Mixing Greens

No matter what your "challenge color"--and mine WAS green--you can learn to love mixing just what you want to get the effects you love.

[@annediserafino2470]

Thank you Cathy ! i have struggled with greens forever, I will make the chart and hopefully it will help me. I bought two of your books way back when?, and i am going to get them out to review again. Love your paintings and look forward to many more.

[@denisestover2416]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us all! I had never thought so widely about mixing greens! I can't wait to see what else do you have! God Bless!

[@charbel6708]

Oh! this has been so very helpful. I love your homey presentation as much as the color information. Thank you so much!!

[@evetteurbino]

Hi Cathy. What a great video. I appreciate that you took the time to make it for us. I needed that tutorial. Now I'm gonna play and make my own palette. It's always great to hear and watch your videos. Your voice is so calming. Thanks so very much.

[@oceanhome039]

Great video Cathy and so helpful for my amateur sketchbook options. Would love some ideas for getting something for seaside/ ocean studies. Thanks for this generous lesson. I'll be using it over and over!

[@TeaandWatercolourwithMelanie]

Cathy. I just purchased a couple of your books on painting in nature, and I cannot tell you how much your words resonate with me. Being deep,honest, and taking the fear out of my watercolour plein air rediscovery. I've read quite a few landscape paintings books in the past and found your books to be especially resourceful. I hope you can make more videos, I'm grateful for your guidance.

[@CathyJohnson]

I'm so glad, thank you for writing!

[@brightpurpleviking]

I had a watercolor teacher who was incredibly talented. I'll never forget the beautiful nature painting of chickadees he did using only Payne's gray and burnt sienna. The variations of color were amazingly diverse. Great video! Thanks

[@OneTrueWord1988]

You are a wonderful teacher - so sweet and real! I really appreciate the time you take to make these videos. I always learn so much, and feel like I just had a fun visit with a dear friend. Blessings!

[@CathyJohnson]

Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@Lanternamagika]

Simply great. Thanks a million.

[@Naturepainter]

Such an inspiring video! Greens are my nemesis, and this makes me want to go right outside and paint the greens of so many hues surrounding my home. And I really appreciate the "oops" in your videos-- makes it all the more accessible and affirming. :)

[@CathyJohnson]

Thank you, Melissa, I had to learn to enjoy them myself.

[@homeschmomof4]

Cathy, great tutorial for a newbie at water-coloring! Love the Altoid tin and just the *essentials*...great tip with the straw *extender*, too! TFS!

[@GwynethSleuth]

Thank you, Cathy, for using up so much of your paint to teach us to make these gorgeous greens! :-)

[@ecollier722]

This was an excellent tutorial. Thank you!

[@ApproximatelyCee]

Mixing green is one of the most challenging parts of watercolor painting. And I paint a lot of landscapes needing different shades of green. I usually cheat, but mixing greens makes much more interesting shades. Thank you for showing us how. (My powder puff 8 weeks kitten wants to get in one the act here on my iPad.)

[@CathyJohnson]

Glad you enjoyed it! And my kitties often help, too.

[@Mahas2010]

TFS a great tutorial!! Such valuable information!! I'm challenged by greens, but u never know til u do your homework!! I have to keep practicing!! Again TFS!!...Aeral...;)

[@encouraginghope7657]

Great tutorial on mixing greens!! My eyes are open :) Thank you! I just discovered your videos today when someone posted a link to your no sew journal...I was enchanted by your artwork and journal, and then I discovered that you've written 2 books which I've had in my amazon shopping cart for a while...so excited to see the overlap and how social media can help us/me find a great teacher like you!! I look forward to learning more from you!

[@CathyJohnson]

+encouraginghope, glad you liked it, and thank you! I've actually written a lot more than that. :D

[@santaaugustino1]

oopsss I learn a lot from your mixing greens and I can't help laughing when hearing...........oopppssss.....kkkkk

[@Queenread82]

This is blowing my mind. I am a beginner beginner with watercolor. I am going to start here just to get used to colors. I have played around a bit, made a couple of small things but don't know a thing. Picking up a couple of your books today!

[@cooperdakota6626]

a tip : you can watch series at Flixzone. Me and my gf have been using them for watching a lot of movies during the lockdown.

[@ronnierayan6610]

@Cooper Dakota yea, I have been watching on Flixzone} for months myself :D

[@lochlanelliot3127]

@Cooper Dakota yea, have been watching on flixzone} for years myself :)

[@waynebodhi9617]

@Cooper Dakota definitely, have been watching on flixzone} for years myself =)

[@brentleysullivan4080]

@Cooper Dakota yup, been using Flixzone} for years myself :D

[@ildacastillo6905]

Muy bueno tu trabajo, me gustaría la explicación en español, gracias. Ilda.

[@DELMOVIE]

Hi Cathy, Funtime! I am fascinated with the variety of greens and you have given me some more combinations to try. Don't know why but I'm new to your videos though I do have one of your books. Thank you for this video with its playful and warm approach. Love the "oops". carry on the good work, please. Derek

[@zoilarivera8866]

Great video...I learned a lot....thank you :)

[@Ammassalik1]

Please, may you list in writing the colors you use in the mixtures? I find it difficult to identify both for the language that is not mine, it is often referred to different colors names in my country. Thank you a lot! It 's a pleasure to learn from you!

[@CathyJohnson]

Susan, it won't let me reply to you! But I just try to tell whether the greens are warm or cool...

[@beaubrummell11]

thank you very much for thus wonderful tutirrial

[@CathyJohnson]

Glad you enjoyed it! It's fun to explore...

[@sar.planss]

Great video! Just what I needed too! I was wondering if you could possibly make a video about which reds/blues and yellows are warm/cool toned please? I'm a little stuck.

[@CathyJohnson]

Maybe someday! I'm hard at work on a new book, but truly you'll learn more from doing it yourself, and have fun doing it...explore!

[@CathyJohnson]

+Jennicysm, a lot of them are out of print, but I've done 35 now, not counting collections I've been included in. If you go to my webpage, http:/cathyjohnson.info, you can see a list of them on the Writer page at left. Glad you like the WC pencil book!

[@CathyJohnson]

+Jennicysm I've been working for 25 years. :D

[@CathyJohnson]

+Jennicysm, glad to help!

[@ximenacid2646]

thank you very much for your tutorial

[@CathyJohnson]

You're welcome!

[@susanbronsak7682]

How do you determine which combination to use when you're setting out to paint a scene with foliage?

[@natford8271]

My challenge colours are pink/magenta and purple//violet without using split primaries.

[@Scottlp2]

Thanks for the helpful video.Many brands of raw sienna don't mix to yield green. What brand is your raw sienna?Thanks.

[@CathyJohnson]

+Scottlp2, for the dark, dark green? I meant to say burnt sienna for that...it's Winsor & Newton, which I much prefer to other brands. It's cleaner, more transparent, and warmer. Raw sienna is usually that brand as well.

[@lilianaham7652]

I love mixing colors! Thanks Cathy, very useful video. Manganese blue? I don't know it! Are those Winsor & Newton waterolors?

[@CathyJohnson]

Most are W & N, yes--my old standby! You can't get True manganese blue any more, but manganese blue HUE is nice too.

[@nancymaewi]

Hi Kate! Great video!! What color Pthalo Blue do you use? Red shade or Green Shade. Thank you so much!!! Can't wait to take your Sketchbook Skool Klass!!

[@CathyJohnson]

Mostly green I think, Nancy!

[@SusieDiamond221]

I really enjoyed watching the various and lovely shades of green that you have made....but the only thing I didn't like was that you often said the wrong name for the color you were using....calling raw sienna "burnt sienna" and payne's gray "indigo" and several others...but I understand, there are a lot of different colors and mixes going on....it just got a little confusing to keep it straight.....but your mixes are wonderful, and I appreciate the many facets of green that you came up with.

[@CathyJohnson]

I'll have to watch it again to see what you mean! I should add notes if I messed up like that.

[@sallyjohnson1566]

so helpful!