Watercolor Web

There are two rules for mixing darks in watercolor. First, use plenty of paint and water, and, second, pick the right combination of paints.

If I have to paint a large dark passage, I will often set out my paints in mixing cups instead of grabbing paint from a palette well. I will use one cup for each single pigment and then let the colors combine on the page.

I squeeze out lots of paint, roughly the same amount I would use if I were squeezing out toothpaste to go on a toothbrush. Then, I add enough water to bring the paint to the consistency of heavy cream. As I am painting the darks, I try never to rinse my brush until I finish the passage.

As a general rule, mixed combinations of paints work better than lamp black for going dark in watercolor. The main reason for this, I think, has more to do with grays than with blacks. Even the blackest black will usually have some sort of transition around the edges to a lighter color. If we make our blacks with lamp black, then that transition will be a completely neutral gray. We very rarely see a truly neutral gray in nature. Even a neutral gray object will likely be tinted by the color of the light. When we create our darks from a combination of colors, then the transition to lighter values will tend to contain some color and hence mimic the effect of light, creating a more convincing illusion.

The best combination of dark paints you choose will depend on what other paints you are using. Some combinations work better for figure work and earth palettes. Other combinations work better for landscape work. When I am pick a combination, I usually start with a paint that I am using elsewhere in the painting and then add a second paint to make my dark. For example, if I am already using ultramarine blue in my painting, then I will most likely pick a dark that contains ultramarine blue. Here are some of my favorite combinations:

Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Blue

Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Blue

Although not the darkest combination you can choose, burnt sienna and ultramarine blue is versatile and easy to work with. You can shift it toward either the cool or warm side, and if you make a mistake it’s easy to scrub it out. As an added bonus, the granulation of the ultramarine blue combines with the smoothness of the ultramarine blue to create a lyrical texture.

If you are looking for a dark gray instead of a true black, this is the way to go. And if you want to explore the ultimate limited palette, it is possible to create a handsome painting with just these two pigments.

Burnt Umber and Ultramarine Blue

Burnt Umber and Ultramarine Blue

Burnt umber and ultramarine blue is similar to burnt sienna and ultramarine blue, except that it allows you to go darker. The burnt umber can be a little bit more opaque and difficult to handle than burnt sienna. I find it especially difficult to control wet-in-wet, as most brands tend to spread uncontrollably. If the burnt sienna/ultramarine blue isn’t dark enough for you, though, then burnt umber and ultramarine blue will give you a couple of extra steps of value.

Perylene Maroon and Phthalo Green

Perylene Maroon and Phthao Green

This combination will create a healthy black that approaches the darkness of lamp black. As you lighten this combination, the resulting grays will range from a brown to an unsaturated green to a neutral gray. It is especially useful in landscape painting for capturing deep greens in shadow.

As a general rule, it is best to avoid this combination in figure work. Phthalo green is one of the strongest pigments you can use, and it can get out of control in a hurry. Once you put phthalo green on your palette, the smallest dab can work its way into every paint mixture. It is simply too easy to turn a lovely flesh tone into a deathly and jaundiced green by accident.

Perylene Maroon and Perylene Green

Perylene Maroon and Perylene Green

This combination is similar to perylene maroon and phthalo green except, that perylene green is far less assertive than phthalo green. The blacks are virtually indistinguishable from lamp black.

Burnt Sienna and Phthalo Blue Green Shade or Phthalo Turquoise

This is a great combination for landscape work. You can mix a terrific forest green. Although it is not the darkest combination for a dark green, it is incredibly useful.

Quinacridone Orange and Phthalo Blue

Quinacridone Orange and Phthalo Blue

Admittedly, I don’t use this combination frequently. Quinacridone orange, which I usually purchase as M. Graham’s Quinacridone Rust, and phthalo blue are not everyday colors for me. Consequently, I usually pick other combinations first. All the same, you can mix a great dark with it.

The image at left uses M. Graham Quinacridone Rust and Winsor & Newton Phthalo Blue (Blue Shade)