Mixing Paint

hOW TO MIX PAINT

Lesson Purpose

For this Intermediate and High School lesson, we are mixing paint together. We will be using Primary Magenta in the place of Primary Red to produce brighter colors. For each how to mix paint lesson, I have tried to take into account the limited time teachers have during class and between classes. These lessons are set up for students to work in groups of 4 – this reduces tidy-up and allows the group to direct each other. There are 3 lessons and students switch jobs between lessons.

How to Mix Paint, Lesson 1: Yellow-Magenta, Shade

Jobs

In this lesson, students each have one paint brush. They will not need to clean their brushes until the end of the lesson. The positions are YELLOW, MAGENTA, ORANGE, AND SHADE. The lesson puts each student in a position according to their desk number. Future lessons keep the same desk numbers but switch jobs for the students.

Here, MAGENTA is directed to mix magenta-violet and colour a page. Each slide addresses one student at a time.

How to Mix Paint - Tint, Shade, and Tone

In order to maintain the simplicity of the lesson, each segment of the wheel (between two primary colours), is assigned either tint, shade, or tone. The Magenta-Blue color mixing lesson also teaches shade.

How to Mix Paint, Lesson 2: Yellow-Blue, Tint

Jobs

In this lesson, students each have one paint brush. They will not need to clean their brushes until the end of the lesson. The positions are YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN, AND TINT. The lesson puts each student in a position according to their desk number. Lessons 1 and 3 keep the same desk numbers but switch jobs for the students.

Here, GREEN is directed to separate the green into two piles. On the next slides, YELLOW and BLUE will mix tertiary colours using their primary and secondary green. Again, in each step of mixing colours, the slide addresses one student at a time.

How to Mix Paint - Tint, Shade, and Tone

Here, TINT, who has waited for something to do, gets the most interesting job.

How to Mix Paint, Lesson 3: Magenta-Blue, Tone

Jobs

For this mixing paint lesson, the positions are MAGENTA, BLUE, VIOLET, AND TONE. One student will not have had a chance to play with the tint, tone, or shade. You may wish to use more paint for this lesson and allow time at the end for each student to create their own work.