Color Mixing Workshop

Primary encaustic colors used for our color wheels:

Joanne Loves This Red!

Montserrat Magenta

French Ultramarine

Cobalt

Hansa

Yellow Orchre

The color mixing workshop was a combination of history, chemistry, geology, and even tiny bits of math (simple fractions) as Hylla Evans explained the origins of color. We made our own color charts which allowed us a first hand understanding of how to mix colors. She explained how the first pigments came from the earth, the colors used by classical painters. As minerals were discovered in the earth, the pigments for the traditional impressionist painters were formed, followed by the industrial revolution which lead to modern paint colors, and then ultra modern (colors that are so intense they respond unlike any other previous color and they are off the color chart!) We also learned about intensity, tints and mixing with white.

Here I am, early in the color mixing process

Hylla (left) checking on us as we create our color wheels

Hylla's tint chart using Irgazine blue, a post modern color

Primary colors on my chart (the green is not quite right - it shouldn't be sitting in the yellow wedge), I haven't mixed my violets and reds yet.

R red

O orange

Y yellow

G green

B blue

I indigo

V violet