What Colors Make Brown? The Color Mixing Guide (+ Palettes)

Brown is one of the most useful colors to know how to mix, and one of the easiest once you understand the idea behind it. Brown is essentially a muted, darkened blend of warm and cool colors, which means there are several reliable ways to make it.

This guide covers exactly what colors make brown, the simplest mixing formulas, and how to adjust the shade. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.

The simple answer: what colors make brown #

There are three dependable ways to mix brown:

All three primaries: red + yellow + blue
A complementary pair: orange + blue (orange is red + yellow, so this is really the three primaries again)
Another complementary pair: red + green, or purple + yellow

Every one of these works because you are combining warm and cool colors until they partly neutralize into an earthy brown.

Red + Yellow + Blue = Brown

Orange + Blue = Brown

Red + Green = Brown

How to mix brown step by step #

Start with two parts of a warm color and one part of a cool color, for example orange and blue. Combine them gradually and stop when you reach a balanced brown. Mixing slowly matters: it is easy to add more pigment, but hard to take it back out.

Making lighter and darker shades of brown #

Once you have a base brown, you control the shade with two simple moves:

Lighter (tan, beige): add white, a little at a time
Darker (chocolate, espresso): add a small amount of black or extra blue

Brown shades, dark to light

Paint, print, and light #

In paint and traditional mixing, the formulas above apply. In printing (CMYK), brown comes from combining the process inks. In light (RGB), brown is really a dark, dim orange, since there is no separate brown wavelength. For most people mixing paint or digital swatches, the primary and complementary mixes are all you need.

Common mistakes #

The usual problem is a dull, gray-brown. That happens when the colors nearly cancel each other out. The fix is to add more of one primary, usually red or yellow, to warm the mix back up.

Build your own brown palette #

Use the PaletteDeck generator to build a full palette around any brown you mix, browse our most popular palettes, or explore more color guides.

Frequently asked questions

What two colors make brown?

The simplest two-color mixes for brown are orange and blue, or red and green. Any pair of complementary colors (a primary plus the secondary opposite it) will produce a brown when combined.

What three colors make brown?

Mixing the three primary colors, red, yellow, and blue, makes brown. Start with roughly equal parts, then adjust: more red for a warm brown, more yellow for a tan, more blue for a darker, cooler brown.

How do you make brown without black?

You do not need black to make brown. Mix orange and blue, red and green, or all three primaries. To darken the brown further without black, add more of the blue or a deep complementary color.

What colors make light brown or tan?

Make a brown first, then add white to lighten it. More white moves brown toward tan and then beige. Adding a little extra yellow keeps a light brown warm and golden.

What colors make dark brown or chocolate?

Make a brown, then add a small amount of black or extra blue to deepen it toward dark chocolate. Mixing in a touch of its complement also darkens brown without making it look flat.

Why does my brown look muddy or gray?

Muddy brown usually means the colors are close to canceling out. Add more of one primary, usually red or yellow, to warm it up and give the brown life instead of a dull gray.