Skin tones

Do you mean to make it transparent to layer in a painting or for mixing purposes?
For layering
When mixing paint if you use a few drops of white that turns paint opaque which basically means it will paint over the top of another and not let the bottom layer come through. Trouble when using Opaques over a darker colour is the shifting that happens! I use this a lot, it’s just learning when it’s useful and when it can hinder!!
 
Ok so if mixing trans colours use trans white to tint or for mixing?
Use straight white when mixing,

You can used reduce white for subtle shading but it’s more of a fix! Like too orange skin tone - the blue element of white “the shift” actually becomes our friend here :)
I’m using the blue shift in the water part of the piece I’m doing now, the blue shift helps melt it :)
 
Once i’ve learned a bit more i’ll re-read through this then i’ll be less stumped lol
So mixing paints use opaques, layering use trans and mix on your canvas.......am i right?

Or mix paints with opaques and then reduce so they become trans.........am i right on that lol

Or do I sound more confused!!!!!!!

To be fair until i start putting in the practical practice i’ll be stumped won’t i
 
Ok so I feel a bit better i’m not completely stumped now.
I know mixing on your canvas is meant to be more difficult but i’ll give it a go also once I get my head round mixing in a pot.
I’m just glad i’m taking some of the theory in ha
 
Takes a few tries to get right but mixing primary grey means you don't have to worry about opposite colors to darken. It will have a balance of the primaries so it automatically becomes the compliment to any mix of color.
It will darken primaries quick and secondaries slow. Adding it to yellow is the same as adding two thirds violet and one third yellow. Adding to green is the same as adding two thirds green and one third red and so forth. So no mattr r what color or mix you have it is the perfect opposite. It becomes your magic bottle.
 
One caveat. With opaques , adding to warm colors can give brownish. Which still works with skin. Trans it works perfect.
 
So one last question just to get this straight in my head.
If I was to spray a skin tone i was happy with onto my canvas with an opaque mix I knocked up. If i was to then want to darken the shadow areas of a face area I could use whatever complimentory colour it needs to darken but use a trans of that colour to build up the shadow areas and this would mix with my skin tone on my canvas?
Is this a correct way of thinking because if so this is exactly what i’ll try tonight and put it into practice.
 
I have shot cups, mixing sticks and pippets so i’m going to attempt a painting tomorrow with my first skin tone.
A simple reference, just a shot of a face close up so only the bottom of the nose, lips and some cheek.
Pretty basic, i’m not going to attempt to colour match it at all because that is waaaaayyyy above my level i’m just going to try to make the colours look good for the painting.
Thanks for all the tips guys but now is time for me to put all the new found knowledge to the test :D
 
Also i’m going to start and mix it all from primary colours, I think I will attempt to make a dark umber then lighten it and go from there.
Not sure if it will pan out that way but that is how I plan on attacking it.
 
From what you write I think you have the basics of the theory down. A nice and simple movie I always recomend is, for practical purpose that is (close to) all you'll need to know I think:


(thanks to the original poster of that movie)

I like it ! It is just the basics but explained very well, esp for an old fart like me. Time for me to start mixing and learn from doing.

Thanks for the video post.
 
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