Creating a Warm or Cool Green

This is a brief discussion on why I like to use ultramarine blue or ivory black to mix my greens. For the longest time, I never used black. In art school, I learned watercolor and one of the things they did not want us to do was use black. They wanted us to use other colors to get something really dark. I can see why they teach this when you are learning about color. But, over the years, I started using black to mix warm greens. Creating a warm green is the big reason I started and am still using black and yellow together.

Conversely, if I use my ultramarine blue, or any deep blue, I will get a cool green. This is something us artists need to pay attention to. The elements in our paintings that are receding, or in the back, are generally cooler. For example, I would mix distant trees with my ultramarine blue and cad-lemon or a little ochre. I would use the blue instead of black. Then, I will use black and yellow together for anything in the foreground close to me because it will give me a dark, warm green. This can vary depending on the landscape you are painting.

Since black is dark in value, you need to be careful with how much yellow you put in because it will raise the value. It is always a fine balance of value and intensity of color. It is something you have to continue to experiment with. Try to use ivory black and cad-lemon or yellow and notice the difference when you mix it. See how much different the color temperature is when you mix blue or black into that yellow. You will clearly see that the green is warmer once you put the black in there, and cooler with the blue. I think you will get more range in your greens by just giving this mixture a shot!

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