Mix The Secondary Colors Of A Color Wheel

Mix secondary colors in any type of paint using red, yellow and blue.

People mix colors when painting a wall, picture, crafts or cars. Mixing basic colors is simple especially the secondary colors. There are three secondary colors: orange, green and purple. Anyone, of any age, is capable of mixing secondary colors. Create these colors by using different combinations of red, blue or yellow paint. Certain shades of red paint cause problems when mixing purple and orange because of a blue or orange tint in the type of red paint.

Instructions

1. Mix green paint using blue and yellow paint. Mix 1 part blue paint to 1 part yellow paint, and stir the paint together. It combines to make green. The colors suggested in the materials list provide the most accurate colors, but mixing green is easy. Mixing orange and purple is harder because of the odd tints in different reds. When you mix green, if it looks too yellow, add a little bit more blue. If it is too blue, add a little more yellow.

2. Mix orange paint using red and yellow paint. Mix 1 part red paint to 1 part yellow paint, and stir the paint together. It combines to make orange. Use the colors suggested in the materials list. If cadmium red, vermillion or Christmas red is unavailable, use scarlet red. These reds work well for mixing orange or orange based colors because they have an orange tint. If you use alizarin crimson or a red with a blue tint, your orange ends up a brownish orange. When you mix orange, if it looks too yellow, add a little bit more red. If it is too red, add a little more yellow.

3. Mix purple paint using red and blue paint. Mix 1 part red paint to 1 part blue paint, and stir the paint together. It combines to make purple. Use the colors suggested in the materials list. If alizarin crimson or Christmas red is unavailable, use a red that has a blue tint. These reds work well for mixing purple or purple based colors because they have a blue tint. If you use cadmium red, vermillion or Christmas red, your purple ends up looking brown. When you mix purple, if it looks too red, add a little bit more blue. If it is too blue, add a little more red.

Mix The Color Garnet

Garnet is a rich, deep color in the red-blue family

Mixing oil colors for painters, professional and amateur alike, can be challenging. One color not frequently available in a tube is garnet, the color of the jewel. This reddish-purple hue is much easier to blend than many new artists think. Garnet is an obvious purple on the red side and really requires only two colors to create it. Purple comes from red and blue so it's really just a matter of blending paints from these two families to create garnet.

Instructions

Preparing your materials

1. Fill your container with solvent and be sure your palette, brushes and palette knife are clean. If not, wipe off excess paint from the painting utensil using a paper towel and swish it in the jar solvent. Wipe off the excess solvent and paint with a paper towel and repeat until the utensil is clean.

2. Use the color wheel to find where garnet is located.

Use the color wheel to locate the shade of garnet you wish to capture on canvas. Hold the wheel next to the object and simply observe where the wheel and the fabric seem to blend together. Mark that spot on the wheel.

3. You'll see that garnet falls between alizirin crimson and cobalt blue, closer to the crimson. The primary color that is closest is the color you'll begin with. Squeeze as much of the alizirin crimson and the cobalt blue as you feel you'll need for this painting onto the palette leaving enough space in between to mix the garnet. Generally, a tab the size of a quarter is more than enough unless you're covering the entire canvas.

4. Using the brush or palette knife (whichever is more comfortable for you) take a dab of the crimson and place it between the original tabs of paint and clean your brush or knife.

5. Take a dab of the cobalt blue and blend it with the alizirin crimson.

6. Continue this process adding more alizirin crimson and cobalt until you achieve the shade of garnet you're after, being certain to clean your painting utensil in between. Keep the color wheel next to the palette to help you match your paint to the color you marked off on the wheel.

7. Create a darker shade of the garnet by adding a touch of burnt umber. When painting you will always need a darker shade of the hue to create shadow.

Mix The Color Burgundy For Oil Paintings

Mixing oil paint colors can be a difficult process for beginners, but using a color recipe makes it easier to accomplish consistency.

Professional painters often use a limited palette, allowing them the ability to mix colors to their specifications as they paint. One popular mixed color is burgundy. This version of the warm, deep hue uses two rosy, reddish colors plus some white to get a rich tone. For beginners, this can be a difficult process as it takes some time and experience to know successfully mix colors together, but by using a special measuring grid and color recipe, painters can achieve a consistent burgundy color any time they need it.

Instructions

1. Create a 12x3 grid on a piece of gridded, drawing paper by creating three rows of 12 squares each, one on top of the other. Each square of the grid is equally spaced and sized. Make the size of the grid relative to the amount of paint you want mixed; for more paint mixture, create a larger-sized grid. Don't make this grid too large to begin with. You can recreate this color exactly any time by using this grid measurement process.

2. Find a clear, transparent plastic sheet. The thickness of the plastic should be just firm enough so that it doesn't wiggle around when you put your paint on it. You can reuse this same sheet for additional color mixing effort by cleaning with a rag after each use.

3. Place the plastic sheet over the paper with the grid drawing showing through underneath. Be sure you place this on a sturdy table or counter top.

4. Gather three tubes of oil paint: titanium or flake white, alizarin crimson and phthalo red rose.

5. Squeeze the titanium or flake white tube out in a uniform width across the length of the first row of the grid. Each square is considered one "part"; squeeze out 12 parts, covering the entire first row of the grid.

6. Squeeze the alizarin crimson paint across the second row, just under the white. Use 10 parts of this color.

7. Squeeze out one part of the phthalo red rose tube across the third row of the grid.

8. Use a palette knife to transfer the paint from the plastic sheet to your mixing surface. Mix the paint thoroughly. Do not use a brush to mix your paint, unless you are using an old paintbrush. Mixing with a brush will squash the bristles and makes the brush lose its shape.

9. Add more white paint to the mixture to create a lighter burgundy. For a darker burgundy, experiment with more alizarin crimson with just a touch of phthalo red rose.

Paint A River With Watercolors

Capture the beauty of a river in watercolors.

The art of watercoloring employs a distinctly separate technique from other painting mediums. The keys to good watercolor execution are a subtle mixing of paint colors, the proper dilution of the paint, choosing the right watercolor paper weight and texture for your work and, most importantly, a free and confident wielding of the watercolor brush. Most watercolor works are meant to be impressionistic, characterized by capturing light in a watery image.

Instructions

1. Prepare your watercolor paper. Tape the edges of the paper to a smooth wooden board that is large enough to accommodate the paper and provide room for resting your hand and arm.

2. Sketch the line of the river or other features with a very fine but soft-leaded mechanical pencil. This line should be very faint, perhaps visible only to your eye, unless you like your pencil drawings to show in your final work. If you don't want to use a pencil, use a very small watercolor brush and sketch in your features using heavily diluted raw umber watercolor paint.

3. Draw in any features that might appear in the midst of the river, such as rocks, boats, vegetation, buildings or animals. Cover these areas with a watercolor blocking agent to preserve these areas while you paint the river as a whole. Cover the banks of the river with this blocking agent as well.

4. Test your river colors on scrap paper. Few rivers are truly blue in color. Most rivers are tea-colored, mossy green, muddy brown or a deep grayed blue. Experiment with layers of colors: darker in the center of the river, greener towards the banks and tea or brown along the shores.

5. Practice letting the paint color flow out of your brush on scrap paper first. Don't "paint" the river or "scrub" the colors onto the paper. Instead, let the "water" in watercoloring do the work---let if flow. Try working "wet on wet" style: Pre-moisten the paper and then add wet paint with the brush. Try working "dry on wet" too: Pre-moisten the paper and touch the brush holding a dryer paint to this wet area.

6. Apply the watercolor in smooth, flowing brush strokes in the direction you imagine the river is running. Move or "jag" your brush to indicate shifts in the mainstream. "Jag" your brush stroke around any rocks or objects in the river, just as water would flow around objects in real life. Stop painting when the look of the river is right for you. Don't over-work your piece. Let the paint dry completely.

7. Remove the blocking agent protecting other parts of the painting by pulling it up with a soft gum eraser. Watercolor in these new features.

Mix Stucco With Color

Mix stucco for stand-out color

Stucco is another name for the product called Portland cement. Stucco mixes thin enough to become a plaster, and takes well to pressed or molded patterns before drying. It used to be that the only color choices for stucco were white and gray, which were the basic colors of the cement itself. But now, many hardware stores offer stucco coloring pigments that will give you several different choices for the colors that suit your needs.

Instructions

1. Fill your bucket with the recommended amount of water for the stucco that you will be using. Stucco mixes from different companies will require differing amounts of water, so follow the package directions closely.

2. Add in a colored pigment to the water. Although there will be directions on how much pigment to add for the shade of color you desire, you can use your own judgment, as well.

3. Mix the water with your mixing stick to disperse the pigment until the color is uniform throughout.

4. Pour in the stucco powder and mix it together with the colored water. Keep mixing until the powder has absorbed all of the colored water. It is now ready to apply to your walls.

Make Homemade Silkscreen

Separate the embroidery hoops to attach the mesh screen.

Silk screening is the process of applying ink to fabric by pushing it through a mesh screen; it originated in ancient China and was passed along to Western Europe in the 1700s. The mesh screen is first painted with emulsion to block the ink from certain areas of the design. With the silk screen laid on top of the fabric, ink is spread on the screen and pushed through via a squeegee, applying the ink to the shirt. When dry, the shirt is ready to be worn. The silk screen is one of the most important tools of creating your own clothing designs.

Instructions

1. Gather supplies. You can buy the embroidery hoops at your local craft store. They may even have silk-screen mesh, though you may need to order it online. You only need enough mesh to cover the hoop.

2. Separate the inner hoop from the outer embroidery hoop, and stretch the mesh screen over the inner hoop.

3. With the mesh securely in place, replace the outer hoop and screw it closed tightly, making sure the screen remains taut.

4. Using the scissors, trim any extra mesh off the silk screen.

5. Using your favorite silk-screening techniques, start designing your own T-shirts.

Mix Purple Icing

Mixing purple icing requires patience.

Different occasions may call for purple icing. You might be called upon to prepare a cake for a particularly enthusiastic fan of Barney or Teletubbies' Tinky-Winky. You might be looking to create a scene from a Disney or Pixar movie that requires purple details, such as night sky, or window or door trim. Or you might be re-creating objects or settings from an online fantasy game, such as Dream Chronicles. In any case, mixing purple icing takes patience and a willingness to experiment.

Instructions

Fondant

1. Transfer a cup of so of icing to a small bowl or to a food processor with a plastic blade.

2. Add one drop of blue liquid food coloring -- or a toothpick dab of gel or paste -- to the cup of icing. Put on your gloves and work the food coloring into the fondant with your hands or use the food processor to do the same job.

3. Add one drop, or toothpick dab, of red coloring and mix well.

4. Add more blue and/or red food coloring until you achieve a deeper purple color than you want.

5. Mix the colored frosting into the untinted frosting to achieve the shade you desire.

Other Icing Types

6. Start the process 24 hours before you need the icing, as icing tints may deepen or shift over time.

7. Add one drop of blue liquid food coloring -- or a toothpick dab of gel or paste -- to the frosting. Mix well with a spoon or spatula.

8. Add one drop, or toothpick dab, of red coloring to the bowl and mix well.

9. Add more blue and/or red food coloring until you achieve the purple color you want.

10. Store in a cool place overnight, then adjust the color as needed before frosting the cake the next day.

Make Red Paint Really Red

True red

Very dark colors like black and red require a little preparation. You can darken red into a vibrant hue with some primer, and then use the paint to enliven your space.

Instructions

Make Red Paint Really Red

1. Prepare the room for painting. Complete instructions for getting a room ready to paint can be found in the eHow article "Preparing a Room for Painting."

2. Open the can of grey primer and sealer. Carefully stir the primer until it is a uniform color.

3. Using a paint brush apply the primer all the way around the edges of the wall just as you would paint. Use a roller to cover the rest of the wall. Let the primer dry completely.

4. Use a brush to go over any areas of the wall that are not completely covered with primer. Let the primer dry completely.

5. Open the can of red paint. Stir the contents until the red is a uniform color.

6. Use a brush to apply the red paint to the edges of the wall. Use a roller to cover the rest of the wall. Let the paint dry completely. Apply a second coat in the same way. Now your red will be really red, and not pink.

Mix Ppg Paint

It takes more than a simple wooden stir stick to thoroughly mix PPG paint.

PPG is a popular brand of automotive paint manufactured by PPG Industries. If you need to mix PPG paint, you'd better bypass the old wooden stir stick. Unless you want to see streaking due to uneven paint distribution, you will have to take it up a notch. One option is to haul the paint to your local paint or home improvement store and allow them to use specific mixing equipment. Another is to do the mixing yourself. However, before you get started, you need to know the proper tools to use and the best ways to employ them or you may end up creating a considerable mess.

Instructions

1. Pour the PPG paint into a 5-gallon bucket. Fill the bucket to half its capacity. Do not over-fill.

2. Snap the mixing paddle to the power drill.

3. Lower the mixing paddle into the PPG paint and turn the power drill on its lowest power setting.

4. Move the paddle up and down in two-inch increments repeatedly to encourage even paint distribution.

5. Repeat Step 4 for at least six minutes. Turn off the power drill and remove the mixing paddle.

Impersonate Elvis Presley

Impersonate Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was a one of a kind. He will be part of the American fabric for decades to come. And of course another part of the American culture is the Elvis impersonators. They can be found in Vegas, on Hollywood Blvd or in shows or attractions across the country. Here are some tips that will help you impersonate Elvis Presley.

Instructions

1. Choose your Elvis Presley. There are 2 main Elvis' that people think of when they are trying to impersonate him. The young hot in-shape Elvis, or the older fried-chicken-eating, over-weight, greasy side-burn-sporting Elvis. So before you begin your impersonation you must decide which Elvis you are trying to emulate.

2. Purchase a costume. Ebay, or costume shops are the best place to find your Elvis costume. Also check out costumecraze.com or buycostumes.com for your Elvis garb. You will need to either purchase a "jump suit" for the older greasy Elvis or some tight jeans and a starched collared shirt for the young in-shape Elvis.

3. Use your hips. Elvis was famous for the gyrating hips. So once you get in costume, spread your feet slightly and find your center of gravity. (Around your waist). Sink into that position and slowly begin to circle your hips as if you were trying to use a hula-hoop. Make sure to punctuate each gyration with a specific thrust. (Also be sure not to be around women as they may spontaneously be attracted to you, attack you and result in your wife leaving you.)

4. Curl your lip. Elvis had this fantastic way of curling his lip as he spoke. Most people have one side that is easier to curl than the other. Take a moment looking in the mirror and try and move your upper lip to one side as if a fish hook caught it and was pulling it to the side. Keep practicing until you master it.

5. Grow sideburns. Both the young and old Elvis has sideburns. The young Elvis had sideburns that were nice and trim, while the older Elvis had the unkempt wild thick sideburns. Grow your sideburns accordingly.

6. Drop your voice. Elvis had a very deep voice. It was manly, it was poignant and it spoke only when spoken to. Drop your voice and say the phrase "thank you very much" until you nail it perfectly.

7. Eat one of his favorite dishes. Fry yourself a peanut butter and banana sandwich, sit-back and relax because "you ain't nothing but a hound dog!"

Make Flat Black Acrylic Paint

You can create flat black acrylic paint from ultramarine blue and burnt umber.

Acrylic paint can be used to create colors so you don't need to have a large variety of colors on hand. If you wanted to create a flat black color rather than purchasing it, you can use your ultramarine blue and burnt umber acrylic paints. A flat black means that the black paint is devoid of gloss or shine. This creates a very dark background without the subtle hues and tones that a glossy paint would have.

Instructions

1. Collect your painting items, including your canvas, paint brush and palette. Squeeze a dab of ultramarine blue and burnt umber on your canvas.

2. Mix the burnt umber with ultramarine blue to create a black. If you want a flat black, add equal parts of both paints to create a dull black without any shine.

3. Add more burnt umber to the mix if the black looks colder or has a blue tint. Add more ultramarine to the mix if the black appears to be too warm. Creating an equal balance of the two colors will remove the subtle hues that make the paint appear glossy.

4. Add a little bit of water to the paint to thin out the paint and flatten the color further.

Mix Paint & Reducer

Why should you mix paint and reducer? It is done quite frequently to help costs. It can give you more value for your money without sacrificing the quality of the finish. The best thing about mixing the two is that this is a procedure that requires no fancy skills so anyone can do it. The only prerequisite is that you should use the same color reducer as the paint you are use.

Instructions

1. Take the paint and mix it slowly with the stick for about three to five minutes. When you finish the paint should be completely homogeneous and smooth. The stirring should be done brusquely so the paint is mixed evenly.

2. Pour the whole can of paint into the spare container. Do not use a funnel here, as the paint will be too viscous to pour out. Pour reducer into the empty paint container. The ratio of thinning the paint with the help of reducer is normally one to one. So for 500 ml of paint, you need to mix in 500 ml of reducer.

3. Take the reducer and pour it gradually into the container that holds the paint. Stir in continuously. After all the reducer is poured in, continue to stir for a while. You will find that the reducer makes the paint thin but smooth and uniform.

4. Take the large mouthed funnel and with its help pour the paint into the paint gun. At this time, the paint is thin enough to be poured smoothly into the other container. Keep the remainder paint closed when not in use as the reducer will evaporate if the container is left uncovered.

Mix Paint To Make Different Colors

Use a color wheel to learn how hues are mixed.

We learn the basics of color mixing in elementary school---red and yellow make orange, blue and yellow make green, blue and red make purple. If you're learning paint, these basic rules of mixing primary colors become useful. Artist quality paints are expensive, and it's impractical to buy every color you see. In fact, most art teachers will discourage students from buying many different colors, particularly black. Mixing your own paints creates truer and more natural colors.

Instructions

1. Study the color wheel. Find an image of a color wheel online, and print it out. Or make your own color wheel. A basic color wheel will be the shape of a circle divided into 12 pie pieces. The three primary colors---red, yellow and blue---will be at three equally distant points on the circle. Between each primary color will be a progression of secondary and tertiary colors. For example, three color slices appear between red and blue. The center color is violet. Between red and violet is the color red-violet and between violet and blue is blue-violet. The colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel, like red and green, are complementary colors. They are opposites that when combined, create black.

2. Gather your supplies. To mix a variety of colors, all you need are red, blue, yellow and white paints. As you advance at mixing colors, you can try different shades. Colors come in warm and cool shades that change the mixed result. Some basic colors to start out with are titanium white, ultramarine blue, Prussian blue, thalo green, viridian green, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, cadmium red and alizarin crimson. You also need paper towels for blotting, a palette and palette knife. If you are using acrylic paints, you can use water to rinse your brush. For oil paints, use a jar of artist's mineral spirits to clean the brushes.

3. Set up your palette. Squeeze out a quarter-size glob of a blue, red and yellow on your palette, spaced widely apart. Also squeeze out a slightly larger glob of white.

4. Start mixing the secondary colors. Do this by taking your palette knife, scooping up a bit of red and a bit of yellow, then mixing them. Notice how the amount of each paint you add changes the orange color. Then mix the two other secondary colors, green and violet by mixing the other primary colors.

5. Once your secondary colors are mixed, try mixing tertiary colors. The tertiary colors are red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet and red-violet. These colors are created by mixing a secondary color, like violet, and a primary color, like red, to create red-violet.

6. Now you can create different shades of the colors. On your palette, smear three small globs of each color. Add a small amount of white to the first glob, and mix it. Then add a slightly larger amount of white to the second glob of that color. Then add even more white to the third glob. Notice the different shades of lightness and darkness that you get out of each color.

7. Create black by adding equal parts of complementary colors, like red and green. If the shade seems too warm, add some more green and vice versa. Then practice adding a bit of black to each of your mixed colors to make them darker.

Mix Paint To Make Colors

Mixing paint colours

It is not always easy to find the exact paint color that you are looking for. This is where you can take matters into your own hands, and make your own custom colors. Making custom paint colors is a matter of using two or more colors and slowly adding portions of one to the other or others. You can make an overly dark color lighter, and a light color darker. Try this formula for creating a deep brownish red paint; then use the process for virtually endless color combinations and undertones.

Instructions

Deep Brownish Red

1. Pour the entire gallon of medium red paint into a 2 gallon bucket. It is easier to add extra colors and mix the colors together when the paint is in a larger bucket.

2. Scoop 1 tbsp. of black paint into the bucket and 1 tbsp. of brown into the bucket and thoroughly stir the colors together. Write this paint combination down on a piece of paper, and write down everything that you do to alter the color. You will not be able to replicate your paint later if you do not know what you did. To speed up the mixing process, use a variable speed drill with a mixer bit.

3. Brush a small amount of paint onto a scrap board and let it dry. This will help you to see what the paint looks like as you alter the color.

4. Add 1 tsp. of brown paint to the paint mixture, and use the variable speed drill to mix it. Continue adding brown paint until you have created the desired brown tone. Add 1 tsp. of black paint at a time to this same mixture to continue making the paint darker.

5. Add 1 tsp. of white paint at a time, and mix the paint between additions if you accidentally make the paint too dark.

6. Use a color wheel to create multiple custom colors. Mix equal parts of primary colors red, blue, and yellow to create the secondary colors orange, purple, and green. Change secondary colors into multiple custom colors by using complementary colors. Complementary colors are directly opposite secondary colors on the color wheel. Add complementary color in small amounts to the secondary color to gradually change it.

Mix Paint For Painting A Car

Three primary types of paint are in use today, partly due to environmental issues. Current paints have a lot more solids than in the past, giving them more durability and resistance to ultraviolet light: acrylic enamel, single-stage urethane and base-coat clear-coat urethane. Acrylic enamel is the least expensive. It gives a decent shine with a fair amount of chip resistance. It is easy to spray and does not need an activator. The temperature rating on the reducer can regulate drying time. Longevity is the main issue relating to the ability to maintain a luster over time. Single-stage urethane has better properties yet is somewhat harder to spray and temperamental where climate is concerned. All late-model vehicles use the base-coat clear-coat system. The vehicle is painted with a rather dull base coat of color and then covered with a series of clear coats. This paint requires an activator to harden the paint. The clear coat is extremely hard and resists scratches. Any scratches that are encountered are usually in the clear coat and do not touch the underlying base coat. The clear coat can be either buffed to remove the scratch or repainted to a perfect finish.

Instructions

1. Read the side of the paint can for the mixing instructions. It will tell you the exact proportion of reducer to paint, which varies with paints. It will also state, by number, which reducer to use. Paint must have compatible reducer, or it will not mix properly nor will it flow properly. This means it will not give an even surface. In some cases, certain reducers will cause the paint to lift or crack. Enamel is not compatible with urethane and so on.

2. Mix all paints thoroughly with a paint shaker or stir stick. Always pour paint through a paint strainer into the paint cup. Replace the lid after each fill. Never leave the lid off the paint can.

3. Consider the current temperature and humidity prior to painting. Use the proper temperature reducer for the existing conditions. Reducers come in slow, medium and fast drying. On cold (under 70 degrees) days a slow reducer works best. On hot days (over 85 degrees) a fast reducer will work well.

4. Chose a compatible activator for the paint being used, and read the mixing table on the side of the can. Too much activator will reduce pot time - the amount of time the paint can remain in the paint gun after activator is added before it gets hard. Clear coat uses an activator but no reducer. Mixing base coat, for example: mix the paint well and pour it through a strainer into the paint cup to just under a half a can. Pour the same amount of medium reducer in the cup making it a 50-50 mixture. Next pour in one capful of activator. Add two drops of fisheye remover and mix well.

5. Mix the appropriate amount of activator to a full can of clear. Adjust the air pressure at the gun and test spray something to see the pattern before laying it on the vehicle. Clean the paint gun immediately with reducer when finished or if the pot time is about to expire.

Make Crafts With Packing Peanuts

Packing peanuts crafts

Most people just throw packing peanuts away with no regard for how they can be used later. You and your child can make the following two crafts with packing peanuts. Not only will you be teaching your child about recycling, but she will also have something really cool to share with friends.

Instructions

Packing Peanuts Sun Craft

1. Print the sun template provided here. Print one for each child doing the craft. You can choose to enlarge the picture with a copier (125 percent or so), if you want the sun to be bigger.

2. Cut the template out. Glue it to a piece of poster board. Cut the template out again. Now the sun has a strong backing to support the packing peanuts used in the next couple of steps.

3. Paint the packing peanuts. Use yellow paint for the pieces that will go in the circle. Use orange paint for the pieces that will be the sun rays. Allow the peanuts to dry for at least 10 minutes before moving on to the next step.

4. Glue the peanuts to the sun in the appropriate places. Let dry.

5. If you want your child to make a whole scene on the poster board, do not cut out the template after you glue it to the poster board. If you cut the template, you can probably cut out two templates or more from a single piece of poster board.

Packing Peanuts Necklace

6. Paint packing peanuts with various colors of tempera paint. Use the largest and strongest peanuts from the bunch for this project. You can even add details to each peanut, if they are large enough. Let dry.

7. Measure a length of yarn around your neck to a size that can be slipped over your neck comfortably. Now add a half-inch to this length and cut the yarn. There will be no clasp on this necklace.

8. Thread the yarn through a size 1 sewing needle (the thickest available), and tie a knot at the end of the needle. You should have one long length of yarn to work with.

9. Push the needle through the center of a packing peanut and guide the peanut to the end of the yarn to the point where there is a half-inch of yarn left. Keep stringing the packing peanuts until there is a half inch left on each side of the yarn. Tie a knot at both ends of the yarn. The necklace is complete.

Mix Paint Colors

Creating the right colors for a painting may help the artist evoke a feeling or atmosphere. You can create subtle shades and tones by moving beyond the primary colors and mixing hues to expand your means of experssion.

Instructions

1. Squeeze a dab of blue, yellow and red paint onto the plate or palette as if making the three points of a triangle. Do not connect the points.

2. Add the other colors around the outside of the plate in round spots.

3. Move some yellow paint toward the red and stop halfway. Wash the brush and dip it in the red and mix it into the yellow point at the halfway mark. Brush it back into the dab of red paint. Do the same with the blue paint.

4. Dip your clean brush in the red and brush it toward the blue paint, stopping halfway. Brush the blue into the red, as in Step 3. You now have purple, green and orange in an array of shades.

5. Mix black or dark purple with the color to make it darker. Black makes the paints look flat. Purple brings out the color and makes it darker.

6. Add white to any color, but add red to make it lighter or brighten the color. Mix some yellow with red paint to make a brighter, more vibrant red.

Mix Paints To Achieve A Color

Mix different colors of paint to achieve the color you desire.

If you need a specific color of paint for a project, rather than purchasing a new can of paint, you can mix similar types of paint together to achieve the color you need. You can stretch paints this way and save money. You should always mix similar types of paint: oil paint with other oil paints, latex paint with other latex paints and acrylic paint with other acrylic paints. Also keep in mind that the color you mix may not match exactly, but you may be able to mimic the color you need.

Instructions

1. Select a color on the color chart that you want to achieve.

2. Select a base paint color similar to the color you want to achieve. If you do not have the color you need, start with white paint.

3. Lighten a paint color by mixing in white paint. Pour the white into the existing paint, stirring it constantly with a paint stick until you achieve the level of lightness that you need. It may take quite a bit of white paint to lighten your paint.

4. Darken paint by adding some gray or black paint to it. Black should be used when trying to darken a deeper color, and gray for lighter colors. Stir the paints together with the paint stick until you get the desired tone.

5. Intensify a paint color by adding more of the base color. If you are trying to liven up a tan paint, try adding more orange or yellow to it. To brighten a pale blue, add more blue.

6. Decrease the intensity or tone down a paint color by adding its opposite color to it. This would be a color on the color wheel that sits directly across from it.

7. Alter the hue of a color by adding warm or cool tones. Yellow added to green will create a warm hue; blue added to green will create a cool hue.

Mix Oil Paint With Liquin

Avoid mixing too much paint because paint with Liquin dries quickly.

Although traditional oil painting can be a slow affair, Liquin and other alkyd mediums allow paint to dry in about half the time. A thin layer of paint mixed with an alkyd medium dries in less than 24 hours, which allows painters to apply multiple layers of glaze in rapid succession. Artists use alkyds in place of linseed oil to thin paint, add transparency and increase the flow of paint. Using Liquin also reduces the sheen associated with traditional oils.

Instructions

1. Squeeze some oil paints onto a palette. Mix the colors with a palette knife to achieve the desired colors.

2. Add a small amount of Liquin to the colors, Blend with a palette knife. Thin the paint with a small amount of odorless mineral spirits if necessary. Apply the first layer of paint with a brush to a canvas or other primed painting surface. Allow the paint to dry overnight.

3. Mix colors for the second layer of paint. Add more Liquin and less mineral spirits to this layer. Continue adding more Liquin and less mineral spirits to each additional layer of paint. Artists and technicians refer to this technique as painting "fat over lean." This prevents top layers from drying before lower levels, which can form crackled surfaces.

4. Clean brushes by swirling them in a container of mineral spirits. Wipe them off on a rag.

Paint Graphics

If you can draw (or you have ready-made black-and-white images), you should be able to paint graphics. While there are a few tricks involved in choosing the right materials and getting the colors to look just so, the simple, bold images that make up most graphics are actually much easier to work with than most types of painting.

Instructions

1. Draw your image with pencil on a reasonable quality of paper. The type of paper that comes in most tablets is fine; you're basically just looking for something a little heavier than typing paper so that it can stand up to the paint. If you already have a drawing, trace it onto good paper, or as a last resort, photocopy it.

2. Paint the graphics with gouache, starting in the largest areas of your drawing to get a feel for the paint and brushes. Gouache is usually ready to be used straight out of the tube. Use medium-sized brushes to fill in large areas and small pointy or flat brushes to carefully paint near the lines and in other tight areas.

3. Wait for the gouache to dry, then see how it looks. If the color looks thin or patchy, paint on another layer, at least in problem areas. Gouache is an excellent media for painting graphics because it can create a very smooth, flat look, but sometimes it takes a few coats to get this right.

4. Touch up any mistakes. First, wait for the gouache to dry completely. Lightly sand the area with a very fine grade of sandpaper, being careful not to damage the paper. If that doesn't work, paint over the mistake in white, wait for that to dry and then paint over it again with another color if appropriate.

5. Go over the outlines with a black pen to give your graphics a crisp look. Even if you started with an ink drawing, going over the lines after you paint the graphics generally makes a piece look cleaner.

6. Wait for your work to dry completely, then go over the entire page lightly with a large eraser. It is very easy to leave almost imperceptible pencil or dirt smudges while working, so this step often makes the graphics look cleaner.

Fix A Mistake In A Canvas Painting

You can fix some mistakes in canvas paintings.

While painting on canvas has its advantages, such as the absorption of paint into the canvas and the texture, it also presents the painter with a variety of challenges. For example, if you make an error or simply want to change an element of the painting, it can seem more difficult than if you were working in another medium on another type of surface. However, it is still possible to fix mistakes in a canvas painting.

Instructions

1. Check to see if the paint is completely dry. Oil paint takes several days to dry, and the method of removal will depend on the state of your painting.

2. Remove any wet paint with the dull side of a butter knife, blotting the remaining paint with a rag to dry it more quickly. If the paint is still wet, consider blending it with surrounding colors to make the mistake less noticeable, letting the paint dry and painting over it.

3. Remove thick, dry paint by carefully chipping away at it with the sharp end of an X-acto knife. If the paint is not too thick, consider painting over it with another color, or simply reworking what you have already done to hide the mistake.

4. Dab a corner of the rag in turpentine. Be careful not to get turpentine on your skin or clothes, and use it only in a well-ventilated room. Blot the dry paint of your mistake with turpentine until the paint dissolves, and let it dry.

Play With A Furby

Who can resist the urge to play with a cute little plush toy that can play back? The Furby became popular in the 1990s because of its unique ability to interact with its owner. Since they have sensors in several places throughout their furry bodies, Furbies are able to "see," "hear" and "feel" when someone is playing with them. These sensors allow Furbies to be capable of playing several kinds of games, such as Furby Says.

Instructions

"Furby Says"

1. Follow this sequence to play Furby Says, which is like the game Simon Says: Tickle the tummy, pet the back, clap your hands, cover the eyes. Be sure to wait for the Furby to stop moving and making sounds in between each action. The Furby should then say "listen me."

2. Listen to the sequence of actions the Furby tells you to do. For example, the Furby might say "tickle, light, sound, pet."

3. Remember the sequence of actions the Furby tells you to do and complete them in order. Again, for example, you should tickle its stomach, turn off the light, make a sound, and pet its back. Be sure to wait for it to stop moving and making sounds after each action.

4. Continue playing by remembering a the list of actions as the Furby adds to it after every round, this will become more and more difficult.

5. Pick up the Furby and flip it upside down to end the game. The Furby should then say "Me done!"

Mix Oil Paints To Get Violet Or Purple

Mix red and blue oil paint to create purple.

Color theory tells us that red and blue make violet. A budding artist's first attempts to blend purple from red and blue oil paint, however, may create a color closer to mud than magenta.

Colors vary in their hue based on where they fall on the color wheel. The three primary hues--red, blue and yellow--are the building blocks of all other colors. Violet (or purple) is a secondary color. Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary and secondary color. Make less mud and more magenta by becoming familiar with the color wheel and learning to recognize the component colors within each color as it comes out of the paint tube.

Instructions

1. Purchase the pure pigment paints necessary to create a variety of violet hues: yellow ochre, ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson. Add a titanium white so you can lighten the shade of your colors.

2. Squeeze some alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue onto your palette. Mix equal parts of the two colors together on a clean section of your palette using your palette knife. This creates a basic violet or purple oil paint color.

3. Mix alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue and some yellow ochre to create a wine color. You are dulling the original violet color you created by adding its complementary color.

4. Add a small amount of titanium white to your original purple to create lilac. Add titanium white to your wine color to create rose.

5. Vary the proportion of each color you use to create new purple hues, or mix two different purples together. Some experiments will result in violet variations you like, while others will be disasters. Each will teach you something about color mixing.

Mix Oil Paints

Oil painting is one of the oldest mediums available to an artist and is among the most beautiful. One of the more difficult aspects of oil painting is learning to correctly mix colors. Oil paints require many substances that other mediums do not. Here are some steps for getting started.

Instructions

1. Choose your oil paints. You'll need a blue, yellow, and red. Select student or artist grade, depending on the quality you prefer.

2. Create a palette. Do this by using the color wheel to create the colors you'd like to use. This can be done in a porcelain, plastic or disposable palate. Mix primary colors together with a palette knife and make sure the colors are evenly blended.

3. Make shades and tints. To make a shade, or darker version of a color you've just created, mix in black. To make a tint, or lighter version of the same color, add white. This allows you to make a range of the same color to use as gradients.

4. Weaken the paint as needed. To thin out oil paints, use turpentine or mineral spirits. This allows you to achieve a fine wash, or transparent coloring. Mineral spirits are generally less flammable and less toxic than turpentine.

5. Change the texture of the paint. Impasto mediums will thicken the oil paints and prevent cracking. Use these when you wish to mix thick, stiff paint. Sand, plaster or sawdust can be used to achieve the same effect.

Legally Sell Art On The Streets Of New York City

Stick to the correct places, and you can legally sell your art in New York City.

In New York City, you don't need any type of license or permit to sell art on the streets. Being an artist means that you're under special constitutional protections. The trick to legally selling your art on the streets in New York City is to follow the rules that apply to any street vendor. If you don't follow the rules, you're likely to be arrested and your art could even be taken from you. With so many places to sell your art, it's simple to find a place to sell it without breaking any laws.

Instructions

1. Apply for a New York state tax identification number online (see Resources). Even though you don't need a permit, you have to be able to show evidence of your tax identification number. Keep your completed registration with you at all times.

2. Only sell art on sidewalks more than 12 feet wide. Your art display can only be 5 feet high, 8 feet long and 3 feet wide.

3. Always stand 20 feet from doors if they open to a building that is commercial in any way. If it's a residential building, you can reduce that to 10 feet. Never touch or attach your display to city property such as fire hydrants, telephone poles or signs. In parks, you can't block walkways or touch benches.

4. Obtain permission from an owner before you prop your art against his property, which includes fences and signs. Never display the art you're intending to sell on your car.

5. Set up your stand on almost any street or in any park. In most places, you can sell your art 24 hours per day. Some complex rules apply to people selling art on the specific streets, such as times when selling is prohibited and certain circumstances under which you cannot sell art on a street (see Resources to check if any restrictions apply to a street that interests you).

Mix Natural Wood Furniture With Painted Furniture

Whether redoing your country vacation cottage or shore house, or looking to add a rustic flair to your existing home that features painted furniture, there are numerous options for mixing natural wood furniture with painted furniture. Research which colors look best with wood before making any drastic purchasing decisions, and remember to think about the overall feel or design of the room you are going for. Create a room that is cozy yet elegant by choosing the right wooden furniture pieces.

Instructions

1. Keep the overall style of your home or the room you are specifically decorating with furniture in mind when mixing natural wood with painted furniture pieces. The colors of the walls as well as any decor pieces, area rugs, light fixtures, and decor accessories must be taken into consideration when planning furniture design schemes to avoid a room that features an overabundance of contrasting patterns and styles.

2. Use painted furniture in colors that complement natural wood, such as muted bamboo yellows, burnt oranges, muted and dusty reds, and furniture painted in off white shades. Violet and lavender can also work when paired with natural wood. Alternatively, choose muted greens, such as sage. Use pastel hues to brighten a room with dark-colored natural wood and blue-based paint pieces to reduce the "warmth" of natural wood pieces that feature reddish or yellow tints. Avoid using painted pieces that match the color of the wood, which creates little contrast or variation.

3. Go for a casual or formal look. Natural wood pieces tend to have a more rustic, casual, earthy feel to them, while painted pieces can range from casual to formal. Make bold statements by pairing natural wood pieces with dramatic painted furniture, such as those in various Asian styles or brightly painted pieces from Mexico, or stick to the causal/rustic theme with painted pieces that do not feature intricate designs and patterns or bold colors.

Mix Music On The Pc For Free

Mix music on the PC for free.

Mixing music on your PC can be costly if done with expensive music creation software; however, you can mix your music for free on your PC. Free music creation software can be downloaded online. Software such as Sonar, Garageband and Audacity allows you to not only mix your own music, it also aids in helping you maintain vocal effects as well as instrument manipulation. By mixing music on your PC for free you will save time and money as well.

Instructions

1. Open a music creation program that has on-board mixer. Download free music software online if you don't have one.

2. Import the song you want to mix into the program by selecting "Import" from the File menu.

3. Adjust volume and other effects.

Select the on-board mixer and move the sliders on the interface to control volume. Select additional effects to mix the song with, such as Delay and Limiter.

4. Save after final mixdown.

Save the song once you have mixed it to your liking.

Mix Linseed Oil & Turpentine Before Painting

Oil painting mediums can help blend and spread your oil paints more easily and consistently.

Some artists would not paint without an oil painting medium. Others don't use a medium at all. A medium is a substance that holds and carries pigment in your paint. Tube oil paints already have a medium mixed with pigment. The amount of medium can vary greatly according to brand. When there is too much medium mixed with the pure pigment, there can be a loss of vibrancy in color. On the other hand, adding a little medium to your oil paint can help to spread or blend the color more easily, especially if the tube paint is very thick.

Instructions

1. Mix one part linseed stand oil with two parts turpentine or odorless mineral spirits. You will find that these two liquids won't mix readily. Linseed oil can be very thick and slow drying depending on the temperature and humidity that you are painting in. You can substitute sun-thickened linseed oil for the linseed stand oil in order to save a few extra days during your painting's drying period. However, sun-thickened linseed oil may cause the lighter oil colors you are using to turn slightly yellow over time.

2. Cover tightly. Use a glass container with a screw cap to get a tight seal.

3. Let it sit. You may need to wait several days for the linseed stand oil and the turpentine or mineral spirits to mix completely. Turning your glass container on its side or top several times a day will help the liquids mix together more quickly.

4. Pour a small amount into another container after the linseed stand oil and turpentine or mineral spirits have thoroughly mixed together. You are now ready to dip your brush in your oil painting medium and begin your new masterpiece. Be sure your container has a tight fitting lid in order to save any mixture that may be left over after your painting session. You can purchase oil painting medium at any art supply store. However, making your own is a wonderful part of the art process and will probably save you more than a few dollars.

Mix Latex Paint For Spraying

Latex paint should be well mixed before spraying.

Preparation is critical for a good paint job--and you need to prepare your paint as well as the surfaces to be painted. Don't assume that you can use latex paint straight out of the can. Latex paint needs to be mixed before spraying so impurities don't clog the spray tip, it's the right consistency for smooth spraying and the color stays uniform. Paint sprayers can be finicky machines, so properly mixing, thinning and straining paint before starting work helps ensure a hassle-free job.

Instructions

1. Read the paint label. Some latex paint can and should be thinned by mixing with water or paint conditioner before spraying; other latex paint shouldn't be thinned. Often, the manufacturer will include thinning instructions on the label-use these as your guide.

2. Box all the paint. "Boxing" means mixing every can of paint together. There can be subtle differences in the paint color, even if it was all mixed at the same time. If you have single-gallon cans, pour them into a clean five-gallon bucket and mix them. If you have more than five gallons, use several buckets and pour the paint from one to another until they're well-mixed.

3. Thin the paint according to label directions. If the label gives you no guidance, about one cup of water per gallon is usually sufficient. Mix it well, using a five-gallon paint stir stick (available free at most paint stores.)

4. Thin the paint with latex paint conditioner if you need to slow the drying time (such as in very hot, dry conditions) or to produce a very smooth finish for cabinets or woodwork. Follow label directions--you can add more paint conditioner than water to latex paint without negatively affecting performance.

5. Strain the paint, even if you just poured it from new cans. Latex paint can have specks of grit or dried paint in it, almost invisible but large enough to clog a spray tip. Paint stores carry several types of paint strainers. The most common is a fine-mesh nylon bag that fits over the top of a bucket so you can pour the paint through.

Paint A Watercolor Portrait

Watercolor painting is an extremely expressive and gratifying medium to work with. It requires tremendous control and superior color skills to make an attractive picture. Portrait art is typically done with paint that has a higher controllability factor. However, some brave artists who forge forward with watercolors to do portraits. Learn paint a watercolor portrait like a pro when you're still a beginner.

Instructions

1. Start with a picture of the face of someone you want to render in watercolor. Take a picture of a friend or flip through a magazine or art book to find a good face to paint in order to start your portrait.

2. Use a light, soft lead pencil and sketch the outline of where you will place the head of the portrait. Utilize basic rules of facial proportion and make very light sketches of where you will place the eyes, nose and lips.

3. Take a medium sized paint brush and mix an adequate skin color. Use a shade of brown and white for lightening as needed. Color in the head with the pencil to give you a general idea of where the head will be. Using a slightly dampened paper towel or towel, wipe one side of the oval of the head to denote light gradation for shadowing.

4. Choose a smaller paintbrush to paint the features of the face. Dip the brush in a darker brown, or even gray tone to denote where you will place the darker shadows of the eyes.

5. Place your brush strokes a bit lower than you will actually paint the eyes. Now go above the darker shadows and using a thinner detail brush, paint an oval shape for the eyes. Concentrate mostly on the top lid, leaving only impressions of the bottom lid.

6. Repeat the process for the eyes for the lips and nose. Remember, only give impressions of where the features will be and rely mostly on the shadow to guide the eye. Wait for the portrait to dry. Go over the details with a finer brush with very little paint to add even more distinct details to the face.

7. Add more light contrast by using your wash cloth or paper towel. Pay attention to how the light plays on the face in the photograph you are referencing. Go back and add a slight hint of eye color and lip color, primarily on the top lip, to give more depth to the portrait.

Mix Gesso For A Canvas

Gesso is a primer often used in painting.

Gesso is an art supply material used to prepare objects for oil or acrylic paint. Artists use gesso to treat unprimed surfaces like canvas, paper or wood. This treatment makes the painting surface stiffer and prevents pigment from absorbing into the material. Depending on how it's applied, gesso can give a canvas a rough or smooth texture, according to the effect the artist wants to achieve. Gesso comes ready-made and is generally thick; many artists mix it with water to thin it or add tint to achieve special effects.

Instructions

1. Take roughly two dollops of gesso and add half a cup of water, suggests The Empty Easel website. Stir until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency, which the site defines as being able to drizzle from a spoon. Apply to the canvas in even horizontal strokes; let dry. The site recommends two coats of gesso -- more if the gesso mixture was on the thin side.

2. Mix a half-and-half mixture of modeling paste and gesso, according The Easy Oil Painting Techniques website. This is to further smooth the surface of a primed canvas when a very fine canvas texture is desired. The site recommends applying the gesso mixture with a very blunt confectionery knife -- in fact, it recommends rounding the blade off with a grinding wheel. When the layer is dry, sand any tiny ridges down with a 120-grit sandpaper.

3. Tint gesso for special effects, or use colored gesso. Artist Aisling D'art states that she has tinted gesso with concentrated watercolors, watercolor paint, acrylic paint and even unsweetened Kool-Aid powder. She also mentions that gesso powders can be mixed into acrylic gessos to make them thicker or more textured.

Paint Like An Impressionist

Example of Impressionist painting techniques.

Impressionism is a Paris-based art movement that developed in the 19th century. The name is derived from Claude Monet's painting "Impression, Sunrise." Impressionism is characterized by ordinary subject matter, focus on accurate lighting, thin but visible brush strokes and an emphasis on motion and nontraditional angles. If you want to paint in a similar fashion to Impressionists, composition and brushwork are the most important factors.

Instructions

1. Set up your canvas. Most Impressionist painters worked outdoors or painted outdoor scenes.

2. Choose the composition of your painting. Impressionist paintings focus on unusual, accurate lighting and movement.

3. Paint quickly and aim to finish your painting in one sitting.

4. Use thick, short strokes of the brush. Impressionists used the impasto technique, which entails applying the paint very thickly to the canvas. The dried paint creates a raised, textured effect. Impasto also creates the feeling of movement in the painting.

5. Apply paint in layers while the paint is still wet. Applying new layers over wet paint creates a soft, rounded look to the edges.

6. Avoid black paint and strong lines. Impressionists did not used black paint in their work. Monet created shadows using violet or indigo hues.

Paint An Iris Flower

Creat an iris flower with acrylic paints.

Iris petals have a slightly irregular shape and a crepe-paper-like appearance, which means small mistakes made while painting may add to the finished appearance of your iris flower and may actually make it look more natural. Acrylic paints are a good choice for beginners according to Painters Online, because the paints can be thinned with water and will dry quickly, so multiple layers of paint may be applied without worrying about smudging or smearing the paints together.

Instructions

1. Draw the outline of the iris onto your canvas or whatever surface you will be painting using a pencil. Refer to a picture of an iris as you draw, and keep the pencil lines light so they will not be visible on your finished painting.

2. Squeeze a small dollop of purple acrylic paint onto a paper plate or an artist's palette. Use the dominant color in your iris for this step, so if you are painting a blue iris, use blue acrylic paint instead of purple.

3. Dip your paintbrush into a small container of water to thoroughly wet the bristles.

4. Dip the wet paintbrush into the purple acrylic paint and begin painting the petals of your iris. The water on the brush will thin the paint and it may form small puddles. Move these puddles around with your paintbrush to keep the paint inside your outline. Paint each petal purple.

5. Soak up any remaining puddles of paint by dabbing at them with a dry paintbrush. Let this first layer of paint air-dry or use a hairdryer on the low setting to speed up the drying process.

6. Squeeze a small amount of white or yellow paint onto your paper plate or palette. Wet your paintbrush and dip it into the white paint. Apply the paint on top of the purple paint to form a small half circle shape radiating from the center of each petal. Dry this layer of paint completely before you continue.

7. Use additional colors of acrylic paint to fill in the stem and leaves of your iris flower and add additional detail to the painting.

Make Scratch Repairs On A Gun Stock

Make Scratch Repairs on a Gun Stock

Even if you're careful, your gun stock can become scratched, making the gun look worn and tired. Owning a gun means taking responsibility for its care, so knowing care for the stock is essential.

Always make sure your gun is not loaded before attempting any repairs or maintenance.

Instructions

1. Wipe the stock several times with a paper towel that has been moistened with vinegar. This removes oils from your hands and built-up dirt. Let the stock dry completely.

2. Moisten a cloth with G96 hi-speed linseed oil and gently rub into the stock in a circular motion. The linseed oil will begin to fill in the scratches in the stock.

3. Repeat Step 2 but with more linseed oil on your cloth. Use more in scratched areas of the gun stock to allow the oil to build up. With each application, you will see the scratches disappear.

4. Wipe off excess after allowing the rifle to sit overnight.

Mix Colors To Make Brown

Make brown using four easy formulas.

People use basic color theory for mixing colors. The three primary colors of red, yellow and blue combine and make secondary colors. The secondary colors are purple, green and orange. If a primary color and secondary color or two secondary colors combine, a tertiary color is created. Tertiary colors are muted, muddy colors like brown and gray. Brown is a tertiary color created using several different formulas.

Instructions

1. Place your paints on a flat surface, and check the colors. Make sure the red is a true red. Some reds look bluish, and some have an orange tint to the color. These reds don't mix well. You want a cadmium deep red or alizarin crimson. Either one works well for mixing.

2. Create brown using all primary colors by mixing equal amounts of red, yellow and blue paint. Blend the paint thoroughly. If it looks too purple, add a little yellow. If it looks too green, add a little red. If it looks too orange, add a little blue. It may take a few minutes before the color looks right.

3. Make brown by mixing equal amounts of orange and blue. This makes a grayish-brown color that works well when painting old wood, trees or skin. If it looks gray instead of brown, add a little more orange to the mixture.

4. Blend equal amounts of red and green together for a rich, warm brown. It makes a cherry wood color.

5. Put equal amounts of yellow and purple together, and blend thoroughly. This mixture makes a brown that works well for painting swampy areas.

6. Test the color by painting a dab of paint on paper. Let it dry before using the paint. Some types of paint get darker when they dry.