Color Mixing for Artists: Minimum colors for maximum effect, using watercolors, acrylics, and oils [Hardcover]

John Lidzey (Author), Jill Mirza (Author), Nick Harris (Author), Jeremy Galton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2001

This reference book for art students, teachers, and professionals presents examples of finished paintings, as well as color charts that demonstrate color mixing as it applies to watercolors, acrylics, and oils. Students learn how to choose and mix colors to produce the maximum color range from the minimum number of paints. The book starts with a comprehensive, illustrated explanation of color theory, demonstrated with reference to the color wheel of primary and secondary colors. In separate sections that follow, the authors—each an expert in different paint media—show how to approach watercolors, acrylics, and oils. In addition to color charts, the book presents reproductions of gallery paintings in all three media to show how various hues are created and used. Still life illustrations, each with a detailed analysis of its color make-up, enable students to put theory into practice. Hundreds of color illustrations.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (December 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764154478
• ISBN-13: 978-0764154478
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and Easy, February 13, 2008

By 

Maxwell Casey "Max" (Monroe, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Color Mixing for Artists: Minimum colors for maximum effect, using watercolors, acrylics, and oils (Hardcover)

Perhaps the bad review was because this book is simple, easy and uncomplicated, but that's why I like it. I have many books on color theory, color mixing, and color swatches, however I keep coming back to this little book with it's simple explanations for getting various color combinations. I don't have to read an encyclopedia on primary, secondary, tertiary colors or understand everything there is know about color theory to get what I want, I like the still life photos showing various color combinations described on the accompanying pages. I like the color names and the various colors I get if I mix color A and color B, simple and easy. The color may not be a perfect match but it's always close and makes it easy for me to adjust to achieve what I want. Perhaps it isn't a text for a college course on color theory, charts and wheels but when I'm looking for a particular color or family of colors, I always find it here. This book has saved me lots of time and paint. Hope I never lose my copy but I'd buy it again if I was so unfortunate to do so.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tool for any artist, July 2, 2009

By 

Patricia Mccarty "Art book lover" (Modesto,CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Color Mixing for Artists: Minimum colors for maximum effect, using watercolors, acrylics, and oils (Hardcover)

This is the best color mixing book I have come across. I have purchased several and this one is far superior. The inromation is clear and the examples are very helpful.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for beginner painting, October 12, 2009

By 

W. Ervin (Hendersonville, TN) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Color Mixing for Artists: Minimum colors for maximum effect, using watercolors, acrylics, and oils (Hardcover)

I've purchased four different books to help with color mixing oil paints and this is my favorite. It gives multiple recipes to achieve the colors and tones needed for painting, is easy to read and understand, and also shows examples of colors in still lifes and actual paintings. I keep this close by for reference as I'm painting. It's a very useful book.