Home Forums The Learning Center Color Theory and Mixing Getting back into painting(acrylics),need some suggestions.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 19 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #992778
    StevenMikel
    Default

        I know this subject has been talked about countless times but,I need some help picking colors to start with. I want to start with a somewhat limited palette,I like the idea of the expanded primary palette. I also need to keep my spending to a minimum. I’ve found 2 sets of acrylics that I’m interested in one is from Grumbacher and the other is Liquitex. The Grumbacher set has;process magenta,process cyan.process yellow,grumbacher red and,ultramarine blue. The liqitex set has ;titanium white,cadmium yellow medium hue,napthol crimson,pthalo green,ultramarine blue and,mars black. I think both sets would provide me with most of what I need to get started, I would need to add back and white to the Grumbacher set and maybe a magenta to the Liquitex set. I’m not real crazy about the reds in either set based on looking at color swatches. I don’t know why but,I’ve always been picky about reds. I want to be able to mix the cleanest colors possible. Any help would be appreciated,thanks

        Mike

        #1221050
        opainter
        Default

            Hi Steven!

            Welcome to WetCanvas! You are invited to visit the Welcome Forum to say hello!

            To help me/us compare the two sets, a little more info might help. Is the Grumbacher set called “Grumbacher Academy Acrylics”? Also is the Liquitex set called “Liquitex Basics Acrylic Colors”? With the names I can take a closer look at both sets online.

            AJ

            AJ (opainter), C&C always welcome
            :::: Helpful links for new users: User Agreement || Reference Images || C&C Suggestions || Color Theory and Mixing (color theory and color selection) || Full List of Forums
            :::: Painting Blog with an article now and then

            #1221054
            StevenMikel
            Default

                Yes those are the names of the sets.

                Mike

                #1221051
                opainter
                Default

                    Hi Mike!

                    Both sets are student-grade acrylics, which will save you some money initially, which is one of your goals. As you paint more, you will find that you will get more out of artist-grade acrylics since they are more heavily-pigmented, and so, despite being higher-priced, will likely save you money over the long run because they last longer.

                    Grumbacher does not have an artist-grade line of acrylics, while Liquitex does. Even though you are not buying artist-grade paints at this time, you might find that the Grumbacher student-grade paints are lower in quality than the Liquitex. This is because some of the quality that Liquitex is known for is likely to “spill over” into their student-grade lines, while Grumbacher is probably “farming out” the production of all of their acrylic paints (just the student-grade line) to some outside supplier over whom they probably have little quality control.

                    Another reason that I would prefer the Liquitex set over the Grumbacher set is that you will need to buy both a white (Titanium White) and a brown (Burnt Umber) to round out the Grumbacher set, while you will only need to buy the brown to round out the Liquitex set. You should have the brown to learn how to mix darks using it and Ultramarine Blue. Many artists don’t use blacks (the Impressionists started this trend, by the way) because blacks often “deaden” the color of paintings, and because artists can mix more interesting (yet just as suitable) “darks” from Burnt Umber and Ultramarine Blue (a classic mix) or from some other two or three dark colors.

                    Best of luck!

                    Thanks for correcting me about your name! You might want to consider indicating that your name is Mike in the signature line, or other WetCanvas members will be always confused about it! :lol:

                    AJ (opainter), C&C always welcome
                    :::: Helpful links for new users: User Agreement || Reference Images || C&C Suggestions || Color Theory and Mixing (color theory and color selection) || Full List of Forums
                    :::: Painting Blog with an article now and then

                    #1221047
                    Crystal1
                    Default

                        If you were to buy the Grumbacher Academy Acrylic Set (Dickblick.com calls it the Color Mixing Set) that you mentioned above, you would also need to buy a large tube of Titanium White (you will use more white than any other color). With that purchase you could use the Golden Acrylic Color Mixing Chart (you can find the chart on line and print it off for free), to help you in mixing colors (it won’t be exact, but close). You can mix the brown and black from the directions on the Color Mixing Chart. On the Color mixing chart you will need a Phthalo Green, but a close color can be mixed with the Phthalo Blue and the yellow, just try to match mix until it looks very similar to the color on the chart. They also recommend a Yellow Ochre, but a close color would be the Quincidrone Gold with some white added (they tell you how to mix that on the chart). I buy little pimento jars that are glass with a metal lid to keep a few of my most used color mixes. The Mixing Chart will help you to mix a lot of colors, although you will probably have to adjust them a little bit, since they are not exactly the same as the Golden Acrylic Colors. When you’re ready, you can upgrade to Golden Acrylics (artist quality) and continue to use the same chart for mixing colors. Also with the two colors of red you can mix them together to find a red color that you like best. I hope this helps and good luck!

                        #1221048
                        Crystal1
                        Default

                            If you can afford to get the Phthalo Green, it will surely give you a better chance of mixing the colors closer to the chart, than if you mix the Phthalo Blue and Yellow together. Don’t worry about the differing opinions you get on wet canvas, we all have different opinions, but we don’t fight about it.
                            Happy Painting!

                            #1221044
                            Patrick1
                            Default

                                The Grumbacher set is a bit unusual. It’s like a split-primary palette with only one yellow. It’s well-represented in the cyan-blue-purple-red region – so these colors can be mixed with high chroma. But lacking a single-pigment (Phthalo) green, you won’t be able to mix the highest-chroma greens possible. But cyan + yellow will still mix greens that are plenty bright for almost any need.

                                The Liquitex set is more balanced overall (it’s essentially a RYBG tetrad). The black might be useful (to some people) for greying down.

                                If you want to mix a wide a wide range of colors (evenly balanced around the color wheel) using only a few colors, either set is decent. But you might want to choose your own colors rather than buying from a set. A few more possibilities (not including white) :

                                ►a CMY primary triad (maximum mixing potential from 3 colors – IF you paint thinly, dilutely, or glaze)

                                ►a triad closer to RYB (will allow more opaque paint choices for more ‘regular’ painting styles)

                                ►YRBG (this is a surprisingly potent, often-overlooked 4-color palette). The red can be a crimson or rose to mix cleaner purples with only a slight reduction to oranges. And unlike most triads, 4 colors will allow you to choose the red to be a perfect or near-perfect complement to your green – if need be. This would obviate the need for a black because Phthalo Green (or possibly Viridian) + a deep red, crimson, or rose is a common recipe for a black as dark as a ‘real’ black …but more transparent and beautiful …if you don’t mind the extra work of mixing it yourself.

                                ►traditional 6-color split-primary palette (very popular, potent, and easy to use)

                                ►6-color primary + secondary palette (almost like a split-primary but replacing one yellow with a green). The greatest mixing ability (gamut) from 6 colors (depending on which ones you choose), maybe even easier to make complement pairs/mixed blacks, but maybe a bit more difficult to use

                                You could add an earth color (some brown) instead of black – to help with dulling/greying mixes, and for mixing blacks with blues. Not essential…but most will say at least one earth color makes life easier.

                                #1221045
                                Patrick1
                                Default

                                    Don’t worry about the differing opinions you get on wet canvas, we all have different opinions, but we don’t fight about it.

                                    Well…not usually :evil:

                                    #1221046
                                    Patrick1
                                    Default

                                        Grumbacher does not have an artist-grade line of acrylics, while Liquitex does. Even though you are not buying artist-grade paints at this time, you might find that the Grumbacher student-grade paints are lower in quality than the Liquitex. This is because some of the quality that Liquitex is known for is likely to “spill over” into their student-grade lines, while Grumbacher is probably “farming out” the production of all of their acrylic paints (just the student-grade line) to some outside supplier over whom they probably have little quality control.

                                        It’s too bad Grumbacher no longer makes their Finest acrylics. IMO, these were some of the finest acrylics out there…they had thickness, feel, and brush stroke/texture retention probably more like oil paint than any others I’ve tried (to me, that is a desirable attribute).

                                        I also found their old Academy acrylics (when they used metal tubes), to be, IMO, among the best of student acrylics. I haven’t yet tried the new plastic-tubed Academy acrylics, so I don’t know if they’re as good, or if they took a step backward quality-wise to stay competitive in price.

                                        #1221055
                                        StevenMikel
                                        Default

                                            Thank you all for the help. The thing that interests me about the Grumbacher set is,the combination of colors in it. I’ve read about CMY and RYB palettes and,the Grumbacher set gives a painter a chance to try both palettes out as well as providing a split primary palette(minus a yellow). I’m kind of familiar with Liquitex,the last set of paints I had were Liquitex and a family friend that paints uses Liquitex and likes them a lot. As I need to replace colors,I’ll move up to the artist grade paints.

                                            Mike

                                            #1221052
                                            DMSS
                                            Default

                                                If adding Burnt Umber keeps you within your definition of a limited palette, then I would add it. If you can accommodate another neutral color, I would add Raw Umber, too. You might get away without buying black, but personally I use black and grey (I mix the grey myself) a lot. I find it convenient to mix black and white to get grey, and then add a color to it to end up with a chromatic grey if that is what I want. Opinions differ on the use of tubed black, and I believe it is a matter of personal preference, convenience, and mixing technique.

                                                --David

                                                #1221056
                                                StevenMikel
                                                Default

                                                    I’m kind of leaning toward the Liquitex set and adding a magenta and an earth color.

                                                    Mike

                                                    #1221057
                                                    StevenMikel
                                                    Default

                                                        Some good fortune has come my way and I can afford to get artist quality paint. I’m getting Liquitex Heavy Body. The colors I chose are;cad. yellow light,cad.red medium,ultramarine blue(red),thalo blue(green),yellow light hansa, quinacridone magenta,mars black,and titanium white. Now I just need to pick some brushes.

                                                        Mike

                                                        #1221049
                                                        Crystal1
                                                        Default

                                                            Congratulations on your good fortune!

                                                            #1221058
                                                            StevenMikel
                                                            Default

                                                                Congratulations on your good fortune!

                                                                Thank you

                                                                Mike

                                                              Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 19 total)
                                                              • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.