How to make green color sometimes may not be very obvious. Especially when trying to teach children how to mix colours.
It can be hard to find the right type of green especially pure green color. Sometimes different color mixtures will bring about different tone of green.
For example, if you are explaining to children the color green and show them a big land of grass, they will identify it as just green.
However, when looked closer even in a field of green there will be some areas with darker green while others with lighter or slightly yellow green in color.
In this blog we will look into how to make green color and what color mixing can bring about different tones of green.
This can be a very fun art activity to do with children. There’s nothing more exciting than mixing colours. Especially if one color can bring about many different shades.
How to make green color :
Before we go into mixing colours let’s first take a look at the basic color that makes green. .
What colours do you mix to make green ?
Green is known as secondary color. The most basic of colours that makes green is blue and yellow. Also known as primary colours.
Secondary colors are achieved by mixing two primary colors.
Green is known as a secondary color because you need to mix blue and yellow together to achieve green color.
You can mix different tones of yellow and blue to bring about different shades of green. This is the basic formula that makes up a green color.
You can encourage children to try this activity using a paint, crayons or color pencils. The result will be the same.
And then try the same color mixing using different shades of yellow and blue and see how it brings about different tone of green.
For example, using cadmium lemon, yellow ochre with ultramarine blue, Pthalo blue and so on.
As long as you have different shades of yellow and blue, you will be able to produce green.
How to make the color green without yellow?
Blue and yellow are the primary colours that make green. However, there are some ways you can make green without using the yellow.
Instead of using the yellow to make green, you can replace it with orange.
When you mix orange with blue, you will get green. However, the shade of green will be different than mixing it with yellow.
Here are some orange and blue combination you can try :
- Orange + Intense blue
- Orange + Paynes grey
- Orange : Pthalo bkye.
How to make lighter shades of green?
When you mix green with white you will get a lighter shade of green.
Mixing green with white is the easiest way to get a lighter shade of green.
However, that is not the only way of getting light green.
Lighter green can be achieved by using different tone of yellow when mixed properly. For example, Cadmium yellow and green will make a light shade of green.
Yellow ochre is also another shade of yellow which will make a light green tone.
The best way to achieve the right kind of green you are looking for is to experiment with different tones of yellow until you get the right shade.
How to make darker greens?
There are different color combination that can bring about a darker shade of green color.
Once way to do this is by mixing it with the color black. However, this will make all the green shade look the same. Now let’s look at different color combinations to give you a darker shade of green.
Mixing green with purple :
Dioxazine purple is one of the most common color used in making a dark shade of green.
you can also mix this with ultramarine blue to get a dark green tone.
Another easy way to make a dark shade of green is by adding Pthalo green. This will make the color instantly darker.
Although, keep in mind that it might make the color saturated so be careful when adding Pthalo to your mix.
How to make lime green ?
To make lime green you need to mix the yellow and blue.
Firstly you need to blend the 2 colours together. Then you need to add more shade of yellow paint and keep stirring the color.
Keep adding the yellow until you get lime green.
You can also add a little white paint to make a paler lime green.
By repeating the process you will get lime green. If you think the color is getting too pale then add a little blue and then yellow again.
Experiment it few times until you get the right shade of lime green.
How to make the color green without blue?
To make the green you will need the color blue. There is no replacement for blue in order to achieve green color.
However, if you insist on not using the color blue then you can mix yellow and black. But this gives a very dark green.
It is extremely dark that you cannot see much green in it. You can try to add white to the combination but it will not make it that very light.
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How to make forest green paint?
You can follow the steps above to get a darker shade of green also known as forest green.
Forest green tend to be transparent middle green. It is often the chosen color by many landscape artist.
It is usually the most natural green being used by many painters.
Follow the steps below to make forest green :
- Add a small amount of blue to green paint
- Mix the 2 colours thoroughly . Add more blue accordingly to blend the two colours.
- If the color gets too dark then add a slight touch of yellow. Mix it nicely using a brush.
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Forest green can also be achieved by adding black or purple to the color green. This will darken the green color and give it that forestry color.
What colours do you mix to get an olive green?
To achieve the color olive you need to mix 3 colours.
First you need to use the color blue and add yellow to it.
Once the 2 colours are blended well, add a touch of red. But do not add too much red.
Other ways to make green color :
1. Mix different variations of yellow and blues
If you are working with paint then clean the palette and try mixing different tones of yellow and blue. This will give you different results or hues of green
Keep in mind that pure yellow and pure blue will create pure green. But if you start using a different tones of yellow, for example, golden yellow and blue then you will get brownish-green.
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The best way to produce the green that you are looking for is to experiment using different colours of blue and green.
Use equal parts of yellow and blue to get the best result. Write down the colours that you use so you can remember it for the next time.
2. Using different sets of green
You can make more green by mixing different sets of green color.
All green color will have an element of blue and yellow. Hence, mixing different sets of green will give you different tones of green.
3. Use a combination of black and white.
Experimenting with black or white can make the shade of green lighter or darker. Regardless on the color of green you are looking for try mixing black or white in small amounts.
If you add too much of it then you can make it far too dark to light. Hence, always use small amounts.
How to adjust the temperature of green?
There are different ways to create warm and cool shades of green.
Color temperature is crucial when mixing colors. Especially green when using it to paint a landscape.
By using different temperatures you can tell whether a picture is showing a cold or sunny day.
How to make warmer shades of green?
Using warm colors like red, yellows and oranges will create a warmer shade of green.
For example, using orange will warm the green color. Yellow ochre is also an earthy color which will make the green a little brownish.
Red is also a good option to create a warmer but darker green. Especially cadmium red which is mostly used to create dark green.
Conclusion
We hope we have shown you different ways of making the color green. Do not be afraid to mix different colors. Always use a clean palette when mixing colors.
Before you go don’t forget to get the Personalised Growth mindset kit for children
