Colour Demystified: A complete guide to mixing and using watercolours

by Julie Collins

With a highly visual approach by an award-winning watercolor artist, give yourself the confidence to experiment with color mixing and use color with confidence!


Unravel the riddles of watercolour palettes and learn how to use colour with confidence!

Julie Collins helps you understand how color works in a highly visual way through the use of color charts accompanied by numerous examples, practical exercises and studies of watercolor paintings, both her own works and those of contemporary artists.

Topics such as granulation, iridescence, transparency and opacity are explained clearly and simply, to encourage you to experiment with colour and be bolder and more creative in your art.

Armed with a clearer understanding of color and how it looks and behaves on paper, you'll be encouraged to be more bold and creative in the use of color in your art.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Unfinished, Crafts

160 pages, Paperback

Published September 7, 2021

Reviews

[Anna Ganey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, but also finished with a lot more questions. She talks about fluorescent colors and how they fade more quickly, but doesn't explain what colors are considered fluorescent. Really enjoyed the chapter on pigments demystified, good breakdowns on color categories. Not her fault, but still walk away very confused how colors can have the same names and even the same pigment codes and still be very different colors.
I read through this book, but did not paint the few projects.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

My new interest is watercoloring - even though I don’t have enough years remaining to become competent. But they are so fascinating! Compared to oil or acrylic paintings, watercolor painting (realistic, mixed media or abstract) requires knowing LOTS about the materials: brushes (synthetic or sable), paint from a permanent metal or plastic palette with lid or a clean plastic or porcelain palette, papers ( cold pressed or hot pressed)…
This book is written by an English painter and as the sub-title indicates it’s about mixing colors and a bit about using them.
She’s written books on mixing colors in oils as well as in mixing acrylic paints.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for something more like Handprint.com or Betty Edwards Color Theory An OK book on the subject, missing some historic and modern palettes.

[Christie Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book discussing watercolors and steps to choosing a good palette. Good reference of the different qualities of paints.

[Michmuch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent color guides and mixing chart visuals.