Warm vs Cool Colors in Watercolor & Mixing Browns

Determining where any color falls on the color wheel can reap useful benefits when determining what compliments to use, how to mix for a warmer or cooler hue and even in mixing sensational browns.
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[@nameissturdy1390]

I made my first color wheel and it was more fun than I should admit. Then again, I don’t get out much. Seriously though....thank you!

[@bonnietoney4200]

You're the only one who explains the why warm or why cool. Thank you

[@leafgrass934]

You're probably the best watercolor teacher on KZbin. I've watched so many videos and they all had many likes and subscribers but we're awful teachers, they never explain anything instead just plot down colors and leave out all the details leaving me with more questions than answers.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks so much. Very encouraging!

[@leafgrass934]

@@mindofwatercolor No thank you.

[@colleenmckeeman1342]

I am so impressed with this entire series of videos regarding the color wheel, mixing colors, and warm vs. cool. I have never heard anyone explain and demonstrate it so well. Today I will be creating my wheel from my palette and doing some of the same exercises. Your the best Steve.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Great! Glad to hear it! And thanks!

[@JK-ug5qn]

Awesome. Finally, someone explains warm and cool colors. Usually, everyone talks about this subject as if it is knowledge we are born with!

[@plekang1]

Very useful video! One thing a friend told me regarding color mixing ... "Mix red into white and you'll never be blue." What that MEANS is: Mix the dark color into the light color and you will be more "safe." You showed that perfectly when you mixed the very small amount of the (dark) "blue" color into the (light) "orange" color and it affected the outcome DRAMATICALLY. Really - it's just a saying that made it easy for me to remember to be conservative when adding dark colors into light colors. Thanks for all your great tips and tricks ~ keep it up!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks for the input Paul. I actually have not heard that saying. 🙂

[@elsagrace3893]

Paul Lekang Thank you for that!

[@paulword66]

Paul Lekang /

[@ladymuck2]

Thanks. I had forgotten what a lovely colour Indian yellow is.

[@carolscables]

Great explanation. Learned more in these few minutes than from multiple books over several decades! Many thanks.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Awesome! Your welcome.

[@maryriley6163]

Thanks, Steve, for demonstrating how the color wheel works with your little view finder to test color against it. Those are some nice golden browns. They remind me of sunflowers when they are just beginning to dry out.

[@julienielsen3746]

I like the color viewer idea. I've never seen that before. Thanks.

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Julie Nielsen 👍

[@Pebblesmas]

The mixing is so amazing, thx!!

[@halfabee]

Fascinating the browns which can be achieved.

[@Fayery_Random_YT]

Now I understand how to better work with colorful shadows. I used to just neutralize the color when I need to put shadows on the object. This video is really helpful, thanks!

[@grahamheywood4426]

Hi. When I took up watercolour I just wanted to put colour on paper. How naive! However I came to really get into it and in order to understand how to improve I needed to understand more 'theory' or I guess the mind of watercolour. Your tutorials do the 'theory' painlessly and simply. So, many thanks.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks, glad to hear it. Yours is a common tale. It's exciting once people discover that color has secrets worth unlocking.

[@claychick100]

Loved this explanation of warm and cool colors. Also the yummy browns you can mix are magic. As always, thanks so much!

[@dottiburke40]

Hi Steve, I so appreciate and enjoy your videos and this is the best explanation of the color wheel and mixing colors. THANK YOU!

[@jackiebyers1272]

This was SO helpful. Thanks for sharing your expertise.

[@jessicasobel4287]

this video is great steve!! this will make mixing so much easier!!

[@carlaa.1617]

Thank you, extremely well explained. I'm so grateful for your teachings😀

[@BooBeaux]

Awesome descriptions. So helpful. Thank you!

[@DeonnaBemish]

You are a wealth of information! Thank you so much!

[@1nibor2]

This was excellent! thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@macarthurkaren]

I'm coming back to watercolors after years of absence. Your tutorials are a terrific refresher. I use the M. Graham paints as well. Thank you.

[@samanthaglorioso8440]

Unbelievable! This is an episode I had missed, and last week I commented that I needed help mixing my own browns, instead of always using convenience colors! Of course now I own more than a dozen tubes of different brown paints. Anyway, thanks for this, Steve.

[@lindabatey5876]

Thank you so much!! You’ve helped me a lot in understanding color theory! Beautifully explained and demonstrated!!!

[@DerBingle1]

This also applies to Oils. Browns have always been a hassle for me and I tried starting with the warms & got what I needed. Thanks.

[@leighanderson2251]

Am a new comer and really benefitting from your technical stuff made easy . Brilliant. Thanks.

[@Ms1lonewolf]

Great help thanks for the demo. 😊

[@snaps4kappu]

This the best video I've seen on complementary colors (seen many so far, since I get a lot of muddy browns while using and mixing water colors). The way you explained shadows, distance, swatching, moving from a warmer to cooler color was clear and not overwhelming. Much love to your work ❤

[@seapossumsforrest8162]

You made this subject easy to understand. Thank you!

[@Ktpstudio]

Thank you for these videos they have helped me grow and learn so much and I keep revisiting and will continue to revisit them

[@mamapata08]

Thankyou for share with us this concepts. For me, are better than gold!

[@judyh3017]

This video was very helpful! Thank you!

[@joannamiller1191]

I am loving your tutorials. I'm a teacher and I find your instruction excellent and also encouraging for beginners. Thank you!

[@patgentry7268]

Excellent way to spend a few minutes! You're such a gracious artist to share as you do.

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Pat Gentry 👍

[@lmac_z]

This is a great video. I hadn’t seen this one. Thank you.

[@teresab1341]

Thank you for this Steve! You always explain so clearly! Appreciate the scriptures at the end too! Never seen that done before. Sure is nice!

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@veryberry39]

I love color-mixing videos. It completely fascinates me that certain colors neutralize each other, and that other color combinations--ones I never would have even considered mixing--can create such interesting new shades!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Fun isn't it?

[@cindyseverson2917]

Great idea on the window card. I will use it!!

[@hermionejarvis648]

Excellent video! I'll be making my own color wheel now, thanks to you, I have a greater understanding in mixing watercolors! These videos have been so helpful to my journey in watercolors and your hard work is very appreciated! Thank-you!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Hermione Jarvis Thanks for the kind words of encouragment!

[@Jaci75]

Thank you so much for this. Very informative, helpful. 👍😊

[@kaygentry149]

This really helpful... thank you for your willingness to teach and share!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Kay Gentry My pleasure!

[@yakinkate7946]

Thank you for sharing these lessons. You are an awesome teacher!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks so much!

[@BeezeeCohen]

Thorough explanation & demo. I missed the color wheel video. Will look for it. Thanks!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+B Cohen 👍

[@MeghanChin]

Wow~ What an eye opener. Have never thought watercolour could be explained this way. Thank you for making it so easy to understand!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Meghan Chin 👍

[@dianequinn1500]

Extremely helpful!

[@mmmmlllljohn]

Great help - I'll have lots of fun practicing.

[@mindofwatercolor]

+ml benson 👍

[@valeriachilders]

Fantastic. Thanks!!

[@kathywilden7702]

You've been very helpful with this tutorial!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+kathy wilden glad to hear it!

[@skier828]

Great demo best I've seen thanks for such detail. I learned a lot.

[@mindofwatercolor]

+skier828 👍

[@edadev]

Thank you very much you are perfect instructor :)

[@jakascott]

Great video!...Thanks!

[@joyceb3961]

Steve, Thanks again for such an informative ...yet easy...way to understand mixing color. I am eager to mix browns! Blessings, Joyce

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@junejaruchika]

This is helping me to love water colours and experiment with them. Thanks a lot for this effort

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Ruchika Juneja 👍

[@LeighPogue]

This was very easy to understand. Thanks so much !

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@muslimahsista]

Amazing Thanks for sharing

[@claychick100]

Wow, I know what I will be doing today in the studio. I was just struggling yesterday with trying to mix a pale yellow brown. I came to watercolor because I am a color junkie and being able to mix such lovely colors is so exciting! You make it so easy to understand. Thanks Steve!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks so much Kathryn! Glad this was a help.

[@judycozon4081]

Very well explained - thank you!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Judy Cozon 👍

[@stevemfred]

Another awesome video on color I needed thx

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Steven Michael Fredrickson 👍

[@sylviacostello2887]

its great to refresh yourself with colour wheel from time to time

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Sylvia Costello 👍

[@pam.g.56]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@joepike3861]

Excellent! Thank you.

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@thekeddi]

Wonderful video! I really need to do this.

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@ladymanou322]

this is really great!

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@roseryan1542]

Awesome. I have a store bought color wheel, but now I will be making one with my own colors. Those last browns you mixed were yummy lol. You make color mixing fun instead of scary.

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Rose Ryan Glad to hear it!

[@SuperXrunner]

thanks for your explanation. it really helps

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@littleredwagonstudio]

THANK you!!!! you make it so clear!!! xoxo stephie

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@mapamoowalker]

Very helpful, thank you.

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@Ruby-wise]

Great lesson...thanks,

[@pentachronic]

Really useful, thanks. Now I need to play :-)

[@lettienugent]

Thank you SO much! I accidentally found out that red and green make brown, but had NO idea that I how to get all those other brown shades. I appreciate all your videos, by the way. LOVE your art, and am really enjoying your videos. (I just 'found' you last week.)

[@mindofwatercolor]

+LettieNugent.com Thanks so much! Welcome!

[@1234MusicEqualsLife]

another very helpful video, thank you Steve :) I hope you decide to do a video all about aerial perspective, that seems really neat and interesting!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+1234MusicEqualsLife 👍

[@maggieb523]

I realize I'm a year late to this blog but I have to let you know how informative your lessons are. You're answering so many of the questions I've had. Can you tell me how you mixed your greens to use on the color wheel in this lesson, please? Thank you!

[@jmoss55ish]

Excellent help for this wanna be watercolorist!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Janice M 👍

[@deborahhilleary3192]

Thanks!

[@etchersplace]

That was the most informative video I've seen yet when it comes to how to mix colors, thank you so much!!!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+etchersplace glad it was a help!

[@suzalasuzala1135]

I have a 13 year old student and this definitely will help my explanation. Thanx. However I'd love to see a videos on 1- mixing cool and warm colors together. ie: Alizarin and Lemon Yellow v Hansa, and 2- how colors are cool and warm relatively.. while Yellow is a warm color, some are cool and some are warm. ( you kinda touched on this here..) and how both warm and dark colors both recede and come forward. it is sometimes a tricky balance. Love your videos, you are strangely entertaining. ( ps love"ygor's" new knitted cap!. )

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Suzala Suzala Its really pretty simple. Colors may be warm or cool individually but can be different when compared to each other. For example Hansa Yellow and Lemon Yellow are both considered warm colors but in relation to each other Lemon Yellow is slightly cooler. Its all about where they land on the color wheel. As for mixing warm and cool together, the results vary depending on what colors they are. Alizarin, Hansa Y. and Lemon Y. are ALL warm colors.

[@BornAgainFarmGirl]

I enjoyed meeting you on Lindsay's ask the artist show, your videos are just what I need to expand my limited skills. Thank you!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Glad to have watching.

[@BornAgainFarmGirl]

Im glad too . Thanks for sharing what you know :-)

[@Hectanooga1]

Hi there! Dropped over from Lindsay's live video... subscribed!! Emi

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks!

[@asadvlog4661]

@@mindofwatercolor Kitna aaj ka

[@richardlumpkin4607]

Would love to have you demonstrate the application of the warm, cool theory (and complimentary color theory) and give examples in an actual painting. As a beginner that would be really helpful for me. It would kind of like getting into your personal "mind of watercolor" for a brief moment. Hope Reece is well!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, you will see this theory applied here and there in my videos and I try to comment on it. I've found that videos like this have been necessary to answer questions and define what I've been talking about in those specific painting instances situations.

[@monicaschroeder5143]

This was really helpful. Love all your videos. Can you do a video on mixing shading for yellows? Such as the darker areas of a yellow flower or a lemon. They often turn green. And mixing for any other challenging colors?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Check whats across the color wheel from your yellow. Will probably be some sort of a blue violet. A pale wash of that should make a nice shadow. Or try Paynes gray with a touch of red added.

[@GrandJan46]

Thank you so much, as I am a very beginner it was most helpful. :-)

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Janet Allen 👍

[@marinadossantos7822]

A very helpful video !!! I made the mistake of buying a small box of 12 half-pans and from what i learn so far from you i should have gone for the tubes, maybe the 3 primary colors, Sepia and Payne's grey! mi bad!!! :( it gets more difficult to mix and even using a palette, it doeskin help) newbie issues!

[@raggedyroad]

Not sure if you will see this question since this is an older video. I have mixed grey browns a couple of times using orange and blue shades only to have them turn orange as they dry. What causes this? Great demonstration and instruction by the way.

[@kimlindseyOH]

I was having trouble with some watercolor terminology, but I think I figured it out & wanted to share. Some artists talk about blues like ultramarine being "warm blues" and for me that just did not compute at all. Reason is I'm seeing colors like ultramarine as if they are ultraviolet on the electromagnetic spectrum (like from a prism), and that's the opposite end from infrared, which I'd associate with "warm." I now know that I need to stifle my physics brain, LOL: pigments (i.e., watercolors) are organized in a circle (the color wheel), while color (i.e., light) is organized in a linear manner (the electromagnetic spectrum). If you ever have a student who stumbles over "warm blues," maybe ask them if they're a scientist. ;-)

[@mindofwatercolor]

Could be, but most confusion comes from wanting to identify a color as absolutely warm or cool. Blues are cool as a whole and Reds warm as a whole so a warm blue seems to make no sense. In practice it's how blues compare to each other or how they "lean" warm or cool. I'm reminded of the children's game, cold or hot. When you're getting close to something we would say "you're getting warmer" or "you're hot" if you were right on top of it.

[@adamw2621]

You know Steve, I keep all 4 siennas and umbers (raw and burnt) on my palette, mostly out of convenience, but I find a lot of times, I like the browns, with complements, I mix over those colors by themselves. I like to mix paint on the paper and I like to shift colors in and out of themselves and break them into their parts if that makes sense. Don't get me wrong, I love the siennas and umbers and the quin burnt colors, just saying mixtures (as far as I am concerned) are always more pleasing. Thanks for the video Steve, as always.

[@mindofwatercolor]

I totally agree Adam. They seem to have more luminosity.

[@t.bunker2511]

I've been researching limited palettes to re-start doing landscapes and marine-scapes, so definitely the blues and greens are of interest. Rather than a traditional split warm-cool primaries palette, I saw an interesting limited palette of warm and cool balanced RGB+CMY+Neutral Tint, Yellow Ochre and a Sienna/Umber. He recommended both Phthalos to avoid the granulation of the Ultramarines and the convenience greens and blues. Now I just have to choose between M.Graham and Daniel Smith. 1. Buy Quality Paints. 2. and Quality Brushes. 3. then Paper...

[@elsagrace3893]

T. Bunker Steve says quality paper is number one.

[@christinesalvatore9668]

Wow! Amazing! I've never understood the 'warm' and 'cool' of colors. You make it seem so much less archane! I've heard people speak of cool reds and warm blues. Would that mean the red has more blue in it and the blue has more yellow?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Exactly! You got it. Not so arcane after all huh? Primary blue being in the center of the cool side could be warmed with either red or yellow. Orange, same thing, cooled going either direction toward the cool side

[@Nancyswerner]

Another great informative video! Thanks! Curious about how you get grey?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks! Check out the video on complements linked in the description.

[@elflordsjourneys]

I have always been a chicken to mix my own colors but you have explained it very well and now maybe I'll try to be a little braver.😀😀

[@rhondamagee7459]

nice!! thank you :)

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@happymv5350]

Hi Steve. Another great study and tutorial on color study and experimentation. Honestly, I love experimenting with color mixes and how they react or interact with one another as much as actually painting. Do you find certain paint brands mix better than others? Would to hear you thoughts on that. Some paints I've played with don't blend well.

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Marjolein Vanderhoeven No not particularly. All the paints I've ever used mix about the same.

[@VanmeterFL]

I love this video. Taking my colors and painting them in a wheel makes sense. I had always thought of all yellows and reds as warm and blues and greens as cool. When artists refer to lemon yellow, for instance, as their cool yellow it means in their palette, it's cooler than the warmer orange yellow they have also included and NOT that lemon yellow is a cool yellow? Just trying to get a handle on this. I realize some lemon yellows have a hint of green which makes them cooler.... right?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, its cool as compared to another yellow like say Indian Yellow but not as cool as say a green gold or yellow green.

[@VanmeterFL]

@@mindofwatercolor Though companies like Cheap Joe's give the temperature of some of their American Journey pigments in their descriptions and Jane Blundell supplies a great deal of info as well, it would be nice to find a comprehensive list of temperature valuations for the majority of pigments available. I've looked on the Handprint.com site and it's such a deep dive, I just get lost. ;-) If there is such a list that's easily accessible, would you share that info? Thanks!!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Karen MacArthur Thanks, welcome back!

[@bhumikapattanaik828]

sir I want a help from you actually I go to drawing classes I am in dip 1 our drawing sir teaches us the theory of colour I can't explain hope u understand . he first said that the lightest colour of red green and brown is yellow then after that he began to show us the shades first he started with green while making the shades he first took lemon yellow and made one strip and for the second strip he mixed yellow and sap green and so on ....sir that day I was late for the classes and now I am having problem in painting please help sir

[@bhumikapattanaik828]

sir as I came to know that it is used for making trees landscape huts etc he first taught us to make trees out of it he began the tree by yellow

[@mindofwatercolor]

I'm sorry. I don't understand the problem you are having.

[@lovecommonsense]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge of colours, but I need more! QUESTION: For example, how do you know when to use a cool red or a warm red to mix with a cool yellow or warm yellow? I don't have access to many different colours but I would very much still like to know!

[@mindofwatercolor]

There is no specific circumstance for any of them. The best way to know what they'll do is experiment. Mix visually and don't worry too much about formulas or color recipes.

[@lovecommonsense]

The Mind of Watercolor Oh ok I'll keep at it then. I am still very new at this point and have only limited and inexpensive resources with which to practise. I have a warm and a cool of the primaries. Any suggestion on how to move forward in exploring these colours and their offspring? Perhaps a chart or process to help me remember what I have made and how I have made it? Is there such a thing? Thank you again for sharing your knowledge of how water colours think! :)

[@mindofwatercolor]

My most recent video on Phthalos shows the process I use for experimenting with colors. I personally don't use complex charts or matrixes. You can if you want. Some do but I just like to take a color around the palette and see what happens with any or all of my colors.

[@johnwdav116]

Thanks , it was very helpful and it helped me with mixing sepia :0)

[@mindofwatercolor]

+John W Davidick 👍

[@jeanmilhollin7890]

Thanks

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@robertweinblatt2018]

What about shapes that are innately cool like some local fauna in NM! Does cool foliage in the foreground remain cool but get bluer and lighter in the distance?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, it would get cooler or bluer (sky and atmosphere) as a general rule. It can be darker rather than lighter but given the exact same element it's almost always bluer, lighter and has less contrast. Think of it as adding a bluish haze to what ever elements are there. The same red rocks in the foreground are going seem more purple in the distance.

[@oscaralonsorojas]

Thanks!!

[@mindofwatercolor]

👍

[@kaygentry149]

Hi! Just a quick question: what do you think of using white to mute areas of a watercolor painting or cool down a color? Do you use white? Thanks!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Kay Gentry Yes, some watercolor painters do that. I don't personally use white as I prefer a more transparent look, but thats just a preference choice. I've seen white used to mix in skies and distant backgrounds where muted colors are key. It produces a sort of chalky look which is ideal to some painters. Give it a try and see if you like it.

[@kaygentry149]

+Thanks for the advice... time to experiment!

[@Eirenmist]

Ah……I missed your scripture verse at the end of this one :-) I found myself wondering which one you would choose to go with this lesson on warm/cool colors and mixing to produce brown, but when I looked for it when the lesson was over …….alas! However, the lesson itself was a great one! Thanks!

[@mindofwatercolor]

+Eirenmist Thanks for looking for those. Yeah I don't include them on the "mini" format.