I've been so busy lately helping out my son with his business that I have not had time to paint. But I did have time to think, mostly about my fear of greens, which really limits me in my landscape watercolors. What got me thinking about it, and realizing I had this problem, was a recent Mineke Reinders blog on greens. She then went on to paint some really lovely watercolors using a myriad of greens and inspired me to face my fear. I needed to experiment with mixing greens and come up with a selection I would like. Here is my first attempt. Some worked and some didn't.
From top left to right: French Ultramine+Transparent Yellow; French Ultramarine+Aureolian Yellow; French Ultramarine+Windsor Yellow(a blue green); Phalo Blue+Transparent Yellow; Phalo Blue+Windsor Yellow. Middle row, left to right: Cobalt Blue+Aureolin Yellow; Cobalt Blue+Transparent Yellow; Viridian+Aureolin+Indian Red; Viridian+Aureloin+Light Red; Viridian+Light Red. Bottom row left to right: Indigo+Aureolin; Indigo+Transparent Yellow; Indigo+Windsor Yellow; French Ultramarine+Aureolin Yellow; Hookers Green+Alizarin Crimson; Hookers Green+Burnt Sienna; Alizarin Crimson+Hookers Green.
I don't usually buy greens in a tube because most that I have tried have been a little harsh on their own - like Hookers green. I only liked a few of these mixtures I came up with. I need to come up with a few more before I test them out in a painting - maybe this weekend. If anyone has a nice green mix to share please let us know.
Artists who seem to have no problem with greens.
Laura's Watercolors
Art For Life
Fabio Cembranelli
Robin Maria Pedrero
M.E. Bailey Art
Brent Perkins
22 comments:
Hi Jean...! I was reading your text and thinking about your green mixing. I like to mix sap green + prussian blue + burnt sienna, sap green + payne's gray, olive green + lacca d'oro (maimeri, a gold transparent yellow, like lacca"). I'll try some of your mixings. Thanks for posting my name, but I always try to improve my technique, experiment new mixings... You're very kind, thanks for sharing your knowledgement.
I agree, Jean, Mineke's posts on her greens were instructive and thought-provoking! I like your greens too--what a variety (I'm especially drawn to the last three, which I see are all based on Hooker's, a perennial favorite of mine).
How shocked I am to see my name among those who have no problem with green!! I don't avoid it, it's true, but like many others I often wish for 1) more variety and 2) more "natural" greens.
I agree about Brent though--he does lovely greens; I look forward to visiting the other sites you mention.
Excellent post. I think you've painted some lovely greens. All of them are good. I've had the same problem with green and have heard other artists write the same.
Thank you for sharing your process--really encouraging!
Jean, Thanks for the mention and the compliment! I used to exclusively use a green made from ultramarine blue and cad yellow medium in oils and acrylics...and then I experimented too! I actually bought a Vivid Lime Green! But now I mix with cerulean blue and hansa yellows and for my pines I sometimes add a burnt umber...and I also bought a color called Gold Green. I know they are acrylics, but perhaps you might find some comperable in w/c. Sap Green was a favorite in w/c...but that was in the olden days when I didn't mix greens. Good luck with your mixing!!
Thanks Fabio, Laura, Melinda and Saundra for sharing your greens. This way we can all improve and overcome any resistance to using greens.
An interesting posting, we all find greens a minefield as they look different next to any other colour used. Mixing greens is much better as you use the palette colours to maintain unity.
Thanks Carolann. You make a good point that I did not mention.
i`m so happy finding your blug just a seconds ago! i`m obsessed by watercolors and i`m so sorry that this week there are to many people round me so i can`t paint. but seeing someone like you i feel even more than inspired
I like your swatches, Jean. You have a nice variety of green mixes. Thanks for the link and your kind words - glad to have inspired you to try your hand at greens too. I do have a nice tube green (Olive green) but didn't include it in my swatches or paintings, because I was more interested in seeing what I could do with blue-yellow mixes. You might try Quinacridone gold with any of your blues, it's a vibrant, warm yellow. My greatest surprise in this was turquoise (I used Terry Madden's Capri turquoise) which I had not used in mixes to make greens before.
I hope you're having fun with this, and I look forward to seeing how you will use these in future paintings.
Thanks Mineke for sharing your greens. I also recently purchased olive green but did not include it in the swatches. I really like it though. I must try the Capri turquoise.
excellent topic, i suffer with green everytime i need to use it and it is amazing the colour combinations that can produce anything but green! thanks for this post. r.
Thanks Rahina. A lot of artists seem to have a problem with using greens. It's good to share one's experiences so we can all benefit.
Welcome back Jean. Green is an incredible colour and the variety of greens is amazing. Your swatch has given much food for thought.
Thanks Liz. There are so many varieties of green one can create - it can be daunting.
Jean--
Nice post. Liked seeing your combinations for greens. I try to get my greens from the primary colors but it is difficult to get what I want. I will try some of your combinations with Hookers.
Thanks Terry. I agree about getting satisfactory colors from mixing the primaries.
Hello,
Green are difficult.
I have also study chart of green on my blog
You can see at this adress :
http://masmoulin.blog.lemonde.fr/2009/04/08/comment-obtenir-de-jolis-verts-en-aquarelle-melanges-ou-verts-du-commerce/
But when I paint it's always difficult
Pierre alias masmoulin
PS excuse my bad english
Thanks Masmoulin for sharing your greens with us. I am about to check them out.
Hi Carolann. Thanks for sharing. Since painting "en plein air" I have relaxed a little with greens. I must say that I still tend to use very little in the way of definate green-green but incorporate other colours also seen in the green, if that makes sense. I also love winter as there is not so much green left but more character in the shapes.
Thanks Carol. I think you mixed me up with "Carolann" - it's Jean. It's interesting to hear what you do. I was wondering if, like so many of us, it is an avoidance of green.
Hi Jean, I haven't seen anything new here in a while. Hope you are doing Ok.
Mineke.
Hi Mineke
I took some time off, went through a painting block, now taking some lessons with Jerry Stitt AWS. Really enjoying it - learning to be more loose with painting. Will post something soon.
Thanks for asking
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