🎨My Secret Favorite Watercolor Mixes🎨

[@sigrunella1]

I love mixing cerulean blue, caput mortum, potters pink and cobalt teal with more transparent complementing colours. You can see the wonderful granulation shine through. Green Gold an cobalt teal is a wonderful lively combination, also Nickel Azo Yellow and Potters pink, caput mortum and phthalo green light or cerulean and Quin Rose.

[@iritlandgraf]

Great mixes! Thanks for sharing!

[@BB-nz5sk]

Oooohhhh - those combinations sound very cool. I am taking notes!! Thank you for sharing.

[@valasafantastic1055]

Mud is a myth to me. It’s just beautiful opaque! I like various properties and opacities! Watercolour does not have to be only one way (transparent) I also love multi pigment mixes. I love Naples yellow too. I love to collect and use all the colours although I do have favourites to look at and favourites to paint with. I Don’t have any cobalt violets I’ll look into the Windsor and Newton if it’s the best. Someday as I’m prioritizing a bunch of other colour needs right now. I also will premix in empty half/full pans and will recommend one to you Perfect realistic greases/leaf colour (base) M graham Nickel Quinacridone Gold (po 48+py 150) and Pthalo green pg7 (a middle Pthalo green is best (between b.s. and y.s.) Add more of the the nickel quin gold for the golden (highlight/sunlight shining through the leaves) and more Pthalo for the main green leaf colour! Then you use this as a base and add other colours to adjust into any plant! I discovered this after many intentional experiments and it has changed my life! I think any Pthalo (in the middle) works great but the m graham nickel quinacridone gold was defiantly the best of all the ‘golds’ I tried! At least in my opinion! Also use buff titanium/titanium buff to mix to make ‘vintage pastel’ dupes or vintage pastel unique colours! And get manganese blue hue Daniel smith and Lunar Black- Daniel smith; mix these for lunar blue. You can also make different ratios of ‘lunar blue’ more blue or more black. Both are also amazing to have for other custom mixes and general use! Dusk colours are just colours mixed with pbk11 oxide black. For less extreme granulation use Van Gogh. Use daniel smith Lunar Black for extreme granulation. Best vibrant black (deepest darkest colourful alive black) m graham Terra Rosa + Anthraquinone blue. I have more but here are a few useful ones. Hope it helps people. Have fun everyone, fun video thanks.

[@susanvdm8611]

Lovely combinations! I really love rose dore (I have W&N) with cobalt blue viole (DS) for evening skies. Also emerald from Sennelier with cobalt blue violet makes a interesting water/sea colour.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks Susan! Great ideas! I will try that with Emerald and Cobalt blue violet :)

[@tamasurusrex]

Yes!!! Delicate yellow with purples 🥰 I love nickel titanate yellow with lavender or wisteria, haven’t tried rose of ultramarine (but I will) it’s also nice and muted with quinacradone purple, and is very muted with manganese violet. I looked up schminke’s naples yellow and it has 3 pigments, nickel titanate yellow, pBr24 , and pw6. I have pBr24 as a single pigment Naples yellow… looks like I’m gonna play tonight 😂 because that schminke mix is gorgeous! I also have both shadow violet (my preference) and moonglow, I toadally will play with some yellows and lunar earth tonight. Thanks for sharing and inspiring me to paint! 🫶🏻

[@glorioskiola]

Quin gold with various shades of violet or purple, gorgeous!

[@iritlandgraf]

Yes it's a good combo!

[@IridescentJen]

ooooooh i need to get some lunars. that moonglow and lunar earth is simply stunning. it IS perfect

[@iritlandgraf]

I totally agree!

[@InTheBlackBoxTV]

Thank you for your great mixing ideas, I guess it's time to test out my cobalt violet! I love mixing DS Sodalite genuine or DS Moonglow with anything, for that separation and granulating effect :)

[@iritlandgraf]

Yes! Sodalite is a fantastic color, I'm sure it would make wonderful mixes too.

[@VaniaParada]

Lovely combinations! I like to mix w&n nickel titanate yellow with cobalt violet from rembrant or with quinacridone rose from DS, and Cerulean blue (PB35 Mission gold) with potters pink (DS).

[@iritlandgraf]

Sounds great!

[@jennw6809]

Schmincke now says Cobalt Violet Hue is made with PV 62. I have it and it feels... strange to paint with. A bit sticky. I love Oto's video on all the Cobalt Violets and hues - there's at least 3 different pigments used for the genuine ones, and various things for the hues. Very interesting!! Now I'm inspired to try some of these combos.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks for sharing!

[@lschimes6844]

Thank you so much Irit for sharing your interesting color mixes. As soon as I saw D.S. Moonglow & Lunar Earth, I fell in love! Can't wait to try the color combo with portraits. Stay well.

[@iritlandgraf]

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed! Yes, that combo is just fantastic!

[@deborahruth5072]

Love the yellow and violet combo mixes. I love the granulation that takes place with the quin gold and cobalt violet hue. The granulation that happens with some water colors is what first attracted me to giving watercolors a second look as an art medium. Before last year I mainly worked in acrylics and oils. Now I am obsessed with watercolors. lol It is my saving grace during this bizarre time that we are all experiencing all over the world. Wishing the best for you and yours.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you Deborah! You too!! Yes, absolutely, it's my therapy too and a way to stay sane!

[@Angie-pl3uw]

I so enjoy watching you. Your scientific mind is evident in your wonderful desire to categorize color. I find myself in your class that I’m not quite sure you know that you are teaching. Whatever you do, don’t quit! I would love to take your class, but I am a total beginner. I excel at watching but not at painting. The problem is that I am a total beginner. I excel at watching but not at painting.

[@iritlandgraf]

We all started somewhere! My Watercolor Workbook class is perfect for beginners, to get you painting and playing. I also always recommend Skillshare, they have tons of watercolor classes and a free trial!

[@JORLA2854]

The mixes that made me surprised was the Qor colors between them, I can't remember now exactly but something like turquoise or a green and transparent red oxide or another orangy color, burnt Sienna perhaps, you get rusty subtile shades. I think if you have some Qor watercolors, you should try them mixing. Stunning with subtile shades . Thanks for sharing you mixes. Laurence

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks! I do have some Qor, I'll give them a go!

[@JORLA2854]

@@iritlandgraf If you do it, just put a layer of one color and then drop not too much liquid paint of an other one.

[@erika6504]

I never would have thought to put moon glow and lunar earth together! I love the result! I need to go play now...

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks Erika! Go go play :)

[@davejohnson5365]

ty great watch. and lovely to see those unusual combinations. even goethite got a look-in! did you also try mixing them together on the palette? to see how the colours then separate when painted out, in the same way that cascade green looks like magic. light, transparent, fast flowing blue + heavy, more opaque, settling earth colour. the effect can be even more noticeable by taking one colour of the pair from a fast dispersing brand. QoR in particular, and i also found it happens with maimeri. so a fast QoR teal and a slower DS goethite, or for you - a fast QoR y150 and a slower sennelier v15. hours of fun.

[@iritlandgraf]

Lol good ideas Dave! I will try. I've been wanting to pick up a couple of tubes of Maimeri. Any particular winners or must haves?

[@davejohnson5365]

@@iritlandgraf only tried a few. i like the warm indian yellow. y65 and transparent pyrrole orange o71. they both have a great range, and do the fast flow dispersion. the y65 can be tinted right down to super light, almost matching the hue of naples yellow, but without any opacity. you probably notice they also do 3! versions of naples yellow if you prefer semi opaque. the range has a load of blue-turquoise-green cobalts too, which you might like, looking at your examples. i noticed that the cobalt in the QoR teal doesn't flow quite as crazyfast as the less heavy pigments - so maybe the same will apply in maimeri. if i were choosing new colour of theirs i would be drawn to try the unusual pigments that DS don't carry. all those cobalts! + b15:4, b16, b74 and especially v19.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you Dave! I'll check it out!

[@ldolan1802]

Love this! I love mixing colors that “don’t belong together”! The Holbein bright pink and DS green immediately made me want to try it on the mushrooms I love to draw and paint! Hello, from Houston...it’s been tough, we just are not use to things like this, but we are Texas strong and hanging on 🤠 stay safe, you and your girls...thanks for taking the time to continue the videos, we need some normal in these trying times! I’m signing up for your new class now, I needed the reminder! It looks fabulous! See you in class 😉

[@iritlandgraf]

Haha yes I know Texans are tough! Stay safe and take care!! Excited to see you in class Lisa!

[@MelitaBintoro]

yesss nice i just got WN cobalt violet :) love seeiing the mixes

[@iritlandgraf]

Glad you enjoyed Mel!

[@AllanJayQuesada]

Thank you for sharing your combinations. Mines are more like your mixes at the later half of the video, the strong colors. But i never thought that the cobalt violets really mixes well for with yellows. I can see them in sophisticated skin tones! This gives me idea to share also my mixes soon. 🙏🎨

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you Allan! I hope you will do that, please add a link here if you make a video!

[@AllanJayQuesada]

@@iritlandgraf sure! Will show it here and will mention on the video, i was jnspired by your secret favorite mixes. 🎨🙏☺️

[@susansacco7583]

Really love your mixes Irit. They really are magical aren’t they? I’ve got most of the jean Hanes colors and recently put a dab of each color in butcher tray. I think you showed this in your jean Hanes video. Not sure but all I can say is thank you for suggesting her color palette. It’s all kind of a mess and getting most beautiful mixtures. I didn’t think that I would be using granulating colors for skin tones but I am and love it. Thanks for reminding me to get out Sennelier emerald green. It’s just so much fun and therapeutic to play with colors. I’m with you on the cobalt violet and Naples yellow. Love all your color choices and mixes. I’m really loving your new class. Learning so much. Take care sweetie. 💕

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you Susan!! I'm so glad you're enjoying the Jean set, it is just beautiful and so much fun to play with! Also happy you're enjoying the class, we all need distractions these days!

[@ChrissieNicely]

Thanks, Irit! I really like those combos you showed and I must say, those pale mixes are fascinating to me, too, although I am much more into bright colours, usually. How does the Sennelier Emerald compare to the Schmincke Helio Green (if you have that colour)? I am asking because it's the same pigment. Or would you say that the Helio is much closer to the Sennelier Green which is also PG36?

[@iritlandgraf]

I don't think I have the Schmincke one. I have Helio Turquoise which is really intense. I looked at my catalog and it seems like Helio Green is an intense brilliant green, the Sennelier Emerald is quite muted, so my guess is they are very different. I don't have Sennelier Green, shocking I know ;) Green is not my thing LOL :)

[@julies.6271]

I am collecting paints, paper, brushes and ideas! Have never watercolored , but I am getting up the nerve to try. Love your videos

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks Julie! Watercolor is pure magic 😍😍😍

[@traciekiger1918]

I have the DS nickel Titanate yellow you talked about in another video and tried with my W&N colbalt violet and the mix is gorgeous!!!! I didn’t even realize I had the DS yellow until I watched your previous video and looked in my stash and sure enough it was there lol we had our local craft store go out of business last year😢 so I was able to get a bunch of DS and W&N watercolors for cheap and the yellow was apparently one of them lol thank you for sharing your fav mixes!!!

[@traciekiger1918]

Also just tried W&N colbalt violet with red fuchsite gen and it’s gorgeous as well as bronzite gen with colbalt violet!!! Plus the sparkle is amazing!!

[@iritlandgraf]

Sounds like some watercolor good fun 😀😀😀 glad you're enjoying! I hope to try that yellow soon!

[@bartlb99]

Interesting your use of complementary colors. I am trying to get greys when I’m mixing them and most of the time they are not quite what I need. It would be good if you made a video about mixing greys.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks Brian! I admit I love using palette dirt for greys ;) But my go to is Ultramarine blue and some kind of orangy red, Burnt Sienna is a classic go to for many artists, I think it's mostly about trying out combos from the colors you already have in your painting/palette and figuring out what you like. An easy to remember thumb rule is that a grey needs all 3 primaries, so either use a combo of primaries (yellow, red/magent, blue/cyan) or complementary colors (yellow+purple, orange+blue and red+green). Hope that helps!

[@ninaorehek7983]

I have no secret mixes (yet). I do love yours and your painting at 3:05.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks!

[@marietteacocella4988]

Hello Irit - always love your videos about pigments and mixing - nice to see your beautiful artwork! Please tell me what color blue you used for the stems in the painting with cobalt violet flowers. Thank you

[@iritlandgraf]

I'm not a 100% sure but I suspect it's Moonglow from DS with some ultramarine blue 💙

[@gailbrule1744]

Love seeing your color mixes Irit!! Also just signed up for your new class and can’t wait to dive in. I’m new to color mixing so have not discovered much “on my own”, but I learned of this mix from Creationsceecee that I ❤️❤️❤️: DS Piemontite Genuine and Lunar Blue. SO gorgeous! A must try combo. I can’t wait to try all of the ones you mentioned here! Thanks!

[@iritlandgraf]

Oooo that sounds promising! I have both and will try it first thing tomorrow (it's bedtime here lol)! So glad you enjoyed, see you in class, we play a lot there!

[@jennw6809]

I went and bought W&N Cobalt Violet tonight. You are right, it's nicer than Holbein!

[@iritlandgraf]

Awesome! Enjoy!

[@Perasperaadastra-m6h]

Very, very nice. Thank you.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you too!

[@sylviachew2234]

Thank you for these videos! It helps me a lot.

[@iritlandgraf]

Glad you enjoyed Sylvia!

[@davidlapointe1640]

where did you say you got the new brush that you use with the long bristles ( the hand made ones ) on the end? I don't see it listed here...

[@iritlandgraf]

Hi David, this is an older video so I'm not sure which brush I was using but all my handmade brushes are from Tracy Lebenzon (use the code Irit for 20% off)

[@SUSSDUE]

Ooh, I really liked this video!I mean I like your other ones too, otherwise I wouldn't subscribe😉, but this one really gave new ideas in colour combinations I have never really thought about. Thanks for giving us ideas to play with in these awful times, we need joy right now!

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks Charlotta! Glad you enjoyed!

[@amywellerart]

Thank you Irit! I actually didn't realise my watercolors had names! I've just looked at the pans and realised they are all named and numbered, so this video has made my life so much easier for color mixing! 💕

[@iritlandgraf]

Glad it was helpful!

[@luckygardeniasdashboardcon9214]

I Love Love Love all your videos❤️

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you so much Lucky Gardenia!

[@lisaseckold9296]

Hi Irit, this is all very yummy on the eyes, isn’t it?! I thought Cobalt Violet and raw sienna was my secret! I’d been seduced by the (aggressive!) PY150 (in Quin Gold, Gamboge, trans. Yellow...) for way too long, then one day chanced upon the gentleness of (DS Raw Sienna Light, then later, WN Raw Sienna) with Cobalt Violet. Magic. Add to the mix DS Lunar Blue or blue apatite genuine, and I was lost in the subtle beauty... No more aggressive yellows for me!

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks so much for sharing Lisa!

[@crystalinedreams6039]

in the mineral world goethite is pronounced goy-thite rhymes with kite or night. around here anyway, interesting to me how these color combos you like are turning pale, like it takes the colors out, cool.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks! Yes that's why I like mixing complementary colors, they neutralise each other and the mixes are almost a surprise!

[@crystalinedreams6039]

@@iritlandgraf guess i need to experiment more, i just been mixing the "normal" mixes or is that "boring"? lol stay healthy & have a great week.

[@iritlandgraf]

Haha if it makes you happy that's all that matters! I just like to see what happens and discover those really beautiful semi neutrals and neutrals. I know I can get really pretty oranges, greens and purples when I mix primaries and such, and I do that a lot, but it's less surprising ;)

[@peggywilliams8229]

🙋‍♀️