Fixing MISTAKES! (Watercolor Mixing Tutorial)

In this video I answer subscriber questions about mixing colors in watercolor. From water levels to theory, learn about the mistakes they are making and how they can be easily fixed. This tutorial will show you that a little knowledge will go a long way to improving your paintings.
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
1:22 A big puddle of muddy color
5:50 Greens!
10:14 Mix watercolors on the paper
11:39 Not mixing enough paint
14:11 How much water?
17:20 Forgetting how a color was mixed
18:51 The perfect red
21:49 Dull, lifeless colors
24:25 Adding a second color
27:02 Eye surgery and other visual issues
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• Fixing MISTAKES! (Wat...

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Do you have any color mixing problems or repeated mistakes? Try this video next: How to Mix Watercolors (THIS colour is essential) kzbin.info/www/bejne/emHHZ4KvjqZ8jpY

[@jennymurray2873]

Swamp water has a lot to answer for. I try to use a different brush for each colour I'm taking from my palette. No mucky paints. Blot the brush before rinsing. No swamp water. have two or three jam jars - one for each primary colour. I am currently halfway through making a mixing chart for my 24 W & N Professional set. I've learnt a lot about the paints and will have 576 different combinations of colours when I've finished, besides watered-down colours. There's a good argument for having a limited palette of 12.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I too have a lot of colours! All different brands too 😅

[@suziemizon685]

So grateful to you too Michele🙏 - this video is really easy to follow esp about the "Greens!" Can't wait to see how many I can mix .... and swatch😂 These amazing watercolour pigments and this colour mixing magical thing is all really fascinating stuff - pure alchemy! Thank you for de-mystifying a little!💞

[@brightonrosie]

Excellent tutorial . One of the things I have recently learnt to do concerns colour matching. I now have a window of paper which I place over the colour I am trying to match to isolate it and then try out my mix on the “frame” of it.

[@Harper.s_Art]

Very good idea!

[@srab420]

Thank you again for sharing your expertise, Michele. Besides learning from your instruction, I always feel motivated after I watch. Your discussion about eyesight issues was something I haven't seen on any of the other online instructors that I have watched. I love that you really address issues that affect us personally.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I'm glad you enjoy the videos, thank you for watching :)

[@georgemcgregor6294]

Charity shops in Australia are called Op shops..ie Opportunity shops.😊

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I'm in a couple of Australian sewing FB groups I am learning to speak the language 😁

[@KathrynGoldman]

The tip about looking into the distance after working closely on something is a good one. Thanks for that. That blurriness happens to me all the time.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

My optician taught me 🙂

[@carrollwilson5169]

Great video, love how you share your knowledge. As for the Op shop, it really started as an “Opportunity shop” where there was/is an opportunity to get a really good bargain.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I love an Op shop, or a charity shop as we call them here :-)

[@Carmcgee]

I'll be having cataract surgery soon, so we'll see if this makes a noticeable difference in how I perceive colors. Thanks for including this information -- I had never considered how it might impact my art.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Eyes change slowly so I guess changes aren't noticed. Good luck with your surgeries!

[@suel4269]

Me too! This coming Monday!

[@jakea1035]

Since I had a double cataract operation I have one warm and one cool eye! Decidedly trippy. Thank you for this tutorial.

[@walker449d]

I loved this video. I love how you talk about mixing. Thanks!❤

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are very welcome 🙂

[@madgrammy697]

I started trying your colour mixing recipes and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. As a complete novice, I’m learning how the different colours feel and behave. So good! Thanks, Michelle.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

No worries 🙂

[@eepsers1]

I do like this format of covering problem areas. It was a nice variety of questions but all related to color!

[@taostaosolgateresa575]

I love your site. You are a good teacher....I was just in Mexico painting flowers...I live in Taos...all about art...

[@carlabravi8623]

I find this video is excellent! It has something relaxing and at the same time it was very interesting to watch from the beginning to the end. Great work! Thank you Michelle!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thanks 🙏👍

[@dwebb6478]

Thank you Michele. Packed with useful tips, as always!

[@50andCountingcom]

One thing that helps me see my painting with a new perspective is to take a photo of it, showing me what it really looks like. I see the colors and values differently through the lens, as well as shapes and needed details I missed. It also helps me to walk away for a short time, then come back to it.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Great idea!

[@viktoriavidali]

Very helpful format, Michele. Thank you!

[@kaarlimakela3413]

In talking about greens, I decided to make some greens just from my lemon yellow and my 3 different blues. I got up to 35 different colors, but could see by the end I could have gotten well over 150 if I hadn't gotten tired! I just kept going 'wow, ooh, aah'! Amazing.

[@janetturner3497]

cleared up some mistakes that have happened to me!!!!!!😅😅tjank you

[@solar979]

Wonderful and very helpful video, as always! I feel less confused after watchin Michele's videos. ž

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad they're helpful :)

[@aliciashackley5830]

Another great video Michele. Thx as usual. 🥰

[@BrazenSpirituality]

Thanks as always! 🥰🎨🖼️

[@lindagunter7811]

Great information thanks❤

[@jakea1035]

Thank you for so much information as usual.

[@sharonelliott1075]

Thank you for your wonderful videos.

[@joycesnodgrass7068]

Thank you, very helpful video!

[@user-zb2sx9bp1u]

Thank you for answering my question ❤ Great tutorial, as always!

[@borleyboo5613]

Very informative and useful video. I think most beginners, like me, have trouble with colour mixing etc. This has helped enormously. Thank you. 😊

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You're very welcome!

[@susanbuckley1964]

Thanks Michele. Helpful and very interesting.😀

[@dianakoeppel3492]

Thank you again. Your videos help me every time. 😊

[@Angela-jy8um]

Your videos are so helpful!! Thanks!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad you like them!

[@suzum.9713]

Enjoyed!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thank you!

[@b.2194]

Thank you for this brilliant video! I nearly gave up on watercolour because of the problems you stated (ok, except from muddy water and muddy colours . That was obvious to me) - but now I am freshly motivated to try again😊

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

That's great!

[@phillipdridge9775]

That's a fantastic video, and a lot to take in. Thank you ever so much ❤❤❤

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@cathierayes4226]

These are amazingly helpful tips! Thank you.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

So glad!

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Michele thank you for answering my question about color mixing. Thanks also for sharing the helpful details with the other wonderful questions too, especially greens! I always enjoy your helpful examples of how to remedy a watercolor challenge or problem. Have a great weekend! 🥰🫶🏻

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

And you Colleen!

[@plove523]

This was very informative, I enjoyed it.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thank you 😊

[@boopeep9670]

* what should I look for to know if my painting is still in the ugly stage and to keep at it or if I’ve gone too far and there’s no coming back or salvaging it and to chalk it up as a learning experience and start over? Excellent video. Chock-full of valuable information. I love this kind of content and the demonstrations really clarified what you were saying, it truly helps to make it click in my brain. I really appreciate the high quality of production value you put into your videos I know that takes a lot of work and expensive equipment but it makes a huge difference when trying to see exactly what you’re talking about thank you. I’m gonna have to go back and rewatch this to take notes of specific colors and so forth. I hope you do more of this type of video I could watch these for endless hours. Thank you so much. The more strategies we have to quickly fall back on the greater our chance of success and enjoying the magic of watercolor. It has such a small window of open time, even shorter if I’m wildly guessing how to adjust poor choices. Can’t wait to read all the comments as I’m sure there will be more gems in the comment section from viewers, as well as replies from you. Thanks again for tackling viewers troublespots.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are very welcome. Regarding the ugly stage, push through regardless because painting is always good experience, it's impossible to always know if you can rescue the work or not :-)

[@Pebblesmas]

What an amázing video again, learnt a lot! So, i like this kind too, but all yiur other videos are fab too, you always put in so much of your knowledge, i live that so much, thx a lot !!!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad you like them!

[@allonewordcaps]

Very helpful

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad to hear that

[@kaarlimakela3413]

I am learning a lot. 😊

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Great!

[@sharonbaker8851]

Thanks for all the great tips! Several I did already know about but remembering them when painting is another story! (I really need to make a notes-book for tips that I can review periodically.) I do keep some lightweight mixed media paper on hand to swatch colors when painting, so how did I not think to keep a sheet nearby to record the particularly awesome mixed colors I have made? (getting a sheet now....) 🥴

[@Valerie-ut2dk]

Great information as always. As for the eyesight thing, as a sports photographer I am in front of my laptop and desktop computers a lot processing images at games and after. I have astigmatism in both eyes and, due to time and gravity, also need reading glasses. My optometrist suggested I get glasses that are correct for my vision issue but that also have the correction for working at the distance of my computer screens. Game changer. I can see what I'm editing properly and my eyes are not strained and tired. These are not progressives, they are exclusively for working at computer distance (in my case). You could do the same for working at painting distance if you need to be painting for long periods. Or you could do like my husband, put the cheaters (reading glasses) over your prescripton glasses. Too much for me at games - I already have enough gear to keep track of.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I wear contact lenses for martial arts but the vision is not great. Then I need reading glasses and non prescription sunglasses to go with all the other glasses 🤓

[@Valerie-ut2dk]

@@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber Yes indeed. Contact lenses for taking photographs sometimes, special glasses for editing, corrective clip-ins for my cycling sunglasses, driving glasses, and dollar store cheaters of all corrections for anything in between. How did people cope before we had anything to correct our vision?

[@marionwigzell7334]

Hi Michele. A very helpful video. In Australia, an Op shop is an “Opportunity” shop, just for your info(-: Marion 🎉

[@nancydavidson4899]

I’ve lived in Oz for nearly 30 years. I’ve never asked, but I’ve heard it stands for “opportunity shop” Can any true Aussies confirm that? Also in the same boat as you with the varifocals which makes me the butt of many a joke in my art class when my glasses are on my head and my face is ridiculously close to the paper 😂 Yes liking this format but then I enjoy everything you do 🙏

[@carolewatson9192]

Yes, OP shop is opportunity shop, which I think is a great way of describing them.

[@nancydavidson4899]

@@carolewatson9192 Thanks Carole 😃

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thank you!

[@tracyebrandt3235]

Great video again! Thanks to whoever asked the question about the reds. I just solved my issue by swapping out my Perm Rose with my Scarlett Lake in my attempt to mix a peach color😊

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

That's great 👍

[@tracyebrandt3235]

@In the Studio with Michele Webber Would love to see more videos like this! What is your opinion on perylene colors, particular perylene violet? I am looking for a very dark purple-ish color for those extremely dark florals. I have easiest access to WN and DS. I tried mixing it, but it becomes very flat looking. Thanks!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

@@tracyebrandt3235 Perylene can be beautiful but it is sometimes quite warm. Are you looking for a true deep purple or more of a dark aubergine? You can try mixing with payne's grey and a pink of course if you haven't tried that.

[@tracyebrandt3235]

@@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber Thank you - I will try that.! I am looking more for a beautiful aubergine. It is like you know exactly the color I am trying to achieve😀

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

@@tracyebrandt3235 In that case Perylene Violet will be perfect for you. I have Winsor and Newton, it is fabulous. I also have Jackman's Art Materials (not jacksons). Of the two the W&N is brighter and warmer, the Jackmans is cooler and bluer.

[@caroles5258]

Very helpful, thanks. I totally relate to Todd, I just had cataract surgery and one eye sees bright clean whites and the old eye sees this antique yellow look to everything. lol

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Interesting! We are lucky to have such things available in modern times 😄

[@stephanieh930]

I always love to hear your tips and tricks, thank you! When I first started painting my biggest problem was making purple (instead of mud). Your videos set me on the right path for that and many other things. Now my biggest problem is that I hate wearing my glasses and am trying to claim that not wearing them will help me learn to paint color values better (because there would have to be more contrast for me to see what I'm painting). LOL, I know that is not going to fix the problem, but I can hope :)

[@KatheeRN]

Try mixing a warm blue with a cool red to make nice purples. For greens try a cool yellow with a cool blue. For orange mix a warm red with a warm yellow. I don't remember where I got this info from, but it's in my watercolor notebook that I write down things I want to remember... like my mixes and which brand of paint I use for a particular color. Like, I use mostly Daniel Smith colors, but I use M Graham cobalt teal, and Windsor Newton's Naples yellow. HAPPY PAINTING.

[@stephanieh930]

@@KatheeRN thanks! This sounds like something I've seen in the past week, but couldn't remember all the warm/cool differences.

[@teomda2975]

Great video! I wonder if anyone has got any tips for disposing of paint water? I try to use small amounts and let it evaporate to the point that I can just wipe the pigment and throw it in the trash, but that is a really slow process.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I tend not to worry too much about this, as Watercolour has a lot less toxins than Acrylic. Maybe the method you currently use is the best one for it :)

[@westysutube]

👍👍👍

[@trishmirabile4905]

Hi Michelle. I'm a big fan. What is the pink on your palette? 💕

[@trishmirabile4905]

Oops Michele with one L🙄

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

No worries lol. It's Jackman's Permanent Rose from my Essentials Set, but can be purchased seperately.

[@jessieg4901]

I would like to point out too, that when you said the paint “plops,” some paint just has less flow. Like there can be huge differences in paint formulas, like qor and Rosa gallery have crazy flow spreading ability, vs a paint like mjelllo mission gold, davinci, Holbein etc- they stay right where you put them if you don’t make them spread out !

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Yes and lots of other factors too like paper, temperature etc 🙂

[@lyndalbond8683]

opp shop is short for Opportunity Shop

[@KatheeRN]

HELP Ive been hunting a Christmas red. Can anyone help me with suggestions?

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Cadmium Red (deep)!

[@grahamnash9794]

I've not used it, but those that do recommend Arches paper as the ultimate for wet in wet, and for applying very diluted paint. Visual issues indeed. The old eyes are in a bit of trouble actually. I went tee "see" an eye specialist earlier in the week, and with many thousands of pound worth of training and equipment to use, he told what I told him from the off Being told the ultimate obvious truth can get frustrating sometimes. In a nut shell, yes they're damaged, and yes treatment is available. But what wasn't answered is whether on they could be recovered to the point of getting a driving license again. Neither did I get an answer about timing it right to get tested for new glasses. You see, (pun intended) I'm see at though I'm about to faint, and the other issue is being unable to focus by looking directly at something. By looking strait it anything, I see nothing, but looking just a few degrees off to the right or left, I can locate that something, although not clearly. As the blood sugar fluctuate so does the quality of my vision. So there's my query about timing for the eye test. Do I go when I can hardly see, or when I can see slightly better? When the blood sugar count is lowish, I can see slightly better, but a can see reasonably well when the count is high. Catch 22 really. Right now the count is within the set boundaries, but I need a magnifying glass to see what I'm typing. (And that takes an age). So although treatment is there, I still don't if I'll have eyes to see in a years time or not. Where to go what to do, better watch out there coming for you...Well the first 4 words ask outright what's running around my mind, but the remainder are from a favoured song of my youth. I don't think Motorhead would be your cup of tea. LOL Anyway, I've abused your kind heart with my woes. I hope it wont be held against me. I thank you for covering an all to often overlooked side to painting. Take care sweet lady. TTFN

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Well I hope you find a solution to your eyesight problems! I am as happy listening to heavy metal as pop, I listen to a huge range of stuff. Mostly loud. Not fond of classical although I don't mind a bit of opera. Hate jazz, especially the sort without a singer.