Mud...or is it?

Some polymer clay artists mix their own colours using the three primary colour clays.  I have found that when I try to create a splendid new color I usually end up with mud. Sometimes if it doesn’t seem too awful I will use it in a cane or technique but I have always ended up regretting it.  The colours don’t seem brighter when used and it bothers me.  Better to stick it in the scrap pile for use later.

J

The light purple in this mosaic cane was a little muddy, not too noticeable here but not nice in larger amounts.

I was pondering the distinct lack of dark brown in the Premo clay lineup and then thought, well it’s just mud. Maybe I can make my own?  I found this article and spent an interesting day playing with browns and creating faux Onyx from a book by Carol Blackburn

Basically if you mix equal yellow, red and blue you will get a brown. As you add more red you get a reddish brown, more yellow gets closer to a yellowy tan and blue seems to darken the brown.  If you mix in too much blue and yellow you get a greener brown.

Here are some things I made with my browns.