How to Make Black
Gather red, blue, and yellow paint., Squeeze or dab some of each color onto the palette in a separate spot., Mix the paint together., Adjust the value and hue of the black.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather red
Black is the darkest color, but there are still degrees of blackness you can make with paint.
The exact shades of red, blue, and yellow that you use will determine the black.
Use your choice of oil, watercolor or acrylic paint.Using Aureolin, Rose Madder Genuine, and Cobalt Blue will yield a soft black while using Winsor Yellow, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, and Winsor Blue will yield a bold black.
If you have a basic paint set, whatever red, blue and yellow you have will work.
Magenta and cyan are common red and blue to use. -
Step 2: and yellow paint.
It works best to put the colors on the palette one at a time before you mix them.
Put the globs of paint about ½ inch (1.3 cm) apart on the palette.
For a basic black, use equal amounts of each color.
Use slightly more of one or two of the colors to give a different look to the black.
If you use a paintbrush to dab paint onto the palette, be sure to use a different brush for each color so that you don’t mix the paints except on the palette.
You will most likely not be able to create the same black from one time to the next, so be sure to make enough to paint what you want to. , You can use a paintbrush to mix the colors together.
Some paint mixes better if you use a palette knife or some type of metal scraping tool.
Spend at least 15 seconds moving the paints around to make sure you end up with one full color without any leftover bits of any individual color.
If you use a paintbrush to mix the paint, swirl the brush gently and don’t press down too hard.
You can ruin brushes by pushing them too hard against the palette. , Depending on what you use the black for will affect how you want it to look.
You might add a small dab of white paint to lighten the black, or you might add a drop more blue to create a black for a night sky.
If you have time and paint to spare, experiment with the color.
Add a little brown or green to the black to paint pine trees at night, or add some yellow for the sun reflecting off of black metal.
Mixing paint by hand usually won’t give you an exact black, but your black will have more character than a pure black. -
Step 3: Squeeze or dab some of each color onto the palette in a separate spot.
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Step 4: Mix the paint together.
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Step 5: Adjust the value and hue of the black.
Detailed Guide
Black is the darkest color, but there are still degrees of blackness you can make with paint.
The exact shades of red, blue, and yellow that you use will determine the black.
Use your choice of oil, watercolor or acrylic paint.Using Aureolin, Rose Madder Genuine, and Cobalt Blue will yield a soft black while using Winsor Yellow, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, and Winsor Blue will yield a bold black.
If you have a basic paint set, whatever red, blue and yellow you have will work.
Magenta and cyan are common red and blue to use.
It works best to put the colors on the palette one at a time before you mix them.
Put the globs of paint about ½ inch (1.3 cm) apart on the palette.
For a basic black, use equal amounts of each color.
Use slightly more of one or two of the colors to give a different look to the black.
If you use a paintbrush to dab paint onto the palette, be sure to use a different brush for each color so that you don’t mix the paints except on the palette.
You will most likely not be able to create the same black from one time to the next, so be sure to make enough to paint what you want to. , You can use a paintbrush to mix the colors together.
Some paint mixes better if you use a palette knife or some type of metal scraping tool.
Spend at least 15 seconds moving the paints around to make sure you end up with one full color without any leftover bits of any individual color.
If you use a paintbrush to mix the paint, swirl the brush gently and don’t press down too hard.
You can ruin brushes by pushing them too hard against the palette. , Depending on what you use the black for will affect how you want it to look.
You might add a small dab of white paint to lighten the black, or you might add a drop more blue to create a black for a night sky.
If you have time and paint to spare, experiment with the color.
Add a little brown or green to the black to paint pine trees at night, or add some yellow for the sun reflecting off of black metal.
Mixing paint by hand usually won’t give you an exact black, but your black will have more character than a pure black.
About the Author
Walter Roberts
Walter Roberts has dedicated 11 years to mastering education and learning. As a content creator, Walter focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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