Unit I, Lesson 9--Ultramarine Blue Color Chart (& Warm Blues)

Ultramarine Blue Color Chart

Ultramarine Blue is a transparent blue that leans red.  It is one of my favorites.

Materials needed:

• Oil Colors
• Alizarin Permanent
• Cadmium Red Deep 
• Transparent Oxide Red
• Cadmium Yellow Light 
• Cadmium Lemon 
• Viridian Green 
• Phthalo Blue
• Ultramarine Blue (lots of it)
• Titanium Zinc White
• Canvas pad--I used Centurion oil-primed linen, 9"x12"
• Masking tape--I used 3/4" tape

Unit I, Lesson 9 took me about 2.5 hours to complete.

Step One: Divide the canvas

Divide your canvas pad using the method outlined in Unit I, Lesson 1.  See my time-saving T-square trick here.

Step Two:  Arrange the colors

The colors remain in the same order as in the first color chart.

Step Three:  Mix the colors and apply the paint

I continued to use my value scale as explained in Lesson 6, here.

Step Four: Remove the tape

Ultramarine Blue Color Chart in progress

Step Five:  Let it dry

Completed Ultramarine Blue Color Chart.  Columns from left to right--Ultramarine Blue; Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Permanent; Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Red Deep; Ultramarine Blue + Transparent Oxide Red; Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Yellow Light; Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Lemon; Ultramarine Blue + Viridian Green; Ultramarine Blue + Phthalo Blue

That's it for the color charts!  I learned a lot about how my chosen palette mixes, and I learned a lot about value.  I will let the canvas pieces dry, then I plan to frame them in some way so that I can display them in my studio.  Here is a link to an article on how to frame unmounted canvas.  I will probably mat and frame them, and display them with a corresponding label.

BONUS--Warm Blues

Working with tints of Phthalo and Ultramarine Blue made me question which appears "warmer."  Remember that Phthalo Blue leans yellow and Ultramarine Blue leans red.  Both red and yellow are considered "warm" colors, but which is warmer?  This has always confused me (and there doesn't seem to be a consensus that I'm aware of), so while it was still fresh in my mind, I investigated a bit for my own reference.  

Warm colors appear to come forward, while cool colors appear to recede.  So, to test whether a yellow blue or a red blue appears warmer, I decided to compare both next to each other, tinted to the same value as each other and on a neutral gray background.  I used toned sketching paper for the background, which is approximately at Value 7.  

First, I taped the paper to ensure the spots of color were the exact same size.  (Smaller objects appear to recede, while large objects appear to come forward.)

Taping the paper

You can see that the paper is toned to Value 7 here.

Value 7

I tinted Phthalo Blue and Ultramarine Blue to approximately the same value as the paper to reduce potential confusion caused by value (high values appear to come forward and low values appear to recede).  

Here are my piles of paint, tinted to Value 7.

Tinted Phthalo Blue (top) versus tinted Ultramarine Blue (bottom)

You can see they are the same value here.

Tinted Phthalo Blue, Value 7 (top) versus tinted Ultramarine Blue, Value 7 (bottom)

I applied the paint squares and removed the tape.  Then, I tested the squares to make sure they were the exact same value, which they were.

Value 7 tints

Here is the final product.

Value 7 tints of Ultramarine Blue (left) versus Phthalo Blue (right)

Ultramarine Blue is on the left, and Phthalo Blue is on the right.  Which appears closer to you?  To me, the Phthalo Blue appears closer.  This leads me to believe that yellow blues are warmer than red blues, although both are warm.

You can access all of the lessons in this unit from the Index of Lessons page here.

Upcoming Lesson

Next up, Unit II--the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!  I will post an introduction to the unit soon.  In the meantime, you can sign up here.  

As always, please subscribe to follow along or join in.  I'd love to meet you--please introduce yourself in the comments.  Also, your feedback is most appreciated.  Leave your questions, comments, and hate mail below.  (I won't post the hate mail, ha!)  Thanks for stopping by.  Monique

Unit I, Lesson 6--Cadmium Lemon Color Chart

Completed Cadmium Lemon Color Chart

Cadmium Lemon is an opaque yellow that leans slightly green (so there's a bit of blue in it).  Fair warning, this is a L O N G blog post.

Materials needed:

• Oil Colors
• Alizarin Permanent
• Cadmium Red Deep 
• Transparent Oxide Red
• Cadmium Yellow Light 
• Cadmium Lemon (lots of it)
• Viridian Green
• Phthalo Blue
• Ultramarine Blue
• Titanium Zinc White
• Canvas pad--I used Centurion oil-primed linen, 9"x12"
• Masking tape--I used 3/4" tape

Unit I, Lesson 6 took me about 2.5 hours to complete.  It took longer because I was more conscientious about the value steps, as outlined below.

Step One: Divide the canvas

Divide your canvas pad using the method outlined in Unit I, Lesson 1.  See my time-saving T-square trick here.

Step Two:  Arrange the colors

The colors remain in the same order as in the first color chart.

Step Three:  Mix the colors and apply the paint

As with the prior lessons, the object of this exercise is to use the top row to display the pure paint, without any white, mixed in the same order.  Then, for each column, tint the rows lighter in even steps.  Because this color chart is a reference for Cadmium Lemon, the first column consists of only that hue.  The second column consists of Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green, the next color in my palette.  The third column is Cadmium Lemon + Phthalo Blue, then Cadmium Lemon + Ultramarine, Cadmium Lemon + Alizarin Permanent, Cadmium Lemon + Cadmium Red Deep, Cadmium Lemon + Transparent Oxide Red, and finally Cadmium Lemon + Cadmium Yellow Light.

As I alluded to in the last lesson (here), I figured out a way to check and correct the value steps between the top row (the darkest or lowest in value) and the bottom row (the lightest or highest in value).

Value Exercise

Here is my value scale, next to some pools of paint on my glass palette.  As you can see, my value scale is well used and covered with paint and thumbprints.  You can buy a nicer looking new one here.

My value scale 

The value scale is a simple card-stock gray tone scale that lists in order ten value levels from the darkest or lowest (nearly black, at Value 1) to the lightest or highest (nearly white, at Value 10).  The darkest or lowest value possible for each pure color or combined colors is the pure paint or mixed combination without any added white.  The lightest or highest value for each pure color or combined colors is the hue tinted with enough white to match Value 10 or higher on the value scale.  

The first step in standardizing the steps between values in each column is to find the step on the value scale of the pure color or combined color.  It is very helpful here to take a picture of the paint next to your value finder (make sure you aren't casting a shadow) and edit the photo to turn it gray.  Here is an example:

Cadmium Lemon and value scale

You can squint to see the value compared to the value chart, but editing a photo makes it very clear where the value falls.  This works because it removes all color saturation, which can confuse the value issue.  Here's a black and white image of the same image:

Cadmium Lemon and value scale, black and white

Looking at the black and white photograph, it is clear that the value of the pure hue is slightly darker than Value 9 and slightly lighter than Value 8.  Now I have found the value of the top row of the column.  Keeping in mind that the last row should always match Value 10, I have the information necessary to create equal steps in value.  The top row of Cadmium Lemon ranges from Value 8-9 and the bottom row should be Value 10, as shown below.

Cadmium Lemon, bottom row, Value 10

Cadmium Lemon, bottom row, Value 10, black and white

The middle row should fall somewhat equally between the two, at Value 9-10.  Because at full saturation yellows start out high in value, the steps between the top and middle and middle and bottom rows are subtle, and they do not necessarily consist of separate numbered steps on the value scale.

The steps become more obvious when introducing colors that are lower in value at their most saturated, including greens and blues.  So, adding Viridian Green to Cadmium Lemon for the second column resulted in a lower starting value, as you can see in this image.  Remember that pure Cadmium Lemon at full saturation is about Value 8-9.  Here, it is obviously much lower.

Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green

Here is a photo showing where the top row actually falls on the value scale (Value 4-5).

Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green (black and white)

Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green (black and white)

Knowing that the highest value in the column must be Value 10, the middle row must fall between Value 4-5 and Value 10.  The closest to the middle of these two values is Value 6-7.

Here is my first try.

Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green + Titanium Zinc White

When I took a black and white photograph of the same image, it was too light, falling right at Value 7.

Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green + Titanium Zinc White; too light at Value 7

So, I added more of the Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green mixture to lower the tone.  Here is the corrected middle value:

Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green

And, in black and white to confirm:

Cadmium Lemon + Viridan Green + Titanium Zinc White; Value 6-7

So, in the Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green column, we know the top row is Value 4-5, the middle row is Value 6-7, and the bottom row will be Value 10.  So, the second row should be around Value 5-6, and the fourth row should be around Value 8-9.  Not exactly perfectly equal, but very close.  I continued this process with Cadmium Lemon + Phthalo Blue, and there you can see that the top row begins even lower in value.

Column 1--Cadmium Lemon; column 2--Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green; column 3--Cadmium Lemon + Phthalo Blue

Therefore, there is more "space" between the steps on the value scale, which you can see when I turn this photo black and white.  With the darker colors, I found I have a tendency to not create enough "space" between the fully saturated hue (the darkest value) and the next row.  Using the value checker created more even steps.

Cadmium Lemon Color Chart in progress with value scale, black and white

Step Four: Remove the tape

Cadmium Lemon Color Chart in progress

Step Five:  Let it dry

Completed Cadmium Lemon Color Chart.  Columns, left to right:  Cadmium Lemon; Cadmium Lemon + Viridian Green; Cadmium Lemon + Phthalo Blue; Cadmium Lemon + Ultramarine Blue; Cadmium Lemon + Alizarin Permanent; Cadmium Lemon + Cadmium Red Deep; Cadmium Lemon + Transparent Oxide Red; Cadmium Lemon + Cadmium Yellow Light

You can also use the value scale to confirm you are adding equal amounts of a high value hue (yellow) with a lower value hue (blue, green, or red).  You can find the starting value of each with the value scale, and the combined hue should fall in the middle of the two starting values.

Looking at the finished product, you can definitely see that the steps beginning lower in value are more even than in my previous charts.  Isn't it pretty?  Let me know in the comments what you think of this exercise!

You can access all of the lessons in this unit from the Index of Lessons page here.

Upcoming Lesson  

Unit I, Lesson 7--Viridian Green Color Chart

Materials needed:

• Oil Colors
• Alizarin Permanent
• Cadmium Red Deep 
• Transparent Oxide Red
• Cadmium Yellow Light 
• Cadmium Lemon 
• Viridian Green (lots of it)
• Phthalo Blue
• Ultramarine Blue
• Titanium Zinc White
• Canvas pad--I used Centurion oil-primed linen, 9"x12"
• Masking tape--I used 3/4" tape

Unit I, Lesson 7 took me about 2.5 hours to complete.
    

As always, please subscribe to follow along or join in.  I'd love to meet you--please introduce yourself in the comments.  Also, your feedback is most appreciated.  Leave your questions, comments, and hate mail below.  (I won't post the hate mail, ha!)  Thanks for stopping by.  Monique