You can change a color without changing what color it is. Add white and it gets lighter: red becomes pink. Add a tiny bit of black and it gets darker: red becomes dark red.
Key idea
White makes a color lighter. Black makes a color darker. Add black just a little at a time.
Why it works
White paint is the lightest paint there is, and black is the darkest. Mixing in a little of either moves a color toward light or dark.
Worked example: Let's look
Hana wants light blue for the sky. What should she add to her blue paint?
- Light blue is lighter than blue.
- White makes a color lighter.
Answer: White.
Common mistake
Many children add a big blob of black, and the color turns almost black. Black is very strong: add a tiny bit, stir, and look before you add more.
For the grown-up. On a paper plate, put a spot of one color and make a row: plain, plus a little white, plus more white. Then try a second row with the tiniest touch of black. Your child will see how strong black is.