Viridian watercolor is a pure transparent non-staining watercolor that has a distinctive metallic blue-green color that is rarely used on its own as a primary green.
It is one of the “greens” in the transparent non-staining watercolor palette used for the glazing technique and mixing with other colors.
Measured against a gray scale value finder, transparent non-staining watercolors are generally light in value ranging from 10% to a maximum of 70% value.
So, the colors in the transparent non-staining category are adequate for a complete palette, except for where darker passages require colors with values higher on the gray scale.
PAINT CHARACTERISTICS
Viridian is considered to be a cool bluish green, that is tricky to mix when a warm green color is desired.
Like other transparent non-staining watercolors, Viridian can be lifted from a dampened watercolor paper without leaving a strong stain behind.
COLOR MIXING WITH VIRIDIAN WATERCOLOR
Add Aureolin or New Gamboge to Viridian to mix a variety of green colors that look more natural than using it straight from the tube.
Create special foliage effects by combining Viridian with a mixture of yellows, oranges, reds, and/or earth colors.
Mix Viridian with Rose Madder Genuine or mix Viridian, Cobalt Blue, and Vermilion together to create interesting mid-value transparent gray colors.
It also makes beautiful, luminous washes when glazed or mixed with the other watercolors in the transparent non-staining category.
Viridian can also be successfully mixed with watercolors in the semi-transparent non-staining category.
Mixed with semi-opaque or opaque colors, it will create a combination that is cleaner and more transparent than using only opaque colors.
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… and the recommended transparent non-staining watercolors for glazing or color mixing with Viridian
… also the recommended semi-transparent non-staining watercolor for mixing with Viridian
To learn more about transparent watercolors, click the link to my blog post “Which watercolor paints are transparent.”
See my YouTube playlist “Watercolor Paint Characteristics & Color Mixing” for more videos. And, subscribe to my YouTube channel.