To make tints and shades with paint, you add white paint to a color to create a tint, and you add black paint to a color to create a shade.
Understanding how to create tints and shades is fundamental in painting, allowing artists to expand their color palettes and create depth and variation. These variations of a color are often referred to as its "value."
Making Tints with Paint
A tint is created by adding white paint to a pure hue (the original color). Adding white lightens the color, making it paler.
- Process: Take a color you want to lighten (e.g., red, blue, green). On your palette, mix in a small amount of white paint. Add more white to make the tint lighter.
- Example: Starting with a vibrant red and adding white will produce pink. Adding even more white will result in a very pale pink.
- Reference Insight: The reference mentions that adding white to a color creates a tint. It notes that sometimes you don't even need to add much blue (when starting with blue paint) because a small amount of blue might already be on your paintbrush, and that small amount of color mixed with the white will create a tint. This highlights that even a tiny bit of the base color mixed with white produces a tint.
Making Shades with Paint
A shade is created by adding black paint to a pure hue. Adding black darkens the color.
- Process: Take a color you want to darken. On your palette, mix in a very small amount of black paint. Be cautious, as black is very strong and can quickly overpower a color. Add more black for a deeper shade.
- Example: Starting with blue and adding black will produce a darker, more muted blue, sometimes called navy or indigo. Adding more black will result in a color closer to black itself.
Summary: Tints vs. Shades
Here's a quick breakdown:
| Term | How to Make | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Tint | Add White Paint to a Pure Color | Lightens Color |
| Shade | Add Black Paint to a Pure Color | Darkens Color |
Mastering the creation of tints and shades allows for greater control over value in your artwork, helping to create highlights, shadows, and overall dimension.
