Colour mixing - How to mix skin tones in acrylic paint, by Paint and Pinot in Perth on YouTube. 6 min 53 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 53 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Squeeze out a warm and a cool version of each primary colour plus white. Warm reds lean orange, cool reds lean purple, and the same logic applies to your yellows and blues.
Start with a base of white on your palette. Skin tones are light, so white is the starting point rather than the colour you add last.
Add a small amount of warm red and a touch of yellow to the white. Mix until you get a pale peach base.
Add a tiny amount of blue to cool the mix. Blue neutralises the orange and stops the tone looking too pink or too bright.
Adjust the mix in small amounts. Add warm red for rosier skin, yellow for a more golden tone, or blue to mute it.
Test the colour on a scrap of paper or the edge of your canvas. Let it dry slightly, since acrylics look darker when wet.
Make a lighter and a darker version of the same mix for highlights and shadows. Keep the base mix nearby so all the tones stay related.
Cover your palette tightly with plastic wrap or a lid at the end of the session. This slows the acrylics drying out overnight.
Tips and common mistakes
Add dark colours a little at a time, since it is much harder to lighten a mix than to darken it.
Mix more paint than you think you need so you do not run out halfway through a face.
Keep your warm and cool primaries separate on the palette so the mixes stay clean.
Acrylics dry fast, so mist the palette with water if you are working slowly.
Questions
Do I need special flesh-coloured paint?
No. You can mix believable skin tones from red, yellow, blue and white. Buying a warm and cool version of each primary gives you more control.
Why does my skin tone look too pink or too orange?
You probably added too much red or yellow. Add a tiny amount of blue to mute the mix, then test it on paper.
Can I keep the mixed paint for the next day?
Yes, if you seal it. Cover the palette tightly with plastic wrap or a lid to slow drying, and mist it with water if it starts to skin over.
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.
