Putting it into practice: getting to know your materials

Supplies

• Drawing pencil (HB)
• Hot press watercolor paper (one sheet)
• M. Graham artists’ gouache set
• Brush set (round 2 or 6)
• Porcelain mixing tray
• Kneaded eraser

Instructions

1. Obtain an HB drawing pencil and one sheet of hot press watercolor paper.
2. Draw a painting grid as shown in Figure 1.

3. Remove any excess lead by lightly pressing the kneaded eraser over the pencil marks.
4. Mix orange in the mixing tray with 50% yellow and 50% red.
5. Mix purple in the mixing tray with 50% red and 50% blue.
6. Mix green in the mixing tray with 50% yellow and 50% blue.
7. Ensure that you have mixed enough of each color in the tray to complete the entire grid.
8. Mix each color combination in the mixing tray and paint it into the corresponding square on the grid. For example, in the first row in the first column, paint 100% white. In the first row in the second column, paint a mixture of 50% white and 50% yellow. In the first row in the third column, paint a mixture of 50% white and 50% orange. Continue mixing the colors based on the intersection of each color on the grid.
9. Complete the entire board. Use the completed grid as a reference for color mixing options in future projects.

Assignment

Upload a photo or scan of the completed painting grid. Files can be .pdf, .jpg, or .png format.