Colours for Split Primaries

[Hermes2020]

I would love to hear any comments and suggestions on the choice of primaries. This video is an excellent introduction to the subject.

 

[Artyczar]

I personally don't work in this "split primary palette" so I can't speak on this. I work intuitively. Maybe I wind up mixing in this way coincidentally on certain colors, but I don't have a rhyme or reason as to how I arrive at the colors I'm going for. I get there however I can get there.

 

[Marc]

I don't use the split primary, but it seems from the video all you logically need (with the paints they've picked) is the 'Cool' primaries, and an orange red. The full 'Warm' isn't really required. Which makes sense because when painting, you're mainly dealing with colour in so called subtractive cool primary. If you open up a colour printed cardboard box you often see a little hidden tab of primary colours in lemon, cyan, and magenta. I imagine this is to check each coloured dye is at the correct strength. I suppose the Old Holland Magenta is more permanent than the dye version, but perhaps a fraction too far into the bluish zone.

 

[P. Barrie]

I found these colors to be accurate in the context of warm / cool. I use these colors ( pigments) most of the time, just not Old Holland brand. The Manganese blue is probably Phalo (PB 15), or a multi pigment blend as OH is noted for all there elaborate and expensive colors.
It would have been more helpful if the presentation included the actual pigment designations instead of just Old Holland color names.
Cadmium Yellow Medium and Cadmium Lemon are both PY 35. The coolness of Cad Lemon is due to the processing. They do have very different mixing characteristics. The cooler blue and cooler yellow will mix to give more satuated colors, very important IMO.
Bismuth Yellow (PY 184) is a close substitute for Cad Lemon.
Blues drive me batty in their consistency and behavior. I usually use Ultramarine (PB 29) for the warmer blue and Phthalocyanine blue (PB 15) for the cooler, commonly named cyan. Phthalocyanine seems to be another pigment that varies alot between MFGS.

 

[AES]

Not sure if this is a color theory question or not, but just in case it is, this guy is a goldmine for the science behind it (and why conventional artist's color theory never made any freaking sense to me).

handprint : color theory

 

[Hermes2020]

Nice responses, everyone. I was hoping that the video would trigger a few. In my case, I use a very basic knowledge of primaries and complementaries to mix what I need in an intuitive way. What I do in a calculated way, though, is to put a small touch of a complementary colour next to a bigger area of a certain colour to liven up the painting. The trick I use to find the true complementary of a certain colour is to stare at the colour for at least a minute without moving my eyes, then I look at a white wall. The complementary will show very clearly as a patch against the wall.

 

[Marc]

The trick I use to find the true complementary of a certain colour is to stare at the colour for at least a minute without moving my eyes, then I look at a white wall. The complementary will show very clearly as a patch against the wall.

Glad I'm not the only one who's done that.

 

[Hermes2020]

Glad I'm not the only one who's done that.

 

[classic]

I read in the web about such "split" primaries, some time ago. I'm not sure where exactly. That source indicated colors that were very similar to the basic "neutral" primary, just with a small difference to the warmer or cooler side. Those proposed in the video by "Old Holland" are clearly quite different colors, eg Scarlet vs Magenta Red. This was about watercolors, I think, because at the time I was looking about watercolor techniques. So, I can't tell how this is applied to other types of colors (gouache, oil, acrylic, ... ).

I didn't try them seriously, mainly because I didn't do much on painting since. My feeling is that this concept of split primaries is perhaps "advanced" for newbies that need to learn how to master the very basic mix principles before going to another level. This way can lead to a more accurate transfer of the actual/real colors to the painting. Of course, one can make art with any type of palette, even with two colors or one (monochrome). Nevertheless, mastering the mixing of colors to produce any hue is a strong technical tool for anything else, at least for a professional artist. It's like theory of harmony for a musician or physics and mathematics for an engineer: one has to learn them even if they won't use them directly in their specific work.

In painting, things become even more complicated because color isn't the only property that is affected by mixing. It seems that the various color ingredients (pigments, fillers and other substances) as well as the paper affect the final result. That's why I deeply appreciate the work of experienced artists

 

[Hermes2020]

Classic, I think even newbies should have enough knowledge of split primaries to at least be able to handle two problems they commonly have: newbies often cannot understand why they are unable to mix good purples and violets. They are also puzzled why they can't mix vibrant, pure greens. In both cases they fail because they are using the wrong combinations of primary colours. In my experience this applies to all types of paint.

This video explains well what I mean:

 

[ams]

I found these colors to be accurate in the context of warm / cool. I use these colors ( pigments) most of the time, just not Old Holland brand. The Manganese blue is probably Phalo (PB 15), or a multi pigment blend as OH is noted for all there elaborate and expensive colors.
It would have been more helpful if the presentation included the actual pigment designations instead of just Old Holland color names.
Cadmium Yellow Medium and Cadmium Lemon are both PY 35. The coolness of Cad Lemon is due to the processing. They do have very different mixing characteristics. The cooler blue and cooler yellow will mix to give more satuated colors, very important IMO.
Bismuth Yellow (PY 184) is a close substitute for Cad Lemon.
Blues drive me batty in their consistency and behavior. I usually use Ultramarine (PB 29) for the warmer blue and Phthalocyanine blue (PB 15) for the cooler, commonly named cyan. Phthalocyanine seems to be another pigment that varies alot between MFGS.

If you want pigment information for any brand of paint, you can find it on dickblick. Select the color you want to investigate, click View Product Details, then click View Pigment Information.

Not sure if this is a color theory question or not, but just in case it is, this guy is a goldmine for the science behind it (and why conventional artist's color theory never made any freaking sense to me).

handprint : color theory

I have spent many hours on this site and have learned a great deal about color.

 

[E.J.H.]

Not sure if this is a color theory question or not, but just in case it is, this guy is a goldmine for the science behind it (and why conventional artist's color theory never made any freaking sense to me).

handprint : color theory

Seconded. I discovered that site when I started dabbling in watercolor. It's very good.

 

[Bartc]

I have almost always worked with this kind of palette (though not necessarily his choices). When developing or advising a friend on limited palettes, I tell them use both the warm and cool primaries.
However, I have found in most cases that I start with the cooler palette and add burnt sienna and the obvious white.

 

[stlukesguild]

Using pastels and matte craft acrylics like these:

I don't set out a palette in any traditional sense. I don't lean toward "natural" color but rather use color more expressively. I often tend to begin with a conscious notion of a dominant color harmony... often compliments or a triad... including the primaries... although in my case the primaries are made up of red, blue, and the yellow of the gold leaf I use. I collect paint samples from the paint departments in the hardware store for color ideas as well. I attended the Cleveland Institute of Art which had a good number of faculty who were big on color theory having studied with Joseph Albers. The school was known for its colorful approach to Op Art. One of my professors was Julian Stanczak, one of the leading figures of Op Art:

I remember making extensive studies of the optics of color in paintings... but honestly, I'd say that like Arty, my approach is largely intuitive. I would also say my approach to color is responsive. I place a color on the painting and then another color... and I sit back and consider how well the two harmonize or contrast. Then I change... adjust... the colors again and again and again until the harmony of the painting resonates with me. Many of the flat areas of color in my paintings are the result of many layers on top of each other... often with a degree of transparency or even allowing sub-strata to peek through or even forcing this through the use of sandpaper.

 

[Enyaw]

I just go with the flow .. whatever I think it calls for .. formulas work well but they take the sense of adventure away.

 

[Hermes2020]

Speaking of Op Art, I 've only done one painting in Op Art style. It flowed naturally from a discarded bicycle wheel I found once when I was still a post-graduate. It was only the rim without spokes. It gave me the idea to thread coloured nylon cord through the holes and fix it on a board on front of complementary-coloured stripes. It causes an optical effect when one walks past the painting. I still have it.

 

[AES]

If you want pigment information for any brand of paint, you can find it on dickblick. Select the color you want to investigate, click View Product Details, then click View Pigment Information.

I have spent many hours on this site and have learned a great deal about color.

The Color of Art Pigment Database

The Color of Art Pigment Database is a complete reference of pigment and paint information for all artists.

www.artiscreation.com

This is a good one too. I believe it is inspired by Bruce's site in fact, and is still updated.

 

[classic]

This video explains well what I mean:

Thank you very much. Something useful I learned today!

 

[Hermes2020]

Thank you very much. Something useful I learned today!

 

[Hawkmoth]

I know the basics of split primaries colour theory and I apply that when choosing mixes. I keep a colour wheel pinned up in my painting area to remind me, and I consult it when I need to mix an unfamiliar colour.

I find limited palettes hard work though, because it involves so much mixing. There are certain premixes and earth colours that I really love. I don't want to spend ages trying to mix those myself every time.