Find the Transparent and opaque colors!
Art Secret Question: What one color is always very transparent in all media? Hint: It's not yellow. See below for the answer. You'll be stunned.
Another way to check out your color menu is to test the opacity and transparency of the colors that you are going to use. Here Laura is using permanent black India Ink to make tests strips. You can test the colors of any art media this way.
Let's talk about why it's important to know the qualities of the medium you're using. Right now Laura has let the India Ink dry on the watercolor paper overnight and will be using watercolor to test her colors. As artists we need to know if one color will overwhelm another color or even obliterate it.
Using the primary colors of red, yellow and blue as her base, Laura is taking 12 completely different colors with 12 different qualities. Check out the names of the colors and see how they look over the India Ink.
Using these same colors, Laura has let them blend together to see the effects she can expect while painting with them. Way to go, Laura!
You all should give this a try, it gives you a lot of information before you even start. And save your menus so you can continue to use them.
Art Secret Answer: Alizarine Crimson is always a very transparent pigment. Test it out and see.
