Per the suggestion of Sunnylady, I decided to work with my palette and get a spectrum of possible mixes that can result from 2-color mixes only. Obviously, one can mix many more colors when using 3 or more colors, but this chart will greatly help me when trying to determine how to make a certain color that I’m seeing. I think I’ve landed on an 8-color palette, although I’m not sure about keeping chrome oxide green.
The biggest thing that I learned is how similar Chrome Oxide is to Cerulean and Yellow Ochre mixed. Which is fascinating considering that Winsor & Newton is using a single pigment for their Chrome Oxide. Beyond that, I appreciated being able to give definition to the various green mixes.
Magenta does make some lovely purples! W&N's pigment codes for this one are PB15:3 • PR122 • PW6. Personally, the next time I need to replace my magenta, I might replace it with permanent rose, which is a single pigment quinacridone color.
The vermilion that I use is a mixed hue (as real vermilion is fairly toxic, I believe). W&N has the following pigment code: PO36 • PR170 • PW6. My assumption is that the PW6 really mutes the vermillion.
I just got a book called "color mixing recipes (for oil & acrylic)" and it has really helped me achieve colors I want! I also really like the idea of doing a mixing experiment like you have here!
Sounds like a great book! I actually think I heard about it on the Artful Painter podcast. I definitely recommend that everyone try a similar experiment with their own palettes. I gained a lot of insight from this process.
One other fascinating thing I observed: How interesting colors are when you mix the warm and cool colors of a "primary family." For example, the mix of both ultramarine and cerulean created a lovely blue color that I would not have thought could result from the two.
Thanks for clarifying about pigments.
I thought magenta is quinacridone. My bad.
I also thought that vermillion is some sort of cad red.
But I guess bigger discovery that they are not single pigment paints. If too many the mixes become more muddy. Which is not bad, but means that this exercise was really needed. Pigments may behave unexpectedly in mixes.
Another thought - looking at your panel - I think I will try to stick to single pigment paints as they allow more control or at least I think so. :)
For green oxide it looks like a weak pigment as you mentioned in one of the discussions. I would suggest to keep it anyway as it expands slightly panel of greens, may be that viridian will be better choice in this pallet? Decision is yours of course.
Another surprise that yellow lemon is a weak pigment… I read that Windsor produced new yellows without cadmium. Price seem to be same expensive as cadmiums though.
Happy to read about blue mix discovery you had! I get lovely blue for sky color when mix phtalo, ultramarine and touch of umber or sienna. (I remember you don’t like phtalos).
Glad this was helpful for you! Yes, single pigments tend to be less muddy when mixing. Typically, magenta is a quinacridone pigment, but for some reason, W&N chose to create a mixed color for this particular product. I agree that keeping a tube green is a good idea — I'll keep using chrome oxide until it runs out and then might try viridian again. The phthalo, ultramarine, and umber/sienna mixed sounds like a nice sky color. I am learning to appreciate phtalos for specific purposes. When I first started painting, I didn't know how to control phthalo blue very well. The cerulean hue I have here is a mix of phthalo blue and phthalo green pigments with a touch of zinc white — and I really like this color.
I did not know how to control phtalo pigments too. I hated phtalo green, but now I love it.
Thanks for additional details about magenta and cerulean.
For viridian search one which is not PG7, as this is phtalo green with white. More research will be needed to find a correct one. Maybe all viridians nowadays are phtalo - I don’t know for sure.
Sunnylady
And I am back with research and resource that I use for my research on color pigments: http://www.artiscreation.com/green.html#atacamite
It turns that Quinacridone is PR 122 or PR 202. I still want to try it, preferably PR202.
Proper Viridian is PG 18.
PR170 = Naphthol Red AS
I would love to try PR254 = Pyrrole Red
All the best in your color journey Micah!
Sorry, Micah, one more interesting read - https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2021/06/21/pigment-stories-quinacridone-pigments/
Excellent article! I love Jackson's pigment stories.
I love them too!
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Did you learn anything new about your pallet?
I was thinking about getting magenta to replace alizarin/madder , but I see now it has other uses- purples are gorgeous!
Surprising to see vermilion behavior , I thought it is a strong color.
What is pigment number in both?