Custom Color Control: Keep Track Of Your Mixed Paints

Mixing your own paint is a great way to save money and get creative. However, keeping track of your paint mixtures can be challenging, especially if you're aiming for consistency. One way to keep track of your paint mixtures is to maintain a notebook with details of the paints used and their rough ratios. You can also utilise mobile applications designed for tracking paint collections and mixtures. Additionally, when mixing paints, it's important to consider the chemistry between different types of paints. For instance, oil-based and latex or water-based paints should not be mixed. Practicing colour theory and using a colour wheel as a reference can also help you keep track of your paint mixtures by improving your understanding of colour relationships and combinations.

Record paint ratios in a notebook

Keeping a notebook of the paints you use, as well as the ratios, is a good way to keep track of paints you mix yourself. While it may not matter that much, especially if you're doing a lot of blending, having a record of your paint mixtures can be very helpful.

For example, if you're painting the same colour in a lot of miniatures, you can refer to your notebook to recreate the exact mixture. This is especially useful if you're working on a big project and need batch-to-batch consistency in colour, sheen, and texture for multiple coats and touch-ups.

Additionally, keeping a notebook can help you avoid wasting paint. For instance, if you need 10% of paint A and 90% of paint B, recording the ratios can help you mix the right amount without wasting paint.

Your notebook can also be a place to jot down other relevant information, such as the types of paint you're mixing (e.g., latex with latex or oil with oil) and any challenges or tips you discover along the way. For instance, you might note that mixing oil paints is challenging due to their thick consistency and that it's easier to mix them using a palette knife rather than a brush.

Overall, keeping a notebook of your paint mixtures can be a valuable tool for any painter, helping to ensure consistency, avoid waste, and provide a reference for future projects.

Use a mobile app to track paint collections

If you're looking for a convenient way to keep track of your paint collection, there are several mobile apps that can help you do just that. These apps offer a range of features to help you manage your paints, create custom sets or recipes, and avoid buying duplicate colours.

One such app is paintRack, available on the App Store. paintRack allows you to track your hobby model paint collection by scanning the barcodes on the bottles. It offers a library feature with over 25,000 paints from top brands, so you can easily find matches for paint colours across different brands. You can also create custom paint sets or recipes for your models and save them for future reference. Additionally, the wish list feature helps you keep track of the paints you need, and the colour tools can assist in finding the best matching paint colours.

Another app that has been recommended by users is Brushrage. Brushrage allows you to create a library of your paint collection by selecting from multiple brand lists, ensuring that you don't accidentally buy colours that you already have. This app was developed by a member of the minipainting/Warhammer community and is tailored to the needs of miniature painters.

By using these apps, you can easily manage your paint collection, avoid unnecessary purchases, and have quick access to the information you need for your painting projects.

Avoid mixing oil and water

Mixing paints can be challenging, but it's a fun way to create custom colours and consolidate your paint supply. Here are some tips to help you keep track of paints you mix yourself, with a focus on avoiding mixing oil and water:

Understand the Basics of Paint Mixing

Before mixing paints, it's essential to understand some basic principles. Firstly, traditional oil paints and water do not mix. Oil paint is typically made with linseed oil and pigment and must be thinned with solvents like turpentine or mineral spirits. On the other hand, water-based paints like acrylics and watercolours can be thinned with water. While it is possible to mix water-soluble oils with traditional oil paints, it's important to note that the more traditional oil paint you add, the less water-mixable the paint becomes.

Keep a Record of Your Paint Mixtures

To keep track of your paint mixtures, consider keeping a notebook or journal specifically for this purpose. Note down the paints you use, including the colours and approximate ratios. This way, if you need to recreate a colour or mix more paint for a project, you have a reference to work from.

Practice Colour Theory and Mixing

Familiarise yourself with colour theory and the colour wheel to understand which colours work harmoniously and which ones contrast. This knowledge will help you in your paint mixing endeavours. Additionally, practice mixing different colours to get a feel for how colours combine and the ratios needed to achieve specific shades. You can use a scrap piece of paper or a palette to test out different combinations until you find the desired colour.

Pay Attention to Paint Characteristics

When mixing paints, consider the characteristics of the paints you're using. Factors such as sheen, chemical components, and age can impact how well paints blend together. It's generally recommended to pair like with like and use paints of similar ages to ensure maximum compatibility. Additionally, be cautious when mixing interior and exterior paints, as the durability and finish requirements differ.

Consider Using Water-Soluble Oils

If you want to avoid mixing oil and water altogether, consider using water-soluble or water-mixable oil paints. These paints have been chemically altered to be water-soluble, offering the benefits of traditional oils without the need for toxic solvents. They are an excellent option for those concerned about toxicity or the strong odour of traditional solvents.

Prepare Larger Batches for Consistency

Once you've successfully mixed colours and paint types to your liking, consider preparing a larger batch of the same mixture. This ensures batch-to-batch consistency in colour, sheen, and texture for multiple coats and touch-ups. It's essential to have enough paint to adequately cover the surface you're working on, plus some extra for future touch-ups.

In summary, while it's generally advised to avoid mixing oil and water, you can explore the world of colour by understanding paint characteristics, practising colour mixing, and utilising tools like a colour wheel and a paint mixture notebook. Remember to pay attention to the specific requirements of your project and always allow for some experimentation and adjustments when mixing paints.

Store mixed paints in airtight containers

If you want to keep your mixed paints from drying out, it's important to store them in airtight containers. This could be the original tubes or pots that the paint came in, but only if you can expel all the air from the tube or pot before closing the lid. If the container doesn't have a proper lid, you can use cling film over the top of the container to keep the air out. If you're using cling film, it's best not to mix water into your paints, as the film will sink. Push out any air bubbles and seal the container tightly.

You can recycle glass jars and plastic containers with lids to store your mixed paints. For example, you could use small glass sauce jars with a twist-top lid, or plastic containers that held houmous, dips, or thick cream. Always wash these containers before using them for paint storage. If the container is only partially full, you can place a layer of cling film inside the container, directly on top of the paint, before sealing.

The length of time that you can store mixed paints depends on how well you keep the air out of the container. Acrylic paints, in particular, can be stored for several days if kept airtight.

It's worth noting that oil-based and water-based paints should never be mixed.

Use a colour wheel to guide mixing

Keeping track of paints you mix yourself can be challenging, but there are several ways to approach this. One of the most important tools to help you mix paints effectively is a colour wheel. Invented in 1666 by Sir Isaac Newton, the colour wheel maps the full colour spectrum onto a circle. Colour theory is based on the principles outlined in the colour wheel, showing the relationships between colours and helping artists to see which colours work harmoniously and which contrast.

Even expert artists frequently consult their colour wheel before starting a new project. If you are trying to create a secondary colour, you need to combine two primary colours. For example, red and blue make purple, red and yellow make orange, and yellow and blue create green. The shade will depend on the proportions of each primary colour in the mix. You can then start mixing secondary and primary colours to make tertiary colours.

Complementary colours create a strong contrast when placed next to each other, and when mixed, they can produce neutral tones. You can use the colour wheel to identify complementary colours. For example, to make brown, you need to mix two colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel. You can also use the wheel to create shades and tints by adding black or white to your colour.

You can also use the colour wheel to guide you in mixing paints with different chemistries. For example, you should not mix water-based interior acrylic latex with water-based interior vinyl latex. Instead, try to pair like with like and use paints of similar ages for maximum compatibility.

Finally, remember that the colour wheel is a rough guide to colour mixing and offers an "illustration" of what you can achieve rather than an exact match.

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