Minimum Colour Mixing Set

A minimum set contains warm and cool primaries as follows:

• Opaque
• Semi-Transparent
• Transparent
• Very Strong Coverage

Arylamide Yellow Light Series 3	Arylamide Yellow Deep Series 3	Napthol Red Light Series 3
Crimson Series 1	Pthalo Blue Series 1	French Ultramarine Blue Series 2
Carbon Black Series 1	Mars Black Series 1	Titanium White Series 1

Either black could be chosen. Mars Black is opaque and neutral while Carbon Black is warmer, covers well and becomes transparent when diluted.

Alternate Reds and Yellows

It is worthwhile to look at the cadmium yellows and reds that most closely resemble the yellows and reds in the Minimum Colour Mixing Set. Cadmiums are opaque and they have their own distinctiveness and clarity, which is why professional painters are willing to pay a premium price. Showing them here, next to their nearest match, can be useful for painters who want to use them for overpainting, and the more economical colours for underpainting.

• Opaque
• Semi-Transparent
• Transparent
• Very Strong Coverage

Cadmium Yellow Light Series 4	Cadmium Yellow Deep Series 4	Orange Series 2
Cadmium Red Light ( Scarlet ) Series 4	Cadmium Red Medium Series 4

Earth Colours

Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna and Burnt Umber are the usual minimum choice of earth colours.
Variants: other warm reds could be preferred such as Orange or Napthol Red Light.

• Opaque
• Semi-Transparent
• Transparent
• Very Strong Coverage

Burnt Umber Series 1

Yellow Ochre Series 1

Burnt Sienna Series 1

Secondary Colours

For secondary colours, choose from the following:

Note: Purple is strong, dark and transparent. Unmixed it looks nearly black, so it can be used with white or diluted to show its purpleness, or used to shade blues such as Pthalo Red Shade or French Ultramarine Blue.

• Opaque
• Semi-Transparent
• Transparent
• Very Strong Coverage

Purple Series 1