Color Mixing - New & Easy - for Acrylic & Oil Painters from Udemy

Learn paint color mixing in a whole new way with this eye-opening color course. Professional painter and best selling author shares her secrets, with tons of demonstrations, for easy and quick color mixing.

Mix color to perfection immediately while painting, without having to stop to check color wheels. Learn the difference between organic (modern colors) and inorganic (mineral colors) – and why they matter so much in color mixing.

This course can be used for any painting style or medium, and benefits all arts disciplines where color is a key factor in the work: painters, photographers, sculptors, digital designers, interior designers and hobbyists.

After taking this course you will mix color with confidence; know how to set up a palette for a wide range of color accessibility; and gain full understanding of basic color theory. This course provides optimal practice matching colors one step at a time. Along the way, you’ll learn shortcuts, helpful tips and tricks, including advice on how to develop and customize your color palette for painting. This course will greatly improve how you see and use color.

Please note this course is also included in The Ultimate Acrylic Painting Course, created by this same instructor, offered here on Udemy.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Achieve color expertise!
Improve your ability to see and understand color.

Learn to mix and match colors with confidence.
Get tips on how to save money buying the right paint colors.

Achieve color expertise!
Improve your ability to see and understand color.
Learn to mix and match colors with confidence.
Get tips on how to save money buying the right paint colors.

Syllabus

Train your eye to see and match color perfectly - without color wheels!

What is color theory and why is it important for painters?

Please access two pdf files under this Lecture's Resources Section. It is a summary of the course in text form. It also lists recommended paint colors to use for the course.

Materials you need for the color mixing projects in this course. The Key highlights of color theory that are important for painting. The essential paint colors you need to be able to match any color.

Mix a purple color to perfection while following along with the video demonstration. This process will enable you to achieve a perfect match for any secondary color, including greens, oranges and other purples.

Mix a red to perfection while following along with the video demonstration. This process will enable you to achieve a perfect match for any primary color, including yellows, blues and other reds.

Mix a neutral color to perfection while following along with the video demonstration. This process will enable you to achieve a perfect match for any tertiary color, including grays, browns and khaki colors.

Add some additional colors to make the optimal palette for your painting needs, with a wide range of colors. Tips on storing mixed colors. How to vary your palette to adjust for different painting techniques such as washes.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Offers practical demonstrations for mixing colors quickly and easily, which is beneficial for artists who want to streamline their painting process

Explores the distinction between organic and inorganic colors, which can deepen an artist's understanding of color properties and their impact on mixing

Provides guidance on setting up a palette for a wide range of color accessibility, which is helpful for artists looking to expand their color options

Includes advice on how to develop and customize a color palette for painting, which is useful for artists who want to personalize their approach to color

Requires specific materials for the color mixing projects, which may involve additional costs for learners who do not already have these supplies

Is also included in The Ultimate Acrylic Painting Course, so learners already enrolled in that course may find this redundant

Reviews summary

Practical & easy color mixing for painters

According to learners, this course offers a refreshed and easy approach to color mixing, moving away from traditional color wheels. Students find the demonstrations are clear and practical, making it simple to match colors effectively. Many highlight the instructor's ability to explain complex concepts simply, fostering confidence in mixing acrylics and oils. While some appreciate the focus on a limited palette as a starting point, a few mention it might be basic for very experienced painters looking for advanced theory.

Applicable methods for acrylic and oil paints.

"Works great for both acrylics and oils as described."

"I use acrylics and found the techniques directly applicable."

"Useful for artists working in either acrylic or oil mediums."

Great starting point for those new to mixing.

"As a beginner painter, this course was exactly what I needed."

"Highly recommended for beginners struggling with color mixing."

"It provided a solid foundation for someone like me, just starting out with oils."

Build confidence in mixing colors for painting.

"After taking this course, I feel much more confident about mixing paint colors."

"It gave me confidence in mixing colors that I hadn't had before."

"This course gave me the confidence to try mixing colors I had previously avoided."

Helpful, clear video examples for mixing.

"Excellent clear video demonstrations of how to mix the colors."

"The video demonstrations were very helpful and easy to follow along with."

"Following the demos allowed me to mix colors perfectly the first time."

Instructor explains concepts in an easy-to-grasp way.

"The instructor is very clear, easy to follow and provides helpful tips."

"The instructor explains everything very clearly and simply, making it easy to understand."

"I really appreciate her direct explanations and logical sequencing."

Learn a practical method without complex theory.

"I love the way she shows you how to mix colors without going into a lot of detail about the color wheel..."

"Finally a color theory course that is simple and effective without all the complexities."

"This course takes color theory to a different level... practical, easy, and very useful."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Color Mixing - New & Easy - for Acrylic & Oil Painters with these activities:

Review Basic Color Theory

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Reinforce your understanding of color theory fundamentals to better grasp the nuances of color mixing.

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Review the color wheel and its components.
Study primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.
Understand color harmonies like complementary and analogous colors.

Read 'Color and Light' by James Gurney

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Deepen your understanding of color and light principles to enhance your color mixing skills.

View Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions) on Amazon

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Read the chapters on color temperature and value.
Study the sections on atmospheric perspective and light scattering.
Experiment with the color mixing techniques described in the book.

Color Matching Exercises

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Improve your color matching accuracy through repetitive practice.

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Select a color swatch from a magazine or online.
Mix paints to match the selected color as closely as possible.
Repeat with different colors and varying levels of complexity.

Four other activities

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Create a Color Mixing Journal

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Document your color mixing experiments and observations to reinforce learning and track progress.

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Dedicate a notebook or digital document to your color mixing experiments.
Record the paint colors used, ratios, and resulting mixed colors.
Note any observations about the mixing process and color properties.
Include swatches of the mixed colors for future reference.

Paint a Color Study

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Apply your color mixing skills to create a small painting focused on color relationships and harmonies.

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Choose a simple subject, such as a still life or landscape.
Plan your color palette based on a specific color harmony.
Mix your colors carefully and apply them to the canvas.
Refine your color choices and adjust values to create depth and interest.

Explore 'The Art of Color' by Johannes Itten

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Gain a deeper understanding of color relationships and their emotional impact.

View Melania on Amazon

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Read the sections on color contrasts and harmonies.
Study the examples of color palettes used by master artists.
Experiment with creating your own color palettes based on Itten's principles.

Help others with color mixing

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Solidify your knowledge by helping others learn color mixing techniques.

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Offer assistance to other students in the course forums.
Share your color mixing experiments and insights.
Provide feedback on other students' color mixing attempts.

Career center

Learners who complete Color Mixing - New & Easy - for Acrylic & Oil Painters will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Fine Artist

A fine artist creates original works of art, often specializing in painting, sculpture, or other visual media. Color mixing is a foundational skill for any painter since the ability to accurately and expressively mix colors is essential for achieving desired effects, creating depth, and conveying emotion in artwork. This course helps fine artists to understand color theory and mix colors with confidence. The course provides instruction in matching colors, setting up a palette, and working with different types of colors which are essential for a fine artist. Learning about organic and inorganic colors may be especially useful. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fine Artist

Illustrator

An illustrator creates images for books, magazines, websites, and other media. Mastery of color is crucial for illustrators, as it allows them to create visually appealing and effective illustrations that communicate a specific message or mood. This course helps illustrators achieve color expertise with instruction on how to improve your ability to see and understand color, mix and match colors with confidence, and set up a palette. Gaining a full understanding of basic color theory may assist an illustrator in creating a wider range of color accessibility. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Illustrator

Muralist

Muralists create large-scale paintings directly on walls or other surfaces, often in public spaces. Color mixing is extremely important for muralists. Muralists must be able to efficiently mix large quantities of paint to achieve consistent colors across vast surfaces, and the course helps to build this skill set. The course offers expertise, with instruction on how to improve your ability to see and understand color, mix and match colors with confidence, and set up a palette for a wide range of color accessibility. Muralists must be able to adapt their color choices to the environment, considering the light and surrounding colors.

See salaries and explore the career path for Muralist

Tattoo Artist

Tattoo artists apply permanent designs to the skin using needles and ink. Color mixing is essential for tattoo artists to create vibrant, lasting designs. This course may be useful for tattoo artists in achieving color expertise by teaching them to improve their ability to see and understand color, learn to mix and match colors with confidence, and offer them tips on how to save money buying the right paint colors. Moreover, because the course discusses organic and inorganic colors, tattoo artists may find that the knowledge can be transferred to ink.

See salaries and explore the career path for Tattoo Artist

Digital Artist

Digital artists create artwork using computer software and digital tools. Though working with RGB or hex codes may seem quite different than mixing traditional paint, color theory, and techniques still apply. This course helps digital artists understand color theory and mix colors with confidence. The course focuses on matching colors, setting up a palette, and working with different types of colors. The knowledge of organic and inorganic colors may also translate to digital work. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Artist

Art Director

An art director is responsible for the visual style and images used in various projects, such as magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and film productions. Understanding color theory is crucial for an art director, as it allows them to make informed decisions about color palettes, combinations, and their impact on the overall aesthetic and message. This course may help art directors improve their ability to see and understand color. They may also benefit from learning to mix and match colors with confidence so that they can better advise the artists who work for them.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director

Surface Pattern Designer

Surface pattern designers create original designs for textiles, wallpapers, and other surfaces. Since many designers work with printed patterns or digital representations of patterns, and designers often need to select colors, color mixing is an important skill. This course helps designers with instruction on how to improve your ability to see and understand color, mix and match colors with confidence, and set up a palette. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use. The course may be very helpful in creating a wider range of color accessibility.

See salaries and explore the career path for Surface Pattern Designer

Fashion Designer

Fashion designers create clothing and accessories. While the course does not deal directly with fabric or clothing construction, the ability to understand color can be helpful to fashion designers as color choices can influence the aesthetic and appeal of a design. This course may help fashion designers improve their ability to see and understand color and learn to mix and match colors with confidence. It may also offer tips on how to save money by choosing the right paint colors, and this may translate into fabric selection. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fashion Designer

Makeup Artist

Makeup artists apply cosmetics to enhance or alter a person's appearance, often for special events, photography, or film. While makeup involves a different medium than paint, understanding color theory is still relevant for makeup artists, as it helps them to choose the right shades, blend colors effectively. This course may help improve your ability to see and understand color and learn to mix and match colors with confidence. Learning tips on how to save money buying the right paint colors may translate to make-up as well. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Makeup Artist

Photographer

Photographers capture images using cameras and lighting equipment. While photographers primarily work with light, understanding color theory remains beneficial, as it allows them to manipulate colors in their compositions, create specific moods, and enhance the overall visual impact of their images. This course may help photographers improve their ability to see and understand color to improve their photography. Learning to mix and match colors with confidence may also assist with post-processing. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Photographer

Animator

Animators create moving images for various media, such as films, television shows, and video games. Color is a vital element in animation as it sets the mood, guides the eye, and enhances the storytelling. This course may help animators improve their ability to see and understand color and learn to mix and match colors with confidence. The ability to set up a palette for a wide range of color accessibility may also be useful. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Animator

Graphic Designer

Graphic designers create visual concepts for various media, such as websites, logos, and marketing materials. Color is a fundamental aspect of graphic design. Because this course focuses on matching colors and setting up a palette, it may be useful. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use which may be of assistance to a graphic designer. Additionally, learning about organic and inorganic colors may prove useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic Designer

Interior designer

Interior designers plan and design interior spaces, considering factors such as aesthetics, functionality, and safety. Color plays a crucial role in interior design, influencing the mood, creating visual harmony, and defining the overall style of a space. While interior designers do not mix paint colors directly, they must pair colors to create a cohesive and attractive whole. This course may help interior designers improve their ability to see and understand color and learn to mix and match colors with confidence. Learning tips on how to save money buying the right paint colors may be applicable to choosing fabrics and other materials.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interior designer

Web Designer

Web designers create the visual layout and design of websites and web applications. Color is a critical element in web design, as it influences the user experience, communicates brand identity, and guides the user's eye. Web designers often need to choose a color palette and stick to it. Therefore, this course may help web designers learn to mix and match colors with confidence. Furthermore, web designers may find the course's shortcuts and tips helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Designer

Architect

Architects design buildings and other structures, considering both their aesthetic appearance and functional aspects. Color is an important element given that it affects perception and mood. While this course does not focus on the technical or structural aspects of architecture, it may help architects improve their ability to see and understand color to improve the visual appeal of their designs. The course may also provide shortcuts, tips, and tricks for improving color use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Architect

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Color Mixing - New & Easy - for Acrylic & Oil Painters.

Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara

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Delves into the science and art of color and light, providing a comprehensive understanding of how they interact. It's a valuable resource for painters looking to master color mixing and achieve realistic effects. The book offers practical advice and demonstrations, making it suitable as both a reference and for in-depth study. It expands on the course material by providing a deeper dive into the physics and perception of color.

Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions)

Hardcover

Color Mixing - New & Easy - for Acrylic & Oil Painters

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Practical & easy color mixing for painters

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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