Color Wheel Mandala using only Secondary Colors

Color Wheel Mandala - Flower Petal Design - Secondary Colors

A rainy day is perfect for taking my time mixing colors for a color wheel mandala.  I've recently completed Part Three of the four-part series Color Wheel Mandalas on Skillshare.  Several of the artists who have taken the first three parts have posted gorgeous mandalas in the project sections of the classes and I decided they were definitely ready for setting out on their own when it comes to the design and the color choices.  I'm happy that some have already taken a leap forward and added drawings and smaller details into their mandalas while still exploring color and color mixing.  

I wanted this morning's mandala to illustrate how a limited palette of six pigments, a warm and cool of each color, can produce beautiful results even when none of the pigments are used alone, as primary colors (yellow, red, blue).  I used only greens, oranges and violets, mixed by combining only two of the pigments at a time.  I wanted to show an example of mixing primaries closer together as well as further apart on the color wheel.  This was explained and illustrated in the bonus color mixing lesson I added just before publishing Part Three of the series.  It helped to reinforce what the artists had already begun to understand from Part One and Part Two of the Color Wheel Mandala series.

At the request of one of the artists, I documented each stage of adding color to the design.  Along the way, I even added to the design.  I normally don't alter the design once I've inked the drawing.  I kept hearing my inner artist whispering "What if?" and I had to try out each suggestion.  I'm glad I did.

Here are the twenty five steps to painting in the mandala:

Step1: Blue/Violet - Alizarin Crimson & Ultramarine Blue

Step 2: Red/Violet - alizarin Crimson & Ultramarine Blue

Step 3: Yellow/Green - Winsor Yellow & Joe's Blue

Step 4: Yellow/Green (Neutralized) - Hansa Yellow Deep & Ultramarine Blue

Step Five: Yellow/Orange - Hansa Yellow Deep & Cadmium Red Light 

Step 6: Yellow/Orange - Hansa Yellow Deep & Cad. Red Light (more of the yellow)

Step 7: Yellow/Orange (Neutralized) - Winsor Yellow & a speck of Cad. Red Light

Step 8: Yellow/Green - Winsor Yellow & Joe's Blue

Step 9: Yellow/Green - Winsor Yellow & Joe's Blue (more of the yellow)

Step 10: Yellow/Green - Winsor Yellow & Joe's Blue (more of the blue)

Step 11: Yellow/Green (Neutralized) - Hansa Yellow Deep & Ultramarine Blue

Step 12: Yellow/Green (Neutralized) - Winsor Yellow & Ultramarine BlueStep 13: Yellow/Green (neutralized) - Hansa Yellow Deep & Ultramarine Blue

Step 14: Yellow/Green (Neutralized) - Winsor Yellow & Ultramarine Blue

Step 15: Yellow/Green - Winsor Yellow & Joe's Blue

Step 16: Yellow?Green (Neutralized) - Hansa Yellow Deep & Ultramarine BlueStep 17: Red/Violet - Alizarin Crimson & Ultramarine Blue

Step 18: Blue/Violet - Alizarin Crimson & Ultramarine Blue

I added four new lines, dividing four of the shapes in half.

Step 19: Yellow/Orange - Hansa Yellow Deep & Cadmium Red Light

Step 20: Yellow/Orange (Neutralized) - Winsor Yellow & Cadmium Red Light

And then ... I added more flower petals and small circle behind the petals.Step 21: Yellow/Orange - Hansa Yellow Deep & Cadmium Red Light

Step 22: Yellow/Orange (Neutralized) Winsor Yellow & Cadmium Red LightStep 23: Red/Violet - Alizarin Crimson & Ultramarine Blue

Step 24: Blue/Violet - Alizarin Crimson & Ultramarine Blue

Step 25: Yellow/Green (Neutralized) - Hansa Yellow Deep & Ultramarine Blue

Step 26: Yellow/Green - Winsor Yellow & Joe's Blue

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Thinking about taking an online art courses?  I offer bite-sized classes on Skillshare as well as more comprehensive classes here on ExploreWithChrisCarter.com.

If you aren't already a premium member on Skillshare, please check it out.  You receive a two month trial period totally free when you click on my link:  Skillshare.com/chriscarterart

Most popular Skillshare classes are the Pulling the Puddle watercolor technique (Series of four classes) and the Color Wheel Mandala class. (Part I and II are now available, Part III and Part IV will be available later this month.)

I'm creating most of the classes on Skillshare as bite-size classes within a series.  Each series, as I complete it will be bundled together with additional lessons added to it to create a more comprehensive course here on ExploreWithChrisCarter.com for artists who truly want to learn new skills and master their current skills.

Most popular classes on Explore are The Color Scheme Game and the Creating Dala and the Drawing Alternative I courses.

Thanks for reading my blog!