Mixing acrylic colors for jeans is easy!
Jean colors are never just straight blue. One trick to mixing jean colors so they appear realistic is to keep the colors in the cool range. Stay away from warm blues such as phthalo or cyan. Remember that light-blue jeans should appear to reflect the colors around them, because they are whiter. Glazing yellow and red over the jean color can tone down a dark-blue jean color that seems too chalky. A light glaze livens up a light jean color which will reflect its surroundings.
Instructions
Mix Opaque Colors
1. Squeeze about 1 tsp. each of Ultramarine Blue, Mars Black and Titanium White in a row on the palette.
2. Load a palette knife with 1/8 tsp. Titanium White. Mash into the Ultramarine Blue with the palette knife until the mixture is thoroughly blended to make it more opaque.
3. Wipe off the palette knife with a rag.
4. Scoop 1/2 tsp. of blending gel with the clean palette knife into the new blue. Mix well.
5. Divide the mixture into three batches.
6. Mix 1/4 tsp. Ultramarine Blue into the first batch, or however much is required to make the brightest blue.
7. Mix 1/4 tsp. Mars Black with a palette knife into the second batch, or however much is required to make the darkest blue.
8. Mix 1/4 tsp. Titanium White with the palette knife into the third batch, or however much is required to make the lightest blue.
Mix Transparent Glazes
9. Pour 1 tsp. of glazing medium into to each small container.
10. Stir 1/8 tsp. Alizarin Crimson into one container with an old artist's paint brush.
11. Stir 1/8 tsp. Cadmium Yellow into the other container with an old artist's paint brush.
12. Close the containers until a color adjustment is needed. Glaze yellow and red to tone down an overly bright blue. Glaze red to give a dull shadow more depth. Glaze yellow or red over highlights which look too white, so they will reflect the lighting and surroundings realistically.
Mix Directly on the Canvas
13. Squeeze about 1 tsp. each of Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White and Mars Black in a row on the palette.
14. Scoop 1 tbsp. of blending gel onto the center of the palette. Load a size 12 flat artist's oil painting brush with 1/8 tsp. Ultramarine Blue and 1/16 tsp. blending gel. Mix the gel and color together on the canvas.
15. Without rinsing, load the brush with 1/8 tsp. Titanium White. Quickly blend the white into the wet blue paint to create highlights. Highlights may be found on the tops of seam lines, the tops of knees, the front of thighs, backs of calves, tops of buttocks and the top of the stomach. Rinse the brush and wipe the bristles dry.
16. Load the brush with 1/8 tsp. Mars Black. Quickly blend the black into the wet blue paint to create shadows, which may be found under the knees, backs of thighs, the hemline, the crotch, under buttocks and under the stomach. Rinse the brush and wipe the bristles dry.
