscape or use green to get realistic skin tones. The possibilities are endless!
Method 2 of 3: Mix Various Shades of Green
Step 1. Add more yellow if you want a lighter, brighter green
Start with one part of yellow and one part of blue, then mix the colors together with a metal spatula. Once you have the green, add another part of yellow and mix again. Keep adding yellow until you get the hue you want.
With two to three parts of yellow and one part of blue you will get a very bright lime green
Step 2. Add white if you want a lighter pastel green
This method allows you to get mint green as well. Be aware that some whites can be very bright. Start with less color than you think you will need.
Step 3. Darken the color with blue
Start with the base green, then add another part of blue. Keep using blue until you get the hue you want.
With two parts of blue and one of yellow you get turquoise
Step 4. Add black if you want a darker, duller shade of green
Keep using black, drop by drop and mixing, until you get the color you want.
Step 5. Add red to make the green less vibrant
If you want to get olive or military green, add a drop of red. The more red you use, the more earthy the green will become.
Method 3 of 3: Get Green with Paint Colors
Step 1. Consider that there are blue and yellow paints for painting of various shades
When buying acrylic, oil or water colors, look at them carefully. You may notice that some of the blues have green undertones, while others are more purple. Similarly, some yellows tend to green, others to orange. By choosing the wrong starting shades you will get a dark and muddy yellow.
Step 2. Buy the right shades of blue and yellow
To get a bright, vibrant green you need blues and yellows with green undertones. Here are some combinations to get you started:
- Phthalo blue (green tone) and light cadmium yellow.
- Phthalo blue (green) & Hansa yellow (also called lemon yellow).
Step 3. Learn which shades to use to get a dull green
If you don't want a bright green, you can use other shades of yellow and blue, as well as use other colors. Here are some combinations to get you started:
- Ultramarine blue & light cadmium yellow.
- Ultramarine blue & ocher yellow.
- Ivory Black & Light Cadmium Yellow.
- Prussian blue & ocher yellow.
- Burnt umber & light cadmium yellow.
Step 4. Use red to turn off green
If the color you got is too bright, don't add black or gray to make it duller - use a few drops of red paint instead. Red is opposite to green on the color wheel, so it will help tone it down. The more you add, the more the color tone will turn brown / gray.
Step 5. Lighten or darken the green with yellow or blue paint
Don't use black or white as they make the color less vibrant. Instead, use a few drops of the yellow you used to get the green if you want to lighten it up. To darken it, instead, use some of the blue you have already used. With this technique you can change the brightness of the green without changing its hue.
Blue is a very intense color. Start with very small drops
Step 6. Learn when to add black or white to your green
If you want to lighten the color and get a pastel shade, use white. If you want to darken it and create a duller shade, add a drop of black. Always start with very small quantities.
