Blue is one of the most searched colors for mixing, and the honest answer surprises people: in traditional color theory, you cannot make blue at all. Blue is a primary color, a starting point that other colors are mixed from rather than mixed into.
This guide explains why, the one real exception, and how to make every shade of blue once you have a true blue to start from. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.
The simple answer: can you make blue? #
In the traditional red-yellow-blue model used for paint, blue is a primary color. Primaries are pure starting points, so no combination of other colors will produce a true blue.
The one real exception: printing #
In the CMYK system used for printing, the primaries are cyan, magenta, and yellow. There, cyan + magenta = blue. This is why a printer can produce blue without a dedicated blue ink.
How to make shades of blue #
Even though you start with a true blue, you can mix any variation from it:
- Light blue: blue + white
- Navy / dark blue: blue + a little black
- Teal: blue + a little green
- Blue-purple: blue + a little red
Common mistakes #
If a blue mix turns dull or grayish, you have likely added too much of its complement (orange) or too much black. Pull it back by adding fresh blue, and lighten with white rather than reaching straight for more pigment.
Related guides #
Build your own blue palette #
Use the PaletteDeck generator to build a full palette around any blue, browse our most popular palettes, or explore more color guides.