Viridian Green Watercolor (why they LIE to you about this color!), by In the Studio with Michele Webber on YouTube. 15 min 33 s.
- Video length
- 15 min 33 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Read the label on your green tube before you buy. Look for the pigment code PG18, which is true viridian, and for the word Hue printed after the colour name.
Know what true viridian is: a chromium oxide green with weak tinting strength, so it looks soft straight from the tube and builds slowly in a wash.
If the tube says Viridian Hue, treat it as a different paint. Hue means the maker matched the colour with cheaper pigments, usually phthalo green, not the original one.
Expect phthalo green, pigment PG7, in many beginner sets. It is bright, highly staining and very strong, so a tiny amount goes a long way and can take over a mix.
Swatch both greens side by side on watercolor paper. Paint a strong dab and a pale wash of each, let them dry, then compare the strength and tone.
Mix viridian with a yellow such as lemon or hansa yellow for clean leafy greens. Add a touch of burnt sienna or alizarin crimson to mute the green.
Write the paint name and pigment code under each swatch and keep the chart with your palette. You will mix faster when you can see what each green does.
Tips and common mistakes
Phthalo green stains the brush and the water, so rinse it in a separate jar before dipping into clean water.
Check the pigment code rather than the colour name, because many cheap sets label a phthalo mix as viridian.
Viridian has low tinting strength, so you need more paint than with phthalo to reach a strong green.
Emerald green is a separate pigment, not another name for viridian, so do not swap one for the other in a recipe.
Questions
Is viridian hue the same as viridian green?
No. Viridian hue is a colour match made with other pigments, usually phthalo green, while true viridian is made from the single pigment PG18.
Why is the green in my beginner set so bright?
Many beginner sets include phthalo green or a viridian hue rather than true viridian, because it is stronger and cheaper to produce.
Does viridian mix well with other colours?
Yes. It makes natural greens with yellows and soft, muted greens with earth reds and browns.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
