Cranfield Traditional Etching ink basic set

Colour Mixing Guide by Parts

Firstly let’s explore how we can create a wide range of new colours using just six inks:

The process colours have excellent lightfast ratings, but remember adding extender or opaque white will lower the overall lightfast rating of any ink.

Mixing Recipes

Make sure all parts are mixed thoroughly and remember that the colours below are intended as a guide only

Using Black

Take care when using Black as even a small addition can make a significant change. You will need less ink than you think! A very small addition of Black mixed with Orange will create a warm Yellow Ochre, but just a little more Black added to the same Orange mix will shift the colour quickly from Ochre to Olive. Always make Black the last colour you add to the mix and be aware that it will make your colours a little more opaque.

Warm Earth Shades

Warm earth shades can be achieved by mixing red (two parts Y + 3 parts M) and then adding a little black to achieve the warm earth shade you require.

Various Cool Earth Shades

Cooler earth shades are achieved from a base of red/orange (3 parts Y + 2 parts M) with a little black.

Using Opaque White & Extender

You can use opaque white to lighten colours and increase opacity whereas extender will reduce colour intensity and provide transparency.

You can find all this brilliant advice and information from Cranfield in the downloadable PDF file below, as well as a guide to mixing basic colours by weight! For the most fastidious with scales and a rigorous approach.