green · Oil and Watercolor

Viridian

A cool, transparent green with gentle strength. Safer than phthalo if you are starting out.

IndexPG18

Color#17705E

Tinting strength4/10

Opacitytransparent

Lightfastnessexcellent

Dryingslow

In watergranulates

Middling strength: it mixes politely and does not take over.

With white, step by step

pure #18705E 6:1 #52A593 3:1 #6CB7A7 2:1 #7BC1B2 1:1 #96D0C4 1:2 #AEDCD2 1:3 #BBE1D9 1:6 #CCE9E2 pure #F8F7F3

From pure Viridian on the left to titanium white on the right. Watch how much chroma you lose on the way — that is the cost of lightening with white, and the reason a tint often needs a trace of something warm putting back.

What to mix it with

These are the partners that take Viridian furthest towards neutral, which makes them the ones you reach for when you need a shadow or a gray rather than a color.

with Mars Black quietest point #20201F with Ivory Black quietest point #252422 with Zinc White quietest point #FBFAF7 with Titanium White quietest point #F8F7F3 with Payne’s Gray quietest point #2E3C46 with Burnt Umber quietest point #3D3D2C

Every pair

Titanium White Zinc White Lemon Yellow Cadmium Yellow Light Cadmium Yellow Deep Yellow Ochre Raw Sienna Naples Yellow Cadmium Red Light Cadmium Red Deep Alizarin Crimson (permanent) Quinacridone Rose Indian Red Burnt Sienna Raw Umber Burnt Umber Ultramarine Cobalt Blue Cerulean Blue Phthalo Blue Prussian Blue Phthalo Green Chromium Oxide Green Dioxazine Purple Ivory Black Mars Black Payne’s Gray

Is it on your palette?

Tick off what you own and every recipe is worked out for that set, from a color you pick out of your own photo.

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