Tips for Mixing Brown Watercolor

Supplies Needed:

-Watercolor paint -Watercolor brushes -Watercolor paper -Mixing palette

Although you can buy ready-made brown paint, it's good to know how to mix it yourself.  This allows you to get the perfect brown or even adjust a readymade one. 

Brown is made by mixing red, yellow, and blue paint. It can also be made by mixing complementary colors. 

Mixing Brown Basics

Use warm primary colors to create a warm brown. 

Warm Brown

Use cool primary colors to create a cool brown.  Add more yellow if your mix is too purple.

Cool Brown

Mixing a warm red and a cool green creates a warm brown. If you mix cool red with cool green, it might result in purple.

Complementary Colors

Mixing purple and yellow creates a tan color. 

Complementary Colors

Mixing blue and orange creates a pretty brown. 

Complementary Colors