Paint Mixing Guide

How It Works

Matching colors by eye is one of the hardest skills in painting. Color Study makes it easier by giving you real-time feedback on your mixes.

1. Pick a target color from your reference image
2. Mix your paint on your palette
3. Photograph your mix using your device's camera
4. Get instant feedback showing how close you are and what to adjust

The feedback tells you whether your mix needs to be lighter or darker, warmer or cooler, more or less saturated. Keep adjusting until you nail it.

Why This Matters

Most painters struggle with color mixing because our eyes deceive us. Colors look different depending on what's around them. A gray next to orange looks blue. A green next to red looks more vivid.

Color Study removes the guesswork by comparing your actual mix to the target color in isolation, giving you objective feedback you can trust.

Great for Learning

Paint mixing guidance isn't just about getting the right color - it's about training your eye. Over time, you'll start to see the adjustments before the app tells you.

• Learn to see subtle value differences
• Develop sensitivity to warm and cool shifts
• Understand how saturation affects a color
• Build confidence in your color mixing decisions

Use at the Easel or in Study

Paint mixing guidance works for both studio painting and color study exercises:

At the Easel

Keep your phone or tablet nearby while you paint. When you need to match a specific color, photograph your mix and get instant feedback. No more wasting paint on guesses.

Color Mixing Exercises

Practice matching colors from master paintings or photographs. It's a focused way to train your color perception without committing to a full painting.

Tips for Best Results

• Good lighting - Natural daylight or a daylight lamp gives the most accurate colors
• Flat paint sample - A smooth, flat area of paint photographs more consistently than textured strokes
• Fill the frame - Get close to your paint mix so it fills most of the camera view
• Consistent angle - Hold your device at the same angle to avoid glare and reflections

Combine with Color Analysis

Paint mixing guidance works alongside Color Study's other features:

• Extract key colors from your reference to see what you'll need to mix
• Simplify your reference to see the big shapes and values
• Use the value map to understand the value structure before mixing
• Check color temperature to know if your mix should lean warm or cool