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6 Ways to Mix Blacks and Darks in Watercolor

The Mind of Watercolor

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Mixing blacks or super darks in watercolor can yield some awesome, lively results. Not to mention it's an important mixing skill to learn. Here are 6 useful mixes you can get started with immediately.

Mix #1 – Phthalo Green BS / Quinacridone Violet
Mix #2 – Neutral Tint / any deep transparent color
Mix #3 – Phthalo Blue GS / Tr. Red Iron Oxide
Mix #4 – Ultramarine Blue / Tr. Red Iron Oxide
Mix #5 – Anthraquinone Blue / Quinacridone Rust
Mix #6 – Phthalo Green BS / Perylene Maroon

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M. Graham Watercolors used:
Phthalo Blue GS– hhttps://amzn.to/3glrFIf
Phthalo Green BS – no link
Anthraquinone Blue – https://amzn.to/2XuzN0t
Ultramarine Blue – https://amzn.to/2ytsEEX
Red Iron Oxide – https://amzn.to/2ZwvFiT
Quinacridone Violet – https://amzn.to/2ZKeieT
Quinacridone Rust – https://amzn.to/2ZxZYG8
Perylene Maroon – no link
Neutral Tint – https://amzn.to/2A2FZV4

DaVinci Cosmotop Spin #10 Flat (came from this set) – https://amzn.to/2A5ag5C

Daniel Smith Jane's Gray – https://amzn.to/2LQgVmX

The Brush Guys – https://www.thebrushguys.com/cgi-bin/...
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20 Comments

@InLiquidColor 6 years ago (edited) Pinned

Thanks for making a great quick resources for this topic and taking the time to explain why black isn't necessarily evil on its own ;) My favorite combos right now are ultramarine and burnt umber, phthalo green and DVs alizarin crimson quinacridone or another cool red like carmine, and perylene green with perylene violet depending on the undertones I'm going for. MGs neutral tint is definitely my favorite neutral tint given that it's the PV19/PG7 mix, but I also love your Quin Violet mixture so I'll have to give that a try!

@AmericanIrezumi 1 year ago

Thanks! Needed this today for a commission painting a black and white cat ❤😂

@Cre-Art 2 years ago

I've gotten to really enjoy mixing colors rather than depending on what comes out of the tube. What used to be intimidating or challenging is now a lot of fun. Thanks for this video.

@TomWoodson31 3 months ago

Great instructions

@junelawniczak3794 6 years ago

Thanks! Great info. Also, thank you for always mentioning other artists. That makes you extra special.

@lisap5615 3 years ago

Wonderful demonstration. Pairing complements works great for creating interesting neutrals, but it seems that using more intense colors works best for creating deeper black-like mixes. This was so helpful. Thank you so much!

@Fleurdoodles 6 years ago

Wow, such an awesome presentation of mixing blacks and darks! 👍 My favorite at the moment is Indigo with Burnt Umber. Greetings Maike 🖌

@LeighSmith_leigh_darling 6 years ago

I was looking for advice on this, saw this video and yelled "OF COURSE I WANT ADVICE FROM WATERCOLOR DAD!" My husband knew immediately who it was. Thank you for another helpful video, explained in a calm, relaxed, and informative way, with really good shots for us visual learners. I appreciate the work you put in to these videos so much.

@jeannettecomer8739 5 years ago

Thanks Steve. I really needed this!

@lhouchin2157 1 year ago

Just a thank you for this video. I am working on a project and knew I didn't want black black, but a mix. Usually use a UMB and BS mix. But I was needing something to go to tint out to more lavender. I researched several sites. The PG and QL mix I had not seen before and this is EXACTLY what I was after. I am so very thankful for your videos and what they have added to my journey. Thankful you share your gift with us.

@agold1702 3 years ago

Wonderful. I get it now.😊

@karenhoward303 6 years ago

Great color lesson, thank you!

@janegadd1681 6 years ago

fascinating, I can't wait to play with colours like this!!!!!!!!!!

@4zengrl 3 years ago

Very useful exercise! Thank you!!

@ayedicko6452 5 years ago

Thank you so much for sharing!!

@agold1702 4 years ago

Thanks- VERY helpful!

@kraznia 8 months ago

I know I'm late to the party on this video, but adding another combo: PG7 also makes a great mix with PR242, a very warm red, but really any warm red, it was just the best match I had at the time I mixed it. Cool reds mixed with PG7 tend to stay purple which is still lovely, but a different result, not what I was looking for at the time.
Playing with mixing two (or more) also gives control over not just transparency and tint leaning, but also granulation. I love burnt Sienna (especially DV's BS Deep) and ultramarine because of the granulation, but sometimes I don't want that. DV's BS Deep and Manganese Blue mix also make a nice neutral mix that granulates well, not exactly black (the blue is lighter than UM) but still lovely.
There are grey and black pigments that have their place when looking for certain effects. PBk11 can be controlled by magnets while still wet and granulates, graphite has a bit of a sheen and can be polished after it dries, there are lightfast inks that can be mixed with watercolor for effects, black Tourmaline has a little natural sparkle, slate black (not really black) is hard to find, but I'm a growing fan. The only premixed watercolor Davy's Grey I've found so far that I like is from W&N and they use slate grey (PBk19) as the base, completely different look and feel than the ones that lean on the green and skip the slate.