Complementary colours can be used to make distinct tones of
brown paint.
How to Make Brown Paint
Mix complementing colours to get brown paint. Complementary
colours are found on the colour wheel opposite each other. Blue with orange,
red with green, and yellow with purple are examples of complementary colour
combinations. To make brown paint, follow these steps:
Collect your supplies. Choose your acrylic, watercolour, or
oil paints. Brown paint may be made from a multitude of hues; all you need are
two opposing colours on the colour wheel. These will include a main colour
(red, yellow, or blue) and a secondary colour that complements it (green,
purple, and orange, respectively). For mixing, you'll also need a palette knife
or paint brush, as well as your mixing surface or container.
Colors should be mixed in equal parts. Mix two complimentary
colours in equal parts to make a basic brown paint. Select a red and a green
paint (or a yellow and a purple paint, or a blue and an orange paint) and dab a
small amount of each onto your surface to mix. With your palette knife, combine
the different colours until they form a smooth brown.
Experiment with different proportions and colour
combinations. Different paint colours, or changing proportions of each, can be
used to generate cooler and warmer, darker and lighter tints. For novices, try
adding a dab of white paint to make the brown lighter, or a dab of black paint
to get a dark brown hue. Combine everything well.
Make a note of your proportions. When you've found the brown
colour you wish to utilise, write down the proportions of paint you'll need and
batch it to the amount needed for your project. Then, when needed, paint away
and make additional brown paint.
How to Make Different Shades of Brown Paint
Start with a base of complimentary hues for each sort of
brown, then expand your colour pallet by adding more pigments to regulate the
warmth and brightness of your brown paint. You may blend colours to get a brown
paint tint that suits your needs:
Start with a yellow and purple base for a light brown. To
make a lighter tint, mix a little titanium white paint into your blended brown
and add more as needed to obtain your desired colour. Adding some cadmium
yellow to a light and warm brown creates a somewhat brighter brown.
Start with blue and orange to create a cooler brown, then
add cool hues like greens and purples. When you use blues like ultramarine
blue, you'll get a tint that's nearly hazy, like brackish water. Combining dark
blues produces a slate-like tone, while adding purple colours produces a
lighter brown that resembles dusty lavender.
Warm browns can have earth tones like russet or yellow
ochre. To produce a warmer brown, start with a red and green, yellow and
purple, or orange and blue basis then add more of the warm hues. Adding cadmium
red produces a brighter, reddish brown that resembles sienna, more orange
produces a burned umber, and more yellow produces a pale, muddy brown.
Dark brown: To get a deeper brown that resembles a rich
chocolate brown, mix your two complementary colours (red and green may work
well) and swirl in a little amount of black paint. Reds may be used to create
warmer darker tones, whereas blue can be used to create cooler darker shades.
