How to mix complex browns | Winsor & Newton Masterclass, by Winsor & Newton on YouTube. 2 min 35 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 35 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 6
What you need
Steps
Start with a clean palette and squeeze out small amounts of a warm red, a warm yellow and a deep blue. Add an earth brown if you have one.
Mix a warm brown first: combine red and yellow to make orange, then add a little blue. Stop before the mixture turns grey.
For a cooler brown, use more blue and a touch of yellow, or start with an earth brown and add blue. Test the colour on a scrap surface.
Adjust the value with white for lighter browns or a little more dark blue or earth for deeper browns. Add tiny amounts and mix fully each time.
Shift the temperature with red for a warmer brown or blue for a cooler one. Keep notes of the ratios so you can repeat the mix.
Paint a small swatch beside your work surface, let it dry slightly and compare it with the area you are painting before mixing a larger batch.
Tips and common mistakes
Add dark colours a little at a time; it is much easier to darken a mix than to lighten it.
Keep the palette clean between mixes so old grey paint does not dull a fresh brown.
Oil colours look different wet and dry, so test on a primed scrap surface.
Work in a ventilated room and keep solvents away from your skin.
Questions
Can I mix brown from just red, yellow and blue?
Yes. Mix orange from red and yellow, then add a little blue. The exact brown depends on which red, yellow and blue you use.
Why does my brown look grey or muddy?
Too much blue or too much mixing can dull the colour. Add the blue in small amounts and stop when you get the warmth you want.
Can I use acrylics instead of oils?
The same colour theory works, but acrylics dry faster. Mix small batches and keep the palette damp so the paint does not skin over.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
