For those who are just getting started in painting, the first thing you need to know is what colours are. This will help you create the most beautiful paintings!
Most people are taught that the main primary pigment colors are Red, Yellow and Blue. However, this is not the correct color system for painting.
Colours
Colours are a vital part of a good painting or design. They convey meaning, message, appearance and intention – and they’re used in all kinds of ways. They make a big difference to the way people perceive what we see and how we feel about it, as well as determining whether or not they’re going to buy something.
While most artists are familiar with the red, yellow and blue (RYB) model, there’s an alternative color system called CMYK that is more widely used in printing, as well as in digital art. The CMYK model is based on subtractive color theory, which means that it works by reducing the amount of white light that is reflected off the paper.
CMYK pigments are mixed in different proportions to create the overlapping tints that are printed by a printer. These tints can vary in hue and intensity, so each print has a different look and feel.
Cyan, magenta and yellow are the primary pigments that come into contact with a piece of paper during printing. They are then distributed by the print head in a variety of tints, each affecting the overall effect and color of the final product.
These pigments are made by mixing natural and synthetic materials, combining them to form new ones. They’re often quite expensive and can be difficult to obtain. However, they’re worth investing in because they have a wide range of properties.
They’re also less susceptible to breaking or fading than some of the other traditional artist’s paints. This makes them a great choice for beginners who may not have the funds to purchase high-quality paints. In fact, it’s a good idea to start out using inexpensive paints, and then moving onto the more expensive ones once you know how to mix them well.
Lights
If you’ve ever studied a colour wheel, you’ll know that cyan, yellow and magenta are the subtractive primary colours. They’re the colours you paint with.
Subtractive primaries are also the colours you see when you’re watching television or looking at a computer screen. In a typical CYM colour mix, the cyan absorbs light from the blue, and the yellow absorbs the green. When these two absorbance curves are mixed together, they produce a greyish-blue mixture, because the cyan absorbance is higher than the yellow’s.
This explains why many traditional painters use subtractive primaries for painting, because it’s the way they were taught to mix colors in their materials. They also know that the reflectance curves of paints are very close to the geometric mean for each wavelength in the spectrum, so when they’re mixed they won’t show any significant differences to your eye.
When you’re painting digitally, however, you don’t use CYM primaries because the additive RGB primaries are the standard lights for all things that use light in the modern world (traffic signals, neon signs, TVs etc). This means you’ll get linear gradients when you mix colours.
This is because the chromaticity of a material color mixture depends on many other attributes than its reflectance curves, such as tinting strength, particle size, refractive index and hiding power. The painters’ rules for subtractive mixing aren’t stated in terms of reflectance curves, they’re written in categorical color labels such as “yellow and blue make green.”
Darks
The CYM Model is a good example of a color triad that can produce a wide range of colors for painting. But it also comes with its own limitations. A three color palette isn’t quite as versatile as a six-color one, especially when it comes to color saturation. The reds and greens are less saturated than the oranges and purples, which is a bit of a bummer when it comes to producing a truly rich palette.
The best way to illustrate this is to look at a color wheel. Aside from the colors themselves, there is an art to mixing the correct proportions of each color in order to achieve a believable result.
For instance, how do you make a paintable shade of blue? You could use cyan and magenta, but you would probably have to add more pigment to get a really dark shade. Then there’s the color blending that goes into making your blue look more real than it really is.
What’s more, there are plenty of other color triads to choose from. But which one is the right one for you? It’s a question that can only be answered by learning more about paints and their various properties. So, if you are interested in getting the most out of your CYM Model palette, be sure to try it out and see for yourself!
Undertones
Every color we see is a mixture of several colors, and the undertones of these colors determine the final look. This is why you might find that a crisp white paint color looks different in some lights than it does in others, and that finding the right gray or greige can be a bit of a puzzle.
The undertones of paint colors can make them appear warm or cool, and they can also make them clash with other colors. These undertones are sometimes hard to pick out, so it’s a good idea to try to sample a paint color in the room before you go ahead and buy a bottle of it.
Taking the time to do this will ensure you get the right colors in your home for a great price. Plus, it will help you avoid any costly repainting down the road.
If you’re struggling with a green undertone, try to choose a warmer wall color. In fact, you might even want to opt for a neutral with a yellow or red undertone instead of a blue one.
Pink undertones are another tricky problem to solve. They can occur when a certain percentage of red is present in a neutral formula, like taupe or beige.
Undertones can also be difficult to match when they’re in conflict with other paint colors, such as a green undertone on a white paint color or a blue undertone on a purple. They can cause your colors to look very mismatched, making it tough to get them to work together in a way that looks natural and cohesive.
To avoid this, it’s a good idea to create sample boards with the paint colors you like and move them around in your home until they’re visible in different lighting conditions. Then, you can compare them to your cabinets and flooring to see which ones are a good fit.
Accents
Accent colors are a key part of any room’s color scheme. They are essentially small shades that you use sparingly to add visual impact without overwhelming the space. The best way to use these hues is to plan them ahead of time, and to choose a few different options for your design.
If you’re looking to add a bold and dramatic color to your home, black is a fantastic choice. It’s timeless and offers a striking contrast against lighter elements in the room.
Another great option is a dark gray. Sherwin-Williams’ Peppercorn is a crisp, cool gray that looks beautiful in rooms with white trim and crown molding.
A dark blue is also a classic choice for an accent wall. Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue evokes the classic European feel and works well in any living or dining room.
There are a few ways to use an accent color in your home, but a great way to get started is by painting smaller architectural features. These could include skirting boards, dado rails and picture rails.
You can even paint your skylight in a color to highlight the natural light and keep it from looking drab. It’s a great way to bring an eye-catching shade into your home, and it only takes a few quick paint applications to create an immediate impact!
Choosing a pale, neutral-toned accent color is a great choice for those who aren’t sure they want to commit to a whole room. Benjamin Moore’s 2022 Color of the Year, October Mist, is a beautiful sage that’s calming and soothing.
Adding a warm brown to your home can make a big difference, especially in rooms that need a boost. A warm brown in a slightly darker tone, like Art and Craft by Dunn-Edwards, is the perfect way to add a subtle hue that won’t draw attention away from the rest of your design.
