Color Mixing 3: Advanced Color Mixing and Color Harmonies for Expression
Adult Course | Registration opens 11/4/2025 10:00 AM MDT
Learning Objectives: In this second part of my Color Theory series you will learn more about the subtleties of lower intensity colors on the color wheel, and become more sensitive to them.
Most of your time will be spent on exploring the use of color harmonies that can help you to compose with color successfully to create harmonious and expressive compositions.
The colors in reference materials are a place to start, but that needs to be a suggestion and you need to learn how to make your painting into YOUR painting, a statement, with the expressive qualities of color.
All wet painting media are welcome.
- For this color class you will need to know how to mix colors and have an understanding of value, intensity and temperature as they relate to colors.
BRING with YOU to the first class.
Intensity Color Wheel printed or drawn on an appropriate surface. Contact Jane at jane@janejonesartist.com if you have questions about this or need the template.
Paints: Titanium White - No lead based paint. (optional for watercolor)
A cool yellow - Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Primrose (Golden acrylic)
A warm yellow - Cadmium Yellow Deep (called Dark in some acrylic brands)
(Hansa Yellows are not great substitutes because they are not as opaque as the Cadmium colors.)
An orange – (optional) Cadmium Orange
A warm red - Cadmium Red Light, Scarlet Lake
A cool red - Quinacridone Magenta (Alizarin Crimson isn’t cool enough)
A violet – (optional) Dioxazine Violet (Purple) or Winsor Violet in Winsor & Newton (Cobalt Violet is very weak and quite expensive)
A cool blue - Ultramarine Blue or French Ultramarine Blue (not the green shade), (the Thalo blues are not cool enough)
A warm blue - Phthalo Turquoise, Cobalt Turquoise, or Cobalt Teal
A warm green – Sap Green (for week 7)
A cool green – Viridian (for week 7)
Black – Ivory Black Black
The above palette of colors is the one that we will be using most of the time and the colors are specific and necessary. In addition, bring your favorite Red Violet color such as Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Alizarin Crimson or Permanent Carmine.
Other supplies:
Palette for mixing:
-Oil painters: 12 x 16 inch WHITE paper palette, or glass with WHITE under it if you prefer, and a 12 x 16 inch Palette Seal
- Acrylic painters: 12 x 16 inch Sta-Wet Palette and Seal will be very useful
-Watercolor artists: bring a palette that has large spaces for mixing.
Palette knife- I prefer the offset style where the handle is bent upwards from the blade as it makes it easier to keep my hand out of my paint than using the flatter style that looks like a knife. (Watercolorists won’t need this)
Watercolor artists – bring a couple of LARGE water containers for cleaning your brushes
brushes: a few small ones
Wipe-Out-Tool (optional) I make them available for sale.
paper towels
Jane Jones
Jones is a Denver native and continues to live near there at the foot of her beloved Rocky Mountains, where the light that she loves is bright and clear, and the seasons, which influence her work, are definite in their character and moods. Studying biology in college taught her the amazing power of living systems, and gardening has shown her what a struggle that can be, and both of those infuse her with awe at the beauty that comes from the earth. Her artistic aesthetic has been shaped by studies in Art History, where she has been influenced by Michelangelo's clarity of composition and communication, and the great illusions of light painted by Johannes Vermeer, although she believes that every artist should be of their own time. Her work has won numerous national awards and can be seen at galleries around the country and at Saks Galleries in Denver. She is the author of Classic Still Life Painting, published by Watson-Guptill. Teaching Philosophy: My job is to help students find their way toward making the paintings they want to be making—to find out where they want to go and help create a plan for that journey. I do short demonstrations and/or presentations each day, but I think that students learn best when they are doing the work. I spend my time working around the room helping each person and working one on one as much as possible. I am a very supportive and encouraging teacher and let the students know that 50% of learning anything is learning how to fix mistakes, and I am there to be their safety net. I encourage them to do things they wouldn't do on their own and to use my experience to their advantage. Her paintings can be seen on her website at www.janejonesartist.com.