Colour Chemistry Episode 1 - What is colour? Basic colour physics for painters

In this first episode I focus on what colour really means - what are we really seeing when we look at a paint on the page? This is a fundamental you need to keep in the back of your mind through the rest of my series but it'll always be here to refer back to.

Colour Chemistry is my new series for watercolourists focusing on how our pigments, paints and mediums actually work - the detail of how different pigments are made, how they interact and what their limits are. You will learn how to make beautiful mixes without so much guess work and you'll learn how to get a particular effect straight off the bat - because you'll understand the theory, you'll be able to adapt things to your own end much more easily.

You don't need to know ANY chemistry as a background to this - I've kept these videos pretty short, pretty 'light' on fine detail and I've skipped over everything except what you as a watercolourist could really benefit from knowing.

If you have questions or comments PLEASE ask away - I love answering your questions as you know and I'm more than happy to help people of all levels.

[debrussell]

Haven't give much thought to Physic for years! (Except for simple explanations to my grandchildren, they love to play with prisms.) This was an excellent tutorial.

[abbyella]

I would like to thank you for this series as I am a chemistry/physics student who wants to work with pigments in the future, and I have just been set an assignment called 'the chemistry of art' so this series will be a fantastic resource :)

[CouzCat]

And another biochemist joins the ranks. My graduate thesis was on colour quenching of radiation in liquid scintillation counting of beta emitters. I learned an amazing amount about colour in that endeavour. I later worked in plant physics & further strengthened that knowledge.

I am now retired & moving from card making into water colour/mixed media. I find the water colour so enjoyable & relaxing. A popular technique with the more artistic members of the paper crafting community is to either stamp an image to create your own colouring book as it were or to stamp with a very light water based ink & colour more traditionally. A bit of a cheat but it's baby steps at present to become at least competent with the media & evolve from there.

I look forward to further instalments in your series. Thank you! Catherine

[NancyLynn]

I found this really interesting and thank you so much for putting it into "layman's terms"!

[janisvogt]

Thank you for simplifying this. I would have never understood it otherwise!

[FelineFurKin]

Aww, indigo doesn’t exist? It’s my favourite.

[naedolor]

Why did you reverse the frequency order in the first chart? I find it confusing rather than helpful.

[agentjimbohotmail]

I shall be working my way through these soon! ^, ^