How To Make Brown Quickly - Learn What Colors Make ... - AB Crafty

Home » How Ro Make Brown Food Coloring » How To Make Brown Quickly - Learn What Colors Make ... - AB Crafty

Maybe your like

Skip to content How to Make Brown
  • Updated: Oct 27, 2023
  • Color Mixing, Colors
Jump to Steps

Learn the quick and easy way how to make brown. Find out which two colors make brown paint and food coloring and how to use primary colors.

Table of Contents

How to Easily Make Brown

The easiest way to make brown is by mixing orange and black. Be sure to not use too much black to start. Therefore, begin with a very small amount of black and as more until you get the shade you want.

Orange

+

Black

=

Brown

To get a brown color is easy, but getting the correct shade you’re looking for can be more difficult. It also depends on what colors you have available. For example, do you only have primary colors or do you also have premixed colors? Do you have white and black? The different sections below can help you navigate to get you the correct color you’re looking for.

Note: Some links in this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no cost to you, I may earn a commission.

What Two Colors Make Brown?

Orange and Black. The amount of black you add will determine how dark it will be.

The color of orange will also affect the color you get. As you can see, using my handy pocket color wheel, you get two different browns depending on whether it’s orange or red orange (click on them to make them larger).

color wheel showing adding black to orange to make brown color wheel showing adding black to red-orange to make brown

How do I Make Brown With Primary Colors?

To make brown with the primary colors (red, yellow, and blue), you need to mix them all together. However, not in equal amounts. My recommendation is to first make a yellow-green by adding a small amount of blue to yellow. Then gradually add red to make the desired color. 

Another way , as shown on the color wheel, is to first make red-violet by mixing blue and red, and then add yellow to it. Click on the images to make them larger.

color wheel showing adding red to yellow-green to make brown color wheel showing adding yellow to red-violet

How do I Make Brown Paint?

If you have orange and black, use those. Otherwise, my recommendation is first to make yellow-green by mixing yellow with a small amount of blue. Then add red to it. For more information, refer to the section on using primary colors. Keep in mind, these rules apply to any kind of paint, including fabric paint.

tempura paint in primary colors

How do I Make Brown Food Coloring?

It’s the same as using paint – if you have orange and black, use those. Otherwise, my recommendation is first to make yellow-green by mixing yellow with a small amount of blue. Then add red to it. For more information, refer to the section on using primary colors.

food coloring in primary colors

What is the Opposite of Brown?

The short answer is dark blue or dark blue-green, depending on the shade. If we look at the color wheel, it shows us opposite color (also known as complimentary colors). You can click on them to make them larger.

color wheel showing complimenting colors of blue and brown color wheel showing opposite of brown is blue-green

How to Make Other Colors

  • How to make purple

How to Make Brown

Learn the easy way how to make brown paint and what colors make brown. Find out which two colors make brown paint and food coloring. Print Pin Share Tweet Project Time 1 minute Total Time 1 minute

Materials

Using only 2 colors

  • Orange Paint or food coloring
  • Black Paint or food coloring

Using only primary colors

  • Yellow Paint or food coloring
  • Blue Paint or food coloring
  • Red Paint or food coloring

Equipment

  • Paintbrush or mixing tool

Instructions

Instructions for making brown with two colors

  • Start with orange
  • Mix in a very small amount of black until you get the brown you likecolor wheel showing adding black to orange to make brown

Instructions for making brown with primary colors

  • Start with yellow
  • Mix in a very small amount of blue until you make a yellow-green
  • Mix in a small amount of red until you get the brown you likecolor wheel showing adding red to yellow-green to make brown

Notes

I recommend referring to the color wheels.color wheel showing adding black to orange to make browncolor wheel showing adding red to yellow-green to make brown Keyword Color Mixing, Colors, Paint Mixing

Learn how to make other colors:

  • How to make purple
Picture of Daniela Kretchmer

Daniela Kretchmer

Daniela is a lifelong crafter who loves to share her passion for crafting. Through classes or learning on her own, she likes to say she'll do pretty much any craft aside from scrapbooking. Her current personal obsessions include garden crafts, felting, and spinning yarn.

More Craft Projects and Ideas

How to Make Purple

PrevPrevious NextNext

1 thought on “How to Make Brown”

  1. Great post! I never realized how many ways there are to mix colors to create brown. The examples were really helpful, especially the tips on using complementary colors. I’ll definitely be trying these techniques in my next painting project!

    Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rating Rating Type here..

Name*

Email*

Website

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Search

HI, I'M DANIELA, A LIFETIME CRAFTER HERE TO SHARE MY LOVE OF ALL THINGS CRAFTS and DIYs

Youtube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Tiktok

Get Crafty Updates

Email SUBSCRIBE

You'll never be spammed and can unsubscribe at any time

Watch AB Crafty on YouTube!

You may also like...

craft supplies with the title "50+ gifts for crafty people by abcrafty.com"

Best Craft Gifts

yarn, knitting needles, buttons, and a knitting pattern with the title "best knitting and crochet gifts"

Best Knitting and Crochet Gifts

How to Make Purple

Tag » How Ro Make Brown Food Coloring