This document discusses neutral colors and how they are created. It defines neutral colors as without color and lists beige, ivory and taupe as examples. It explains that saturation measures a color's purity, with highly saturated colors appearing more pronounced. Neutral colors can be achromatic mixes of black and white, or chromatic mixes of complements in even proportions, which tend to be darker. Whites can be added to lighten chromatic neutrals. Greys made with warm or cool blacks have undertones. The task is to use color mixing to become familiar with neutral tones and colors by creating a grid on board with only neutral colors visible.

2. Neutral
Definition: Without color
Beige, ivory, taupe
May have undertone

3. Saturation
A measure of it’s purity. A highly
saturated color will have a narrow set
of wavelengths and appear more
pronounced

4. High Saturation
Low Saturation

5. Neutral colors
Achromatic Neutrals: mixes of Black and
White to make Grey OR complementary
mixes that are even (50%/50%)

6. Chromatic Grey

7. Neutrals made by
complements tend to be dark

8. You can add
white for a
lighter
neutral made
with
complements

9. You can add grey to most
colors and get a neutral
BUT
the grey should be the same
VALUE as the color to
produce a true same color
neutral

10. Warm Greys
Warm black (ivory black)
mixed with white)

11. Cool greys
cool black (mars black)
mixed with white

12. Markers and color pencils
refer to warm and cool grey

17. Cool neutral
Brehr.com

18. Yellow neutral

19. Warm neutral

25. Your task
To identify and become familiar with the
infinite possibilities of tone and neutral
color through paint color mixing.

28. By the following methods
Cut a piece of Bristol or mat board 5” x 7”

29. Mark Half INCH Grid
LIGHTLY
Yep, that’s 140 squares of color!

30. Rubric
Only neutral colors are visible
Most should be chromatic neutrals
No pencil marks are visible
Shapes are uniform
Color is opaque
Border is clean
No smeared paint

40. Bibliography
http://www.mauigateway.com/~donj
usko/complementsneutral.htm
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/t
utorials/color-perception.htm
http://www.behr.com/behrx/inspiration/emo
tional_5.jsp?isstatic=true