FORMULAS FOR MIXING COLORS. (SELECTED.)
It is impossible to give infallible recipes for mixing colors, on account of the difference in the tone and color strength of pigments, both dry and in oil, many samples having as high as fifty per cent. of barytes or other white makewright material, which not only lessens the color strength of the mixture in proportion to their volume, but weakens the color, in a small measure, by their presence as white material. Hence, color formulas are made subject to modification, not only to please the taste of the mixer, but on account of the presence of poor, weak and adulterated pigments.
The writer has selected a few formulas from which the learner may gain some knowledge of colors, which he can improve upon by experiment.
Note.—Part means in bulk, not by weight.
Plumb.—White lead 2 parts; Indian red, 1 part; ultramarine blue, 1 part. If too dark, add more white lead. (Outside.)
Brick.—Yellow ochre, 2 parts; Venetian red, 1 part; white lead, 1 part. If too dark, add more ochre. Don’t depend upon the common ochre of the stores. It has but little tinting power. Use French ochre ground in oil. (Outside.)
Bronze Green.—Chrome green, 5 parts; lampblack, 1 part; burnt umber, 1 part. If too dark, use more green. (Outside.)
Jonquil Yellow.—White lead tinted with chrome yellow and vermilion.
Lead Color.—White Lead, 16 parts; ultramarine blue, 1 part; lampblack, 2 parts. (Outside.)
Light Buff.—White lead tinted with yellow ochre (Outside.)
Lemon.—Lemon chrome yellow, 5 parts; white lead, 2 parts. (Outside.)
Brown.—Indian red, 3 parts; lamp black, 2 parts; yellow ochre, 1 part. If too dark, use more ochre or less black. (Outside.)
Chestnut.—Venetian red, 2 parts; lamp black, 1 part; medium chrome yellow, 4 parts. (Outside.)
Lilac.—Light Indian red, 3 parts; white lead, 3 parts; ultramarine blue, 1 part.
Purple.—Light Indian red, 4 parts; white lead, 3 parts; ultramarine blue, 2 parts.
London Smoke.—Burnt umber, 2 parts; white lead, 1 part; Venetian red, 1 part.
Brown.—Venetian red, 3 parts; drop black, 2 parts; chrome yellow, 1 part. (Outside.)
French Gray.—White, tinted with ivory or drop black. (Outside.)
Olive Yellow.—Burnt umber, 3 parts; lemon chrome yellow, 1 part. For lighter shade, add more yellow.
Pearl.—White lead, 6 parts; Venetian red, 2 parts; lamp black, 1 part. If too dark, add more lead. (Outside.)
Olive.—Lemon chrome yellow, 10 parts; ultramarine blue, 1 part; light Indian red, 1 part.
Cream Color.—White lead, 8 parts; French yellow ochre in oil, 2 parts; Venetian red, 1 part. (Outside.)
Tan.—Burnt sienna, 5 parts; medium chrome yellow, 2 parts; raw umber, 1 part. If too red, add more raw umber.
Pea Green.—White lead, 5 parts; chrome green, 1 part. Vary the proportions to suit.
Drab.—White lead, 10 parts; burnt umber, 1 part. Vary to suit.
Canary.—White lead, 6 parts; lemon chrome yellow, 2 parts, or less, as you like it. (Outside.)
Fawn.—White lead, 8 parts; chrome yellow, 1 part; Indian red, 1 part; burnt umber, 1 part. (Outside.)
Grass Green.—Lemon chrome yellow, 3 parts; Prussian blue, 1 part.
Peach Blossom.—White lead, 1 part; light Indian red, 1 part; ultramarine blue, 1 part; lemon chrome yellow, 1 part.
Light Gray.—White lead, 10 parts; ultramarine blue, 1 part; lampblack, 1 part. Make lighter or darker by using more or less white lead, as the case may require.
Purple Brown.—Dark Indian red, 4 parts; ultramarine blue, 1 part; lampblack, 1 part. Light up with white lead to fancy. If too purple, use less blue; if too red, use more black. (Outside.)
Leather Brown.—Venetian red, 2 parts; yellow ochre, 4 parts; lampblack, 1 part; white lead, 2 parts or more, to suit. If too dark, use less black. (Outside.)
Dregs of Wine.—Tuscan red with a little lampblack and white lead.
Leaf Bud.—Equal parts white lead, orange chrome and chrome green. If too dark, add more lead. (Inside only.)
Coral Pink.—Vermilion (English), 5 parts; white lead, 2 parts; chrome yellow, 1 part. (Inside.)
Maroon.—Tuscan red, 3 parts; ultramarine blue, 1 part. If too red, add more blue.
Myrtle.—Dark chrome green, 3 parts; ultramarine blue, 1 part. Light up with white lead.
Stone.—White lead, 5 parts; French yellow ochre, 2 parts; burnt umber, 1 part. Tint to desired shade with raw umber; a very little will do. (Outside.)
Snuff.—Medium chrome yellow, 4 parts; Vandyke brown, 2 parts.
Rose.—White lead, 5 parts; carmine, 2 parts. (Inside only.)
Portland Stone.—Raw umber, 3 parts; yellow ochre, 3 parts; white lead, 1 part. (Outside.)
Ashes of Roses.—White, lightly tinted with black, blue and lake. (Inside only.)
Silver Gray.—Tint white lead with lampblack and indigo.
Fine Chocolate.—Tint the best burnt umber with Munich lake. (Inside only.)
Fine Maroon.—Tint any deep red lake with a little orange chrome yellow.
Vienna Smoke.—Tint fine burnt umber with lemon chrome yellow and a little Venetian red.
Quaker Green.—Chrome green, 3 parts; lampblack, 1 part; Venetian red, 1 part; medium chrome yellow, 1 part.
Chamoline.—Lemon yellow, 1 part; raw sienna, 3 parts; white lead, 5 parts.
Clay Drab.—White lead, raw sienna, raw umber, equal parts. Tint with chrome green.
Pearl.—White lead, tinted with ultramarine blue and lampblack.
Copper.—Medium chrome yellow, 2 parts; Venetian red, 1 part; drop black, 1 part.
Buttercup.—White lead tinted with lemon chrome yellow.
Flesh.—White lead, 8 parts; light Venetian red, 1 part; orange chrome, 2 parts.
Olive Brown.—Lemon chrome yellow, 1 part; burnt umber, 3 parts.
Deep Buff.—White lead tinted with yellow ochre and a little Venetian red. (Outside.)