Tonal Mixing Chart
In this part you will learn how to create the tonal mixing chart using your watercolour paints. This is good practice for your future paintings. The mixing chart gives you an idea what interesting and unexpected colours you can create using paints that you already have.
You can use my chart for reference or you can create you own system.
I am using all paints for the course “Northern Landscape”:
To create the mixing chart you need to know the number of your paints. There are nine colours in this example. That would be equal to nine blocks + plus two extra blocks for name and basic tone; so my chart needs to be eleven by eleven blocks. If you have for example 18 colours, then you need to do 20 x 20 block chart.
You can use a pencil and ruler and create a chart, or, like me, use scrapbooking Washi tape (3 mm). I like to use tape because it saves time and I do not need to worry about edges and accidentally mixing the washes.
On the top row and the first column – starting from the third block write the name of your paint aligning them in the same order – from left to right and from top to bottom.
Now let’s fill in the chart blocks. On the vertical column next to the paint name place the darkest tone, on the horizontal row under the name place the lightest tone. Where the column and row intersect – in this block place the middle tone.
For example, you can see how it is done with Cerulean Blue.
Repeat the same process for each paint.
Your chart will look like this:
In the next step you start to mix tones from top row and the left column. For example, the block on the forth row next to the Ultramarine located on the intersection of “Dark Ultramarine” and “Light Cerulean Blue”. By mixing right amount of paint (more Ultramarine and a little bit Cerulean Blue) you create the mixing tone and paint this block.
Repeat the same process of mixing tones with each block by finding the matching colours from the left column and top row.
This is a long and meditative process. Do not rush, enjoy, take your time and you will create your own mixing chart with a new set of beautiful colours that you can use in your paintings.
When you chart is dry, peel off the tape and enjoy your beautiful creation.
Student’s work
Tracey 2024
