How to Mix a Brown Tint Color

Brown is a mixture of complementary colors.

If you are mixing a custom brown color for a painting project or want to get the job done with painting materials you already have, brown is a good color to mix. Because brown is a mix of complementary colors, which more or less cancel each other out, brown can be made from various tints you have lying around the garage or storage room. Each complementary pair--red/green, yellow/purple or blue/orange--produces a slightly different brown. As a last resort, putting all of your available tints together will almost certainly produce a brown, though it may not be the precise brown you are seeking.

Things You'll Need

• Disposable palette (like a paper plate or similar surface)
• Spatula, palette knife or mixing implement
• Paint-mixing stick or drill with mixing attachment

Instructions

1. Mix the red and green tints together on the palette using a spatula, using equal amounts of each to get a rich, dark brown. Work the colors together vigorously so the resulting color is even, not broken up. You may need to add more red or green to get the tint you want, which depends on the strength of the pigments in the tint. You can also make the brown lean one way or the other by adding slightly more of one tint after you have found the middle ground.

2. Mix the yellow and purple tints on the palette as described in Step 1 to get a mustard-like brown (on the yellow side) or a cooler brown (on the purple side). This brown tends to be a little lighter than the other complementary pairs.

3. Mix the orange and blue tints on the palette as described in Step 1 to get a brown that is rich and earthy (on the orange side) or cool and deep (on the blue side).

4. Mix a little of all of the tints you have together if you do not have complementary pairs as a last resort. Take a good look at the color, and, if it leans to one particular color, add more of a complementary color to make it more brown.

5. Make final adjustments on the palette by adding more tint to bring it in line with the color you have in mind. The tint is now ready for mixing with your paint.

6. Mix your tint with your paint a little at a time, and stir well using a paint-mixing stick. Mix the tint with white paint to best retain the color of your tint, though this will obviously lighten it. Add more tint to darken and enrich the color. Stir well to ensure the tint is well mixed. You won't see the unmixed tint right away, so keep stirring and agitating different areas of the paint in the can to get a uniform blend.

References

• Color Matters: Color Theory
• Indiana University Southeast: Color Wheels