Van Dyke brown watercolor is a deep, rich brown achieved by mixing other colors. You don't actually buy Van Dyke Brown as a single pigment; it's a mixture!
Creating Your Own Van Dyke Brown
Van Dyke brown's characteristic color is created by combining two or more pigments. The most common recipe uses a combination of:
- Raw Umber or Burnt Sienna: These provide the base brown tone. Raw umber offers a more yellow-brown, while burnt sienna leans towards a red-brown. Experiment to find your preferred base.
- Black Pigment: This adds depth and darkness to the mix. Ivory black or Mars black are commonly used watercolor blacks.
Mixing Technique:
- Start with your base: Begin with a small amount of your chosen brown pigment (raw umber or burnt sienna) on your palette.
- Gradually add black: Add tiny amounts of black pigment, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Observe the color change closely. Too much black will result in a muddy, lifeless brown.
- Adjust until desired: Continue adding black until you achieve the desired shade of Van Dyke brown. This process requires patience and experimentation to achieve the perfect balance.
Tips for Success:
- Use a limited palette: Sticking to just raw umber/burnt sienna and black simplifies the process and helps avoid muddy mixes.
- Small amounts: Start with tiny amounts of each pigment; it's easier to add more than to take away.
- Wet-on-wet vs. wet-on-dry: Experiment with wet-on-wet (both pigments already wet) and wet-on-dry (adding wet pigment to a dry area) techniques for different effects and color saturation.
Variations and Experimentation
The beauty of mixing Van Dyke brown lies in its adaptability. You can subtly shift the final hue by:
- Varying the ratio: Alter the proportion of black to brown pigments to achieve a lighter or darker Van Dyke brown.
- Using different browns: Experiment with other brown pigments like sepia or Payne's grey alongside raw umber or burnt sienna for variations in undertone.
Remember that the precise shade will also depend on the brand and quality of your pigments.
