What colors should be mixed to get brown. How to get brown color from gouache

Brown shades are not distinguished by their brightness, but are very popular. They are used for renovation work in an apartment and painting interior elements. Children use them in the process of drawing on paper, artists - when creating paintings on canvas. This color is not always included in gouache and acrylic sets, but you can create it yourself from the available ones. Knowing the rules and tricks of mixing, you can answer the question of how to get from paints brown.

People have different tastes, but in any circumstances you need to mix the compositions carefully, using a small amount of material. You should not use a brush for painting. It is better to work with a metal palette knife. It will help avoid divorces.

The mixing technique involves the use of different shades and is studied by such a science as colorism. The basic colors are blue, yellow and red. Black and white stand apart. The rest are secondary. All of them are presented in the color wheel.

Mixing can be mechanical or optical. With the mechanical method, the contents of the tubes are mixed to a homogeneous consistency with a brush or other instrument. The optical method consists of applying strokes of different shades to one place. It is better to do this on a palette or on a white plate. If you don’t have earthenware, you can use a white sheet of paper, plastic, or cardboard.

Secrets of mixing colors

There are manual and computer tinting. With the manual method, it is impossible to accurately replicate the resulting shade. The advantages of this method are the possibility of mixing directly on the job site, as well as its low cost. Computer tinting is performed only in a store or workshop and costs additional money.

  • work to obtain new shades is carried out using at least 2 colors;
  • translucent paint of a different shade is applied to the applied and dried layer;
  • the illusion of tinting is created by closely spaced strokes;
  • exact proportions of source materials are taken;
  • the color for mixing is introduced in small quantities;
  • the mixture is applied for testing to the repaired area;
  • When creating a painting, the resulting shade is applied to the canvas.

If you follow these secrets, you can create new color shades.

How to get different shades of brown

Purchased paints are not always applicable. It is better to make the walls in the apartment lighter. You can get the desired tone using ink, gouache, acrylic and other materials. For this you will need red, blue and yellow shades. White and green paints are added to them.

Almost every student can create a brown shade by mixing green and red. If green is missing, you need to make it up from yellow and blue, then add red. The more yellowness, the lighter and more transparent the new tone will be.

Compositions of different saturations are obtained from blue and orange, yellow and violet.

This tone can be created from brown by adding a little white to it. The more you bleach the main color, the lighter the newly obtained one. If you add too much white, the warm tone becomes colder. It is enough to dilute it with white in an amount of 1-5% of the total amount.

Another way to create a new color is to use a yellow tone instead of white. But the proportions in this case are more difficult to calculate.

Medium brown

To obtain a shade of medium intensity, blue and yellow are mixed, then up to 20% red is added, then it changes when white or black is added.

Dark brown

If you add green, blue, and purple colors to the previous mixtures, you get a dark brown color.

Another method is to add black dye to the brown color. It is better to dilute black with white, then dark brown will become softer. You can combine purple, yellow and black in a ratio of 100:10:5.

Red-brown

When you add red to green, you get brown. To create the characteristic red glow, more material is introduced. The desired color is created by mixing red, yellow and blue. After bringing the mixture to homogeneity, add red.

Taupe

The tone is obtained by combining orange with blue. Black is added to the resulting mixture. Another way is to combine purple with orange. A little black is added to the new composition.

Different types of paints have their own characteristics. To obtain shades of brown, gouache and acrylic are used.

Acrylic paints

Acrylic is a universal material. They paint pictures and paint stained glass windows. It is convenient to work with rich colors: to do this, it is enough to purchase paints of 7 colors. If necessary, they can be mixed to obtain the missing shades.

When you combine yellow with brown and black, you get the color of avocado. To create a reddish-chestnut color, combine brown with red and add black. The chestnut tone is created by a mixture of red and yellow. A little white and black is added to the resulting composition. When painting with newly obtained compositions, you should remember that the dried canvas has a different appearance compared to the wet coating.

Gouache paints

Beginning artists often start working with gouache. The paint is thick, with bright colors, easy to apply to paper, and dries quickly. In stores you can always buy a ready-made set, which includes basic tones, but they are sometimes not enough. In this case, they resort to mixing, checking the color wheel. When combining paints, we must not forget that gouache becomes lighter when it dries. Black color is added carefully, in small portions. Too much white makes the shade look cold.

To get a brown tone, you need to mix 2-3 shades.

Advantages and disadvantages of mixing yourself

Making your own brown is not always a good idea. Sometimes it is better to purchase ready-made paint. The mixing method is good for painting pictures and for renovation work on a small area. If the walls in the apartment are brown, you need to buy the appropriate paint. It is impossible to obtain a large volume of material manually.

The disadvantage of homemade compositions is their tendency to fade. Pros: saving money, a large selection of shades for mixing, working with materials at the point of use.

Brown shades are obtained by combining all primary and secondary colors. Changing an existing tone to another is quite simple, since brown color is sensitive to its components, and human eyes perceive a wide palette of them.

First, let's figure out which colors are considered primary and which are secondary. The primary colors are blue, red and yellow and cannot be obtained from any other color. Secondary ones are orange and green. They are obtained by mixing two primary colors with each other: orange from red and yellow, purple from red and blue, and green from blue and yellow. Brown of different shades is obtained from mixing all primary colors in equal proportions or two primary and one secondary.

The easiest way to get brown is to mix yellow, red and blue paints. That is, from primary colors. First, red and yellow are combined (to make orange), and then blue is added. All paints are taken in equal proportions.

How to get a classic brown color when mixing paints

You can get classic brown in several ways:

  1. Mix red paint with green in equal proportions.
  2. Mix red, yellow and blue paint.
  3. Mix blue and orange paint.
  4. Mix yellow, orange and purple paint. It should be noted that this is a rather complex and troublesome option.
  5. Mixing purple, green and orange paint is also difficult.

When using the above options, brown may turn out to be slightly different shades, but they will all be close to the classic brown color. Everyone chooses to their own taste.

How to get red-brown paint

In order to get a red-brown () shade, you need to combine:

  • red and yellow paint, but more red;
  • add a little blue;
  • approximately 0.1% white.

How to get dark brown color


To obtain a dark brown color, mix red, yellow and blue paint in equal proportions. To achieve a more saturated shade, you need to add black to the desired saturation.

How to get light brown color

To obtain a light brown color, combine red, yellow and blue paint. In this case, there is proportionally more yellow, and we lighten the resulting tone with white paint to the required shade. To obtain a taupe color, it is enough to combine orange paint with gray, and a light or dark shade can be achieved by adding white or black paint, respectively.

Attention! Everyone has their own taste and needs when choosing interior colors or paintings. Therefore, mix colors carefully and in small quantities, achieving the desired tone. If you are interested in painting, when mixing paints it is better to use not a brush, but a special metal tool - a palette knife. This will avoid streaks on the canvas.

What colors need to be mixed to get brown from different types of paints

They have their own characteristics, for example, acrylic and gouache. Therefore, when mixing to achieve the desired shade brown, it is important to take them into account.

How to make brown from gouache paints

Many of those who begin to paint choose gouache paints. They are bright, thick, dry quickly. Drawing with them is easy and fun. Stores that sell everything for creativity, including those interested in painting, sell ready-made paints. What ready-made shades of brown gouache can be found on the shelves: natural umber (natural brown), burnt umber (brown with a green tint, quite dark), dark brown (Mars), natural sienna, burnt sienna, ocher, golden ocher. This is not enough for the demanding eye of an esthete.


Then the technique of mixing ready-made paints comes to the rescue. First you need to familiarize yourself with where the primary colors, secondary and additional colors are presented, and remember which of them give a brown tint when mixed. Nuances to consider when using gouache:

  1. When drying on canvas or paper, gouache is much lighter, so the color will differ from what was originally applied.
  2. Black should be used with caution; if you need to achieve a dark shade, add it little by little.
  3. White color is also added in small portions. Too much of this color will make the shade look cold.
  4. To obtain a brown color, no more than three shades of paint are mixed.

How to make brown from acrylic paints


Acrylic paints can safely be called universal. They not only paint pictures, but also paint stained glass windows. The possibilities for their use are much wider than gouaches or watercolors. They are easy to work with, the colors are rich and expressive. The only drawback, if, of course, it can be considered such, is the expensive price. Therefore, it is enough to buy a palette of seven colors and get the necessary ones by mixing.

How to get brown from primary colors? Red, yellow, pink, brown, blue, black and white. Laws color wheel will help us create the brown shade we need. Everything is the same as with other paints, but it has its own characteristics. Let's talk about them. Colors and proportions of acrylic paints to obtain shades of brown:

  1. Avocado color - mix yellow paint with a small amount of black and brown.
  2. Reddish-chestnut - mix red paint with a small amount of brown and black.
  3. Chestnut - yellow paint plus red, a little black and white.
  4. The color of honey is white paint plus yellow and a little brown.
  5. Dark brown - yellow paint, red and black in equal proportions and a little white.
  6. Copper gray - black paint, white and a little red.
  7. The color of the eggshell is white and yellow paint in equal proportions and a little brown.

When painting with acrylic paints, you need to remember that when drying, the shade may be different than when applied. To get brown, you need to know how to mix the right colors. Artists who love to create with acrylic paints have developed a special mixing system to create dark and light tones. This system produces green, purple, orange and brown shades. For the base, take white color and add color; the less the base color, the lighter the shade. To obtain dark shades of the palette, black paint is added to the main color; the more black, the darker the shade. This needs to be done with caution, for example, you need a dark brown color, you need to add very little black paint, otherwise it will turn out dirty brown.

When is it profitable to mix colors, and when is it better to buy ready-made paint?


If you need many shades of the same color for your work, it is perhaps better to purchase a white base and mix it with the base colors. This option is more suitable for an artist who uses paint in small quantities to draw small details. Having such an arsenal, it will not be difficult to make brown paint from other colors.

To cover large areas, it is better to buy ready-made paint. Why? It is difficult to stock up on a mixed composition for future use, and the slightest deviation in the proportion of colors can give a different shade. Fortunately, today the market offers a wide range to the discerning buyer. And if you still have questions and suggestions about how you mix colors, and where you use such knowledge, tell other readers of our online magazine about your experience. And in conclusion, we suggest watching an entertaining video about how to mix correctly oil paints to get the colors you want.

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There are several ways to obtain different shades of this color. In any case, in order to get brown, you just need to mix two primary colors and add an additional one to them. That is:

  • mix blue and yellow to get green, and then add red to it;
  • mix red and yellow to get orange and add blue;
  • mix red and blue and add yellow to the resulting purple.

So, we found out how to get a brown color when mixing paints. For this you will need gouache, watercolor, water-based emulsion, etc. in red, yellow and blue. But sometimes for coloring or drawing you need not just brown, but brown of a certain shade. Thus, interior items are usually decorated in light colors. The earth, for example, is depicted almost black in pictures. So how do you get a light or dark shade of brown? The answer to this question is also quite simple.

To get a dark brown shade, you just need to add a black component to it. But when mixing in this case, you need to use only very small portions. Add black to brown literally drop by drop. Otherwise, you can simply ruin the paint. In this case, the mixed mass must be mixed very well each time until it has a homogeneous consistency.

To obtain a light brown color, ordinary white is most often used as an additive. There is no need to be particularly careful when mixing in this case. After all, if there is an excess of white in the paint, you can always simply add a little more of the original color.

Brown, of course, is not only light or dark. This color can also vary in shades. So, for example, red gives brown a rusty tint. When yellow is added, the color becomes slightly "ochre". Blue makes brown more rich and contrasting.

So, we hope that we have answered in sufficient detail the question of what colors need to be mixed to get brown, as well as how to make this color more saturated, lighter or darker. As you can see, getting the required result in this case is extremely simple. The main thing is to do everything slowly and carefully and, of course, not be afraid to try and experiment.

Brown color, although not bright, is quite popular. It is used when renovating an apartment, for painting interior items, when painting with acrylic and other paints and gouache, when dyeing hair, as well as other actions. To get brown, use the mixing technique. The colors are both dark and light, and we will find out which ones later in the article.

How to get classic brown

One of the main and simple ways make brown is mixing green and red dye I. These colors are available in any palette of paints, from construction paints to those intended for painting on paper canvas. The use of dark green and dark red is not permissible, otherwise we will get a color close to black, but not dark brown.

The next method is to mix 3 dyes: red, blue and yellow. This method follows from the previous one; instead of green, we use blue and yellow, which when mixed give green, and as a result we get the color formula described above. This combination of colors is good when the palette runs out of green.

Another way to make brown is to mix orange and gray or orange and blue, which is more appropriate for a regular paint palette.

The last way to get classic brown is to combine purple and yellow paints. Instead of magenta, you can use violet. This option is less popular because it is difficult to control the resulting color when mixing, the slightest overdose and the shade is no longer the same.

Methods for producing brown flowers

Making shades of brown

A traditional palette is good, but its use is not always required, for example, when painting a wall in a hallway, a lighter tone would be more appropriate, but to give a picture realistic colors when depicting the earth, dark paint is usually used. Below are instructions on how to make brown darker or lighter:

  • How to get dark brown color? Let's not reinvent the wheel and propose the most effective method - adding a black component. We recommend mixing in small drops, otherwise you risk ruining the resulting paint and will have to throw it away. After adding a small dose of black, mix thoroughly until the consistency is homogeneous, only then decide whether you need to darken it further.
  • How to get light brown color? Here we will also follow the well-known path and propose a method for using white or white dyes. Adding lightening colors can be done more intensely than darkening ones. This is due to the fact that if you lighten the brown too much, you can always go back a couple of shades darker. The main white paint is white paint; in addition to it, you can use yellow - which will give an ocher tint, red - will give shades of rust, and blue will make it deeper and more contrasting.

For art lovers, together with Olga Bazanova, we have prepared a video lesson on mixing brown from other colors:

Pros and cons of mixing brown

No matter how strange it may sound, it’s not always possible to make brown paint with your own hands. best idea. Let's look at when it is profitable to mix, and when it is better to buy ready-made dye:

    • You paint with acrylic paints on canvas - here you can make brown and its shades in any quantities and portions of colors;
    • You are making repairs and there are excess paints left from which you can get brown for use in the intended design;
    • You do whatever you want, but the color palette presented in stores doesn’t contain what you need;
    • If the design of the room includes brown walls, then you should not buy other colors to mix them; there are enough brown paints in hardware stores to choose the right one;
    • If you dye your hair, you should not mix different components, even of the same shade, unless this is provided in the instructions;
    • If you are not sure in advance that you will use brown.

Shades of brown

Secrets of mixing colors

        1. To make beautiful brown paint, use precise proportions.
        2. If you achieve the desired tone, then add the “thinner” color a little at a time, otherwise you risk ruining everything.
        3. Try to test the resulting dye on a small area to be painted, because the color in the jar and on the surface may differ.
        4. When working with a painting, you can combine paints directly on the canvas, thereby achieving an interesting effect.
        5. Before combining other paints, read the instructions; the color of the dried paint may differ from the one applied, this should be taken into account.

Conclusion

There are many ways to obtain brown colors and shades; they can be used for any painting work, but you should focus on the feasibility of mixing or purchasing ready-made ones. In addition to the main mixture, you can make many shades from light to dark, from contrasting to deep. Don’t be afraid to experiment, because all the famous masterpieces of interior design, painting and fashion items appeared as a result of a large number of tests. Tell us in the comments, what paints do you use to make your brown dye?

ART lessons for painters: how to mix paints to make brown and its shades

Everyone knows from school that if you mix three colors - red, yellow and blue, it will be brown. But the often sought after colors, as luck would have it, give completely unexpected shades. From the color of childish surprise to a fairly rich dark wood shade. So, maybe it’s not the colors that are to blame, but we didn’t listen well in art lessons? Let's figure out, together with the editors of HouseChief.ru, how to make the desired shade of brown without having to repaint the walls.

Don't forget, each person can have their own perception of color. Therefore, most likely, you and the coder seller may see the same shade differently

Mixing the base: how to get brown by simply combining base colors

Think about how often you have stopped in the furniture department and chosen your shade among the many colors. The fact is that, despite its versatility and seeming commonplace, brown has dozens of shades. Try mixing watercolors, even with this example it is clear that the quality and saturation of the shade depend on the proportions of the primary colors and the possibility of adding brighteners.

Important! The basic colors for producing brown are red, blue and yellow. By mixing the base, you can get many shades of brown.

How to get a classic brown color when mixing paints

You've probably often caught yourself wondering why it looks this way when mixing paint, but differently after applying it to the wall? It's simple, it's a matter of lighting, simple physics. However, this must be taken into account when creating the basis.

To make different tones of brown, you need to alternate the proportions of each shade using the random method. There are special tables for mixing colors. They can be purchased in specialized departments or checked with the seller. For example, the shade of tree bark is obtained from red, yellow and blue (indigo) in a ratio of 1:1:0.5.

How to get red-brown paint

If you need more red tint in a brown tone, then again take three primary colors, but in different proportions: 2: 2: 0.5

Advice! A tone that is too dark can always be diluted with a white base. However, base tints should be used with caution. Changing the proportion can radically change the shade.

How to get dark brown color

Usually in this case a little blue or black is added to the resulting brown tone. The effect will be approximately the same. You will get a darker shade. A deep brown tone can be used when painting walls or highlighting areas. It is highly not recommended to use this as a basis. This will significantly darken the space.

If you did everything correctly, then noble brown is guaranteed to you! The chocolate color of the walls looks elegant

How to make taupe paint

To create taupe paint, add a little white and a little less black to the mixed base. The shades can turn out to be very interesting.

Just think how many shades of brown can be used in the interior!

Who said you can only use matte colors? You can add not only gray, but also pearlescent shades to the resulting paint. Change the consistency by including natural inclusions, for example, marble chips. This consistency will favorably highlight the shades, giving the interior a unique style.

How to get light brown color

To avoid getting the previous shade of paint instead of light brown, you need to add a little red and yellow to the resulting color. If you need a lighter tone, then add white.

How to get shades of taupe

What colors need to be mixed to get brown from different types of paints

Different types of paints behave differently when mixed. Oil paints differ from acrylic paints, and enamel paints differ from water-based paints. It is very important to consider the quality of the coating on which the tone will be applied.

Colors also have their own character. Yes, yes, that's right. Some people are “tolerant” of each other. Others are in conflict

Sometimes after mixing colors you get indecently dirty shades. The answer is simple - study special color tables or schemes. The more detailed, the more they are divided into shades, the better. The more diverse combinations will be available to you. On the color wheel, friendly shades are located nearby, but irreconcilable “enemies” are opposite. The consistency of the paints itself is of paramount importance. Let's consider the options.

How to make brown from gouache paints

If already mixed colors are mixed, then this combination is called secondary. By the way, such combinations turn out to be the most interesting.

Advice! Combining more than three colors is not recommended. It is believed that in this case there is a greater chance of “running into” an unfriendly color.

As we noted above, paint tends to lighten after drying. This effect is most noticeable when mixing gouache. Therefore, to obtain the desired shade, they are mixed in the palette. How to get brown using gouache:

  1. Connecting green and red. If you don't have green, mix it from yellow to blue. The sequence of steps matters.
  2. If you have orange paint, you're in luck! All that remains is to add blue. What if there is no blue? It can also be created by mixing yellow and red.
  3. Brown can be made even from such a complex color as purple. We add sunny yellow to it, and here it is again - a rich brown color.

How to get different tones of cinnamon and cinnamon-friendly shades

How to mix paints correctly to get brown color

Beginning artists may have a question about how to get brown color, because it is not always found in a gouache set. This tone is not included in the group of basic ones and can be obtained from a mixture of the latter. But the wrong approach to combining paints often results in a gray mass or the wrong shade that was originally required. To create paint that is no different from store-bought paint, you need to know the tricks of coloring.

Rules for mixing tones

All information about the compatibility of shades and the features of combining paints is united by the science of color. It is based on a color wheel with various tones and their subtypes. There are three basic colors - red, yellow and blue. White and black stand apart, although they are not considered basic. All other tones can be obtained by mixing paints, which is why they are called secondary (green, purple, orange, blue, etc.).

There are basic laws for mixing dyes:

  • all shades are divided into chromatic (color) and achromatic (white, black, gray), the former differ in color tone, lightness, saturation;
  • when mixing two colors located along the chord of the color wheel, an intermediate tone will be obtained;
  • when two opposite colors are combined from a circle, a different achromatic shade is obtained;
  • You can mix paints mechanically (mix colors from two tubes) and optically (put strokes on top of each other).

You can combine gouache, acrylic, watercolor, water-based emulsion, oil, and construction paints on a white palette - this is how the finished shade can be seen in detail. If there is no palette, use a white earthenware plate, or, as a last resort, white disposable (plastic) dishes or paper.

What colors make brown?

You can even make brown from plasticine or felt-tip pen ink, but the best result will be achieved when using gouache. To create brown paint, you need to prepare yellow, blue, red, green, black and white - their various combinations will be involved in obtaining a new tone.

There are several methods that allow you to make the desired color from other paints. It is necessary to take classic, pure tones without impurities. There are several options - basic, three-color and intermediate, and artists also know about a number of additional techniques for creating brown.

Using primary colors

This method is the simplest; it only requires accuracy and high-quality colors.

Green with red

Even schoolchildren know from art lessons that you can get brown if you add red to green. When green is not available, you can mix yellow and blue. The latter are taken in equal proportions to create a “classic” green tone, although individual desires can be taken into account. To get a more transparent brown, you can use a little more yellow.

It is important to introduce red into green, but not vice versa. Add it drop by drop so as not to spoil the new tone, turning it into taupe, rusty or brick. Green will serve as the main color here, but red makes the brown tone warmer.

Orange with blue

Purple with yellow

An intermediate method of producing brown involves creating the color violet and combining it with yellow. First, take equal parts red and blue colors. As a result of mixing them, a noble violet is obtained. Next, they begin to gradually add yellow color, which will lighten the purple. Brown in this case will not be dark, but will have a warm, pleasant glow. Adding new portions of purple acts in the opposite way - it “cools” the shade. Using this technique, adding a large volume of yellow paint produces an ocher color.

Additional Methods

Combining dark gray with orange also produces a brown color, although it will remain cold even with the introduction of an increased amount of orange. Brown is also obtained by mixing green, purple and orange, however, such a multi-step technique is complex.

Getting a dark brown color

In any of the above options, introducing additional portions of dark color helps to achieve a dark brown tone. We are talking about blue, green and purple colors. However, the shades of brown will be different, because each component plays its role in creating them.

There is another simple way to obtain a dark brown color from acrylic, oil or any other paints. A little black paint is dripped into the finished brown. But you need to work with it with extreme caution, otherwise the color will turn dirty black. Professionals even first mix black with a small amount of white, after which they prepare brown on its basis. This will make the black softer and give a more pleasant dark brown tone.

Dark chocolate color can be obtained like this:

  • combine yellow and blue to get dark green;
  • separately mix red and a little yellow to make orange;
  • mix dark green and a drop of orange until you get the color of grass;
  • mix the prepared herbal color with red to create a chocolate color;
  • To make dark chocolate, add a drop of black paint.

For a milky chocolate color add white, for a golden chocolate color add yellow.

Light brown color

A light brown tone can be easily created by diluting regular brown with white paint. The more intense the bleaching, the lighter the color. It is important not to overdo it here, because brown is a warm shade, and white “cools” it. Usually 1-5% white is enough total mass paint to achieve sufficient lightening. You can also get light brown if you initially add more yellow, although it is quite difficult to calculate the proportions so accurately.

Medium brown color

To obtain a brown of medium intensity, mix yellow and blue in equal parts, then add 20% of red by weight of the mixture. Next, adjust the depth of the shade by adding black or white, depending on the need.

Red-brown shade

The secret to creating brown with a hint of red is adding more red to it. When you add it to green, you first get regular brown, then bring it to the desired shade. The intensity will depend on the volume of the color. In addition, the desired color is created by mixing red, blue and yellow. The easiest way to “touch up” brown is to add a drop of red to the finished brown color.

Taupe color

This shade is made by combining orange and blue and then adding black paint. Also, a grayish or coffee color is obtained by mixing violet (purple) and orange with the introduction of black.

Shades of brown - table

Below is information on the colors that need to be mixed together to get brown, as well as their approximate proportions:

Getting brown: dark and light tones

The brown color and its shades, although not too bright, are quite popular due to their use in the design of residential premises, in the colors of furniture, and when drawing paintings. Therefore, the question of how to get a brown color when mixing paints will interest everyone.

Rules for mixing colors

Coloristics and obtaining a certain color from others is a science based on the color wheel. There are only 3 primary colors: yellow, blue and red. The rest can be made by mixing them together and are called secondary (purple, orange and green). Therefore, before answering questions about how to get brown paint, what primary or other colors are needed, you need to understand the rules for mixing colors.

Basic laws of mixing:

1. One color in a circle is a symbiosis of tones opposite to it relative to the center, the resulting additional tone is called achromatic. There are also complementary colors. For example, red is opposite green, yellow is opposite blue.

2. When paints adjacent to each other in a circle are mixed, new ones appear. So, to get orange, you combine red with yellow; green paint is obtained by mixing yellow with blue.

3. When the same shades are combined, similar mixtures can be obtained.

Color Mixing Methods

To achieve brown color, there are several methods. You can mix either construction paints (acrylic, oil), or those intended for painting and drawing (watercolor, oil, gouache, etc.). It is important to take clean and classic tones.

Let's see how to get brown color when mixing paint:

  • The classic method is to mix green and red paint together.
  • The use of three colors is to combine yellow and blue with red in equal proportions (as you know, yellow and blue together give a green color).
  • An intermediate option is to combine blue with orange or gray with orange.
  • A complex combination is yellow and purple; instead of purple, you can use purple, i.e. yellow and orange with purple - this option is less popular; it is difficult to control the resulting paint and its nuances.
  • An additional method is to mix green and purple with the orange tone of gouache.

Red, blue and yellow are the primary colors of the spectrum. By mixing them together, you can achieve different shades of green, purple, brown, orange and all other colors.

There are several ways to achieve brown by mixing base colors. The proportions will be very approximate, since the colors of the base may also differ in shades. Therefore, you first need to achieve the desired mixture of two colors, and then adjust the shade using a third.

Quick navigation through the article

Purple and yellow

To get brown from purple and yellow, you should:

  • Mix red and blue. These paints in equal proportions will give a dark, rich shade of purple;
  • Gradually add yellow. The more yellow, the lighter the brownish-purple hue;

If the shade is too light, it can be darkened with purple or blue.

Green and red

Brown with a hint of red can be obtained by mixing green with red. To do this you need:

  • Mix blue and yellow in equal proportions to get green;
  • Add red. The more red, the darker the brown.

Orange and blue

Chocolate color is obtained by mixing blue and orange. To do this you need:

  • Mix yellow and red to make orange;
  • By adding blue to orange, you can get brown with a dark or light chocolate tint.

Black and white

To darken or lighten shades of brown, you can use artificial paint colors - black and white:

  • To achieve a chestnut color, add red to the resulting dark brown, or initially mix red and black;
  • Red-brown comes from mixing orange and blue. To make the tone lighter, but not increase the brightness, you can dilute it with white;
  • To get a golden hue, red-brown should be diluted more with white and the amount of yellow should be increased;
  • The medium shade of brown can be darkened and lightened with black and white. You should not use auxiliary colors in large quantities (it is better to correct the shade with the main colors of the spectrum), as the result may be gray;
  • Dark brown can be made from orange darkened with black instead of blue;
  • For a light brown color, you need to dilute the yellow color with white, and then darken it with dark brown or black.

In this article we will look at what needs to be mixed to get brown color in paints.

Such a noble and calm color as brown has always dominated the clothing of rich and noble representatives. By the way, its main characteristic is stability and stability. But often the palette does not have this color or its required shade. And young or even experienced artists should be able to select the right colors in order to create their own color scheme brown spectrum. And our recommendations will help in this aspect.

How to get brown color when mixing: 3 ways

Before rushing to the color scheme and brushes, you need to remember what colors there are. They are divided into two groups – basic and additional. There are also two more subgroups - composite and complex. All of them make up the design of four groups of basic colors.

Remember - primary colors cannot be obtained by combining any palettes. By the way, they are the ones that become the basis for creating other colors. Moreover, having black and white on hand, you can extract absolutely any color.

IMPORTANT: Brown belongs to the group of complex colors.

We offer three basic methods for obtaining brown color.

Green (blue+yellow) with red

  • Even schoolchildren know that brown comes out when you mix two colors together - green and red. This is the case if we talk about the primary and composite colors.
  • But the challenge is still to create a green tint. It couldn't be easier! Take two primary colors - yellow and blue.
  • You need to take an equal number of different shades. But take into account your wishes.
    • If you want to end up with a darker color, then add a little more blue, but to the finished green color.
    • If, on the contrary, you want to make a more transparent shade, then initially take a little more yellow.
  • After receiving the secondary color, we begin making the tertiary color. To the green color you got, you need to add a little red tone.
  • It is important to introduce red paint, and not vice versa! After all, it is the basic tone that regulates the degree of darkness and saturation of the brown shade. If you add too much red coloring, then you will get more of a brick tone.
    • But also keep in mind that the red color makes brown so warm (in large quantities it can even create a rust effect), but green, on the contrary, will make it even a little grayish and cold.

Orange (yellow+red) with blue

  • The first thing you need to do is take red. And add yellow to it. By the way, it needs to be introduced gradually and in small quantities.
  • On average, yellow should be only 10% of the volume of red. It's important to get a dark orange. But keep in mind that too much red coloring will create a reddish brown color.
  • Blue paint will need even less - 5-7% of the total volume. You also need to add gradually, in small portions and stirring the ingredients well.
  • Of course, adjust the tone and saturation of the brown color using the blue tint.

Violet (red+blue) with yellow

  • Red and blue colors should be taken in equal quantities. Then you can get a noble, and even royal shade of purple, which will have the desired saturation and warmth.
  • Then, you need to introduce yellow color little by little. It will lighten the resulting purple, so keep an eye on the amount. If the color is predominantly yellow, then the brown color will be lighter and warmer. The violet tone does the opposite.

IMPORTANT: Too much yellow paint will create an ocher tint.

How to make a light brown color from paints, gouache when mixed?

To get a light brown color, you need to give the yellow color a predominance. But! Let us repeat that too much of it will make the color look like ocher. And, of course, it all depends on the desired lordship.

  • To whiten brown color, you need add white. Yes, it's that simple. The more you add, the lighter the final color will be.
  • But don’t overdo it, brown is a warm color and white will neutralize this characteristic. Therefore, introduce very carefully, gradually and in small portions (literally, 1% of the total mass of paints).
  • Although adding the previous color will help correct the situation.

How to get a dark brown color when mixing paints and gouache?

If we talk about previous mixing options, more blue or green will make a darker brown color. But they will also add their own nuance. There is another, simpler and faster way to obtain a dark brown color.

  • Just add black paint. But you need to work with it extremely carefully, since a small dose of excess paint will simply turn it into black.
  • Therefore, add paint in tiny portions and take note of one rule - conduct experiments with a small amount of paint.


  • By the way, in order not to make a mistake with the desired color, mix a little black with white. But leave the dominance of the first shade. Just make it a little softer as it can quickly eat up the brown color.

How to get chocolate when mixing paints or gouache?

To create a chocolate color, you need to tinker a little. The most unencumbered scheme is to choose the right tones of orange and blue. But there is another possible option.

  • Combine yellow and blue paint to create a dark green color. In another bowl, combine red and a drop of yellow to create orange.
  • Now combine the two resulting colors. And in the end you get the color of green grass or grass green.
  • Now you need to create a bloody red color. To do this, combine the same orange and red palette.


  • In conclusion, it remains to combine the two complex colors obtained.
  • And as a result we get the color of real chocolate.
    • If you want milk chocolate then add a drop of white paint
    • A mixture of white and yellow will give an additional golden tint to the color.
    • Dark chocolate is again obtained by adding black paint.
    • But yellow with chocolate will help you get a beautiful and even brown color

How to get coffee color when mixing paints or gouache?

  • Coffee color can be obtained by adding the same black gouache. Also, you need to mix according to technology - orange paint plus blue color. In this case, you can achieve the desired tone.


Getting coffee color
  • Alternatively, you can achieve the desired color using a composition of purple and orange paint. If necessary, you need to add a drop of black tint.

Color mixing: table

For clarity, we would like to provide you with a table that will show all possible versions of the development of brown color and its range. To get a brown color, you need to mix the component colors, adding the main shade to them. True, there are other options where the composition includes not just secondary colors, but even complex palettes.