Color Theory Week 2

This week we’re exploring complementary colors and discovering what happens when we mix them together! We also practiced a fun watercolor technique called a variegated wash and learned how to create a variety of beautiful, muted colors.

1. What Are Complementary Colors?

Complementary colors are colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel. Our three complementary pairs are:

• Red and green

• Yellow and purple

• Blue and orange

When we mix complementary colors together, they begin to neutralize each other. Instead of creating a bright, vibrant color, we get softer, more muted colors. These are called neutrals.

Neutrals are wonderful for creating shadows, adding depth, and toning down brighter colors. They are especially useful in nature-inspired paintings, where we often want a balance of muted colors and little pops of color.

2. Creating Our Complementary Color Trees

For this exercise, we created a little row of five trees to explore how complementary colors mix together.

Step 1: Start with your first color.

Paint one tree using your starting color. For example, we started with red.

Step 2: Add the complementary color.

On the opposite end, paint a tree using green.

Step 3: Mix your neutral.

In the middle, mix equal parts of red and green. This gives you a starting point for finding a neutral.

Step 4: Experiment with the colors in between.

For the remaining two trees, adjust your mixtures. Add a little more red to one and a little more green to the other.

You’ll end up with a gradual transition from red to green, with several beautiful muted colors in between.

Repeat the same process with yellow and purple, and then blue and orange.

Remember, your results may look a little different depending on the paints you’re using. Some mixtures might create warmer browns, while others might lean toward cooler grays or earthy colors. That’s part of the fun of experimenting!

3. Practicing a Variegated Wash

While painting our little tree canopy, we also practiced a technique called a variegated wash.

A variegated wash is when two or more colors are applied while the paint is still wet, allowing them to blend and flow into one another.

Here are a few things to remember:

• Work while your paint is still wet.

• Allow the colors to gently mingle together.

• Use enough water to help the paint move, but avoid puddles or excessive pooling.

• Try not to overwork the colors. Sometimes it’s best to let the watercolor do its thing!

This technique creates beautiful, soft transitions between colors and is especially fun for painting things like foliage, skies, and landscapes.

4. Shifting from Warm to Cool Colors

As we move between colors on the color wheel, we can also observe changes in temperature.

For example, as we transition from yellow toward blue-green, we’re gradually moving from warmer colors into cooler colors.

Paying attention to these temperature changes helps us create more interesting paintings and gives us another way to add variety and depth to our work.

5. Putting It All Together

We finished our class by creating a little fall landscape with a winding path that gradually disappears into the distance, surrounded by autumn trees.

This gave us an opportunity to put everything together!

We practiced:

• Mixing complementary colors to create a variety of fall neutrals.

• Layering watercolor to build depth and dimension.

• Using different values and muted colors throughout the landscape.

• Adding subtle pops of color to bring our autumn trees to life.

• Creating the feeling of distance as our path and trees gradually disappear into the background.

The beautiful thing about mixing your own neutrals is that you don’t have to rely on brown or gray straight from a paint tube. You can create colors that work specifically with the rest of your painting.

A little reminder: There isn’t just one perfect way to mix a neutral. Experiment with your own paints, notice the colors you create, and don’t be afraid of a few surprises along the way!

Keep practicing, keep experimenting, and most importantly, have fun with your watercolor!

Putting our complementary colors to work!

For our second exercise this week, we painted a little autumn landscape with a winding path and trees that gradually disappear into the distance.

We used the neutrals we created by mixing complementary colors and practiced layering to build depth throughout our painting.

I love how mixing your own colors can create such a beautiful, harmonious palette. You don’t always need bright, bold colors to create something beautiful. Sometimes those soft, muted colors with just a few little pops of color are exactly what a painting needs!

Have fun experimenting with your own autumn color combinations!