Things You'll Need
Paintbrush
Brown paint
White paint
Red paint
Mixing tray
Water
Rag
If you are painting a portrait and need a tan skin tone you need to know exactly how to mix up tan paint. Although you can purchase actual tan or skin tone paint from most arts and craft stores, you may wish to mix paint yourself to come up with the tan color. By mixing the paint yourself you can create your own skin tone to perfectly match the color you are going for.
Step 1
Apply a large amount of white in a mixing container. It is important to start with the lighter color. It only takes a small amount of brown to change the entire consistency of the color.
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Step 2
Rinse off the white paint in a glass of water, dry off the paint brush in a rag and dip the brush into brown paint. Mix just a brush-worth of brown paint into the white. See how dark the paint becomes, then repeat the process with a small amount of brown at a time until you reach a suitable tan.
Step 3
Add a touch of red paint. This adds a little life to the the tan color. If you are creating a skin tone you are going to notice most skin has some sort of color in it, whether it be a slight red, yellow or even green. Apply just a small brush-worth into the tan paint. This color is subtle and overdoing it can ruin the entire tan color.
Step 4
Thoroughly mix up the paint before using it. If you don't you are going to end up with pockets of brown or white paint that do not evenly match the overall color of the paint.
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