How to Mix Oil Colors? To get Right Combination?
samada...@yahoo.ca
I have an oil painting that I'm trying to reproduce, but I'm having a
hard time determining how to mix the limited supply of oil paints that
I have on hand to reproduce some of the colors in the actual
painting. For example, some of the flesh tones, and greenish colors
of the leaves. Is there software out there, or even some sort of a
"mixing instruction guide" to tell me how much "red-yellow-blue", etc.
that I need to mix together to generate the specific color on the
painting?
Thanks.
intuitiveart
the right side of the brain - her ever popular book, she is still
intuitive - I would say taking a break from the painting and going
through her lessons in color theory would train your intuition to
understand color mixing...even if you don't have the exact colors she
specifies, you will still get the gist of it as long as you have the
basics...
Joanna
NightMist
>On Apr 6, 10:18 am, samadams_2...@yahoo.ca wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have an oil painting that I'm trying to reproduce, but I'm having a
>> hard time determining how to mix the limited supply of oil paints that
>> I have on hand to reproduce some of the colors in the actual
>> painting. For example, some of the flesh tones, and greenish colors
>> of the leaves. Is there software out there, or even some sort of a
>> "mixing instruction guide" to tell me how much "red-yellow-blue", etc.
>> that I need to mix together to generate the specific color on the
>> painting?
>>
wrote:
>My favorite color theory book is Betty Edwards' book - like drawing on
>the right side of the brain - her ever popular book, she is still
>intuitive - I would say taking a break from the painting and going
>through her lessons in color theory would train your intuition to
>understand color mixing...even if you don't have the exact colors she
>specifies, you will still get the gist of it as long as you have the
>basics...
>
Might be fun and informative, but not likely helpful in reproducing
historic colors.
Copying colors from another painting is always somewhat of a
challenge, especially if it is an older painting.
While we know what colors some artists used, even the very same mixes
will not give you the colors that you see now in old paintings.
Especially in flesh tones as rose madder was a common choice to
incorporate into flesh tones until recently, when how much it
degenerates was discovered. What mediums the artist incorporated
likely also affect the color you see now.
There is also the matter of varnish adding tones.
Depending on the painting, you may not be able to get the exact color.
While some of the pigments in use now have been used for centuries,
within the last hundred years or so others have been banned, some have
been discarded, and other new pigments have been introduced.
Research and experimentation are your only options if you want to
exactly reproduce colors from someone else's painting.
Conservationists undoubtedly have software and equipment to help them,
but unless you know one it doesn't do you much good.
Barbara
--
Come to the dark side.
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