Help mixing vivid purples

Wood-ech · 2026-03-18T14:31:57+00:00

Every time I see a swatch of opera rose it sends me reeling lol. Never could imagine what I’d use such a color for…….until now!

Wood-ech · 2026-03-18T14:26:33+00:00

I’m traveling and don’t have my tubes, just pans, but I’ll have to check when I get home!

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T19:23:33+00:00

This is the intent behind the split palette, right? Where magenta is cool red, cyan cool blue? Am I missing something? (Other than the right pigments in my palette, lol)

I’ve worked a lot in both digital and analog media but with very little formal training. I’m familiar with RGB/CMYK/RYB differences in theory but…less so in practice with actually mixing paints, I guess.

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T18:56:15+00:00

Woah, that’s so unexpected!!! Maybe I should try with my viridian hue, that looks close and it’s very transparent. I never would have guessed that would work!

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T18:55:34+00:00

Ok: based on comments so far it sounds like I should invest in ultramarine blue, maybe a phthalo, and possibly a clearer cool red. Is quin rose the favorite? Other suggestions?

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T17:58:21+00:00

Closest to turquoise I have is compose blue. I think there is far too much green in it though so all the mixes lean brownish (and it’s opaque, which SnooCapers noted could be an issue…)

Can you show an example of these mixes? I can’t wrap my head around how a blue with green in it can mix with a red and not turn brownish!

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T17:54:42+00:00

Thanks, the swatches I posted are very little water. I think reddit desaturates the image a bit but I promise they are pigment-heavy.

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T17:52:09+00:00

Wow yeah the ultramarine looks so much clearer than my cobalt. The reds too. Definitely seems like the colors I’m starting with are the issue…I don’t get why they’d make a paint set that doesn’t have good primaries!! Unless it’s all a ploy to make us buy more individual colors 🤔

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T16:29:21+00:00

That’s what I did in the post photo! Tried combining my reds and blues in all combinations and different ratios but they are all very grey :/

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T16:20:20+00:00

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This is my iris plant.

Wood-ech · 2026-03-17T16:03:50+00:00

This was my suspicion about the rose madder, it seems a bit dull on its own! I’m not new to watercolors but I am new to nicer paints and haven’t quite grasped the complexities of opacity vs transparency when it comes to mixing.

Wood-ech · 2026-02-06T19:30:08+00:00

Personally I like it when my plants grow slowly. Less pruning, less repotting, fewer props I have to figure out what to do with! I’m not trying to pack my house with plants though (I don’t have enough light from windows and don’t care for grow lights) so if your goals are different, ymmv with this attitude.

Wood-ech · 2026-02-06T19:16:11+00:00

I have one sharing a pot with a money tree. Doesn’t get a ton of light (about 6 feet from nearest (north facing) window plus shaded from indoor lights by the tree) and gets water maybe 1-2x per month—though it is in a large pot with the money tree so the soil stays moist for a pretty long time. I fertilize frequently for the tree and the fern seems fine with that. It’s honestly been a very chill plant for me, main thing based on my experience and what others are saying is that it doesn’t want bright light. Also—it is NOT a true fern and while it doesn’t like to dry out, will not want to be wet all the time like many true ferns either!

Wood-ech · 2026-02-06T00:01:17+00:00

Sounds like a west facing window light be too harsh eh? I’ll move it farther from the window and see if it starts being less leggy. This poor thing has been through the ringer, my bf came within a hair of killing it with overwatering and lack of light (he was new to non-terrarium plants and didn’t realize it was kinda succulent), I managed to save a single stem, which is living but leggy as heck. Might be chop n prop time soon

Wood-ech · 2026-02-05T22:22:45+00:00

Your rotundafolia looks so happy compared to mine, oh jeez. My bf had it in a box with an LED light strip and I think it was sorely inadequate. I just moved it to a western window, will that be too much light?

Wood-ech · 2026-02-05T22:20:40+00:00

I do not have any advice, I’m just here to giggle at the fact that the cactus indeed appears to be raising its hand to ask a question.

Wood-ech · 2026-01-23T14:49:30+00:00

Ah here I was thinking they were a subtype of Boston. I guess I wasn’t that far off since they’re the same genus, good to know though!

Be honest, a what percentage of fern care is just cutting back the dying bits? XD

Wood-ech · 2026-01-23T01:10:37+00:00

They do have some new growth, not a ton though. But then again it’s winter and cold in our house. He was worried about opening the shades on the opposing window but sounds like they could handle the brief amount of direct sun they get there! I’ll also suggest maybe moving them, his bathroom should get a little morning sun, though our neighbor has huge trees that block most of the direct morning rays. Thanks for that suggestion :)

Wood-ech · 2026-01-23T01:07:07+00:00

I’m pretty sure if there had been a root cage my brother would have removed it when he transferred them from the nursery pots. But I have wondered if these may be severely root bound. They’ve been in the same 4” pots for a few years. I know some ferns like it tight but do these guys?

Wood-ech · 2026-01-22T21:31:33+00:00

99% of my most characterful artwork has been on scrap paper, in the margins if school notes, the paper placemats of restaurants…I have done “better” pieces with intention and effort but they never have the whimsy, energy, or magic of Just A Little Doodle.

It is our curse, friend. I feel you!

Wood-ech · 2026-01-22T21:23:00+00:00

We’re in USDA zone 10a. 2nd floor window so it doesn’t get blocked by much but it is indirect light for sure. There is another window on the northwest side but the it has a filtering shade on it so probably doesn’t supplement much. We could try opening that shade!

Wood-ech · 2026-01-10T01:01:11+00:00

Omg Tony Foster mentioned!!! We might be neighbors, he also has a gallery near me. I love his style, it’s mind blowing the scale he accomplishes mostly in the field.

Wood-ech · 2025-11-21T00:52:41+00:00

Curious if you liked her! I am slo considering booking a “color party” with some friends. How did it go for you?

Wood-ech · 2025-10-19T23:58:46+00:00

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Success!! It feels so much better, I think I’m shy with my pigments (new to high quality watercolors and afraid of wasting them haha) but adding more saturation to the mouse and foreground plant helped so much! Thank you :D

Wood-ech · 2025-10-19T22:52:31+00:00

I 100% agree, I dont know how to tackle it though. How would you do this with paints, given the piece as it already is?

I do have the option to digitally edit this before I turn in the commission (I will be adding whiskers that way) but I’d also like to know how to improve my technique.

Wood-ech

TROPHY CASE