Mixing paint colors is something many people do for art, home decor, and DIY projects. A common question is whether mixing blue and green paint together makes yellow. The short answer is no, blending blue and green paint does not automatically produce yellow paint. However, depending on the specific shades and ratios used, mixing these colors can create an array of resulting hues ranging from turquoise to chartreuse. Understanding color theory and paint mixing principles helps explain why combining blue and green paint makes secondary colors instead of yellow.
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors
In basic color theory, there are three primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. These colors cannot be created by mixing other pigments but are the building blocks used to produce all other hues. When any two primary colors are blended, they make secondary colors:
| Red + Blue | Makes | Purple |
| Red + Yellow | Makes | Orange |
| Blue + Yellow | Makes | Green |
Tertiary colors are made by mixing one primary color with one secondary color adjacent to it on the color wheel. For example:
| Red + Purple | Makes | Red-Violet |
| Blue + Green | Makes | Blue-Green |
| Yellow + Orange | Makes | Yellow-Orange |
So in color theory, green is a secondary color made by mixing blue and yellow, not by mixing blue and green. This helps explain why blending blue and green paint does not automatically produce yellow.
The Color Wheel
Looking at a 12-part color wheel shows how colors relate to each other:
| Primary Colors | Red, Yellow, Blue |
| Secondary Colors | Orange, Green, Purple |
| Tertiary Colors | Red-Orange, Yellow-Orange, Yellow-Green, Blue-Green, Blue-Purple, Red-Purple |
On the wheel, complementary colors sit opposite each other. Mixing complementary colors such as blue and orange or red and green creates brownish, muted shades. The tertiary colors between blue and green are blue-green and yellow-green. So theoretically blending blue and green should produce a bluish-green or greenish-blue, not yellow.
Paint Mixing Basics
When mixing colored paints, the resulting hue depends on:
– The specific shades/tones of the original colors
– The ratio of the colors used
For example, a navy blue mixed with forest green will produce a very different color than sky blue mixed with lime green. And a 50/50 ratio of blue to green will look different than a 70/30 or 25/75 blend.
Some key points about mixing paint:
– Mixing pure hues with white makes tints. Blue + white = light blue.
– Mixing pure hues with black makes shades. Red + black = maroon.
– Mixing pure hues together makes tones. Yellow + red = orange.
– Complementary colors neutralize each other. Red + green = brown.
– Lighter paint shades overpower darker ones when mixed.
So with paint mixing, the resulting color depends heavily on the starting shades. Most blue and green paint mixes will produce a blue-green or green-blue, not yellow. But getting an exact resulting hue requires testing different ratios.
Trying Blue + Green Paint Mixes
The easiest way to see what colors blue and green paint make when blended is to test mix them yourself.
You’ll need:
– At least 2 shades of blue paint
– At least 2 shades of green paint
– Paintbrushes
– Containers for mixing
– Palette/painting surface
Try mixing different ratios of a darker blue with a lighter green and vice versa. Test out middle value shades too. Make notes on the combinations and ratios that yield your preferred results.
Some examples of colors you might get:
| Navy blue + Lime green | Deep turquoise |
| Royal blue + Kelly green | Teal |
| Sky blue + Forest green | Blue-green |
| Baby blue + Sage green | Minty aqua |
The more green used, the cooler and brighter the mix will be. More blue yields a deeper, richer teal tone. With the right shades and ratios, vibrant aquas and turquoises can be created by blending blue with green.
Getting Yellow Tones from Blue + Green
While blue and green won’t automatically make yellow when mixed, you can bias the blend to get yellow-based hues. The keys are:
– Use a blue with yellow undertones like phthalo or Prussian blue.
– Choose yellow-based greens such as sap, chartreuse, or spring green.
– Use more green than blue in the mix.
For example, mixing a 3:1 ratio of sap green to phthalo blue can yield a yellow-green hue. Using more green and less blue gives the blend a yellow cast rather than a blue one.
You can also add a small amount of pure yellow paint to a blue-green mix to shift it towards chartreuse and lime tones. The yellow overpowers the weaker blue and green pigments.
Color Mixing Rules in Oil vs. Acrylic Paint
The general principles of color mixing remain the same whether using acrylics vs. oils. But there are some differences:
| Oil paints… | Acrylic paints… |
| – Blend subtly on the canvas | – Mix completely when wet |
| – Can be remixed days later | – Dry permanent shortly after mixing |
| – Produce rich, layered blends | – Create uniform solid mixes |
| – Soften and lighten over time | – Maintain the same intensity |
The basics of color theory apply regardless of paint medium. But oil and acrylic will handle mixing a bit differently. Oils blend softly on the canvas for gradual transitions. Acrylics fully combine when wet to make solid secondary colors. Test mixes in your chosen medium to see the real results.
Mixing Blue and Green Pigments vs. Light
In paints and pigments, blue mixed with green makes blue-green secondary colors. But when combining colored light instead of paints, the primary colors are red, green, and blue.
Mixing green and blue light makes cyan light. If you look at a color TV or device screen under magnification, you can see the separate red, green and blue light pixels. So with light, blue and green do combine to make a third color, cyan, unlike with pigments.
In printing, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks are the primary colors that combine to make other hues. Cyan ink absorbs red light, magenta absorbs green, and yellow absorbs blue. Mixing cyan and magenta makes blue ink, combining with yellow to yield green, and blending all three makes black.
So the primary color model differs between paints, light, printing, and other mediums. But the essential color theory remains the same. Understanding these principles helps explain mixing reactions like blue and green making secondary blue-greens rather than yellow paint.
Tips for Mixing Blue and Green Paint
Here are some handy tips for blending blue and green paint to get the secondary tones you want:
– Choose translucent blues and greens for brighter mixes. Opaque, dense paints can end up muddy.
– Use a blue with yellow or green undertones like phthalo, peacock, or cyan. Avoid ultramarine blue which has red undertones.
– Pick greens with yellow tones like sap, lime, or chartreuse for brighter results.
– Start with a small amount of darker shade and add lighter colors until you get the hue desired.
– Do test swatches before mixing large quantities to prevent wasting paint.
– Adjust ratios as needed – more blue for richer teals, more green for fresher hues.
– Add a touch of pure yellow to bias the mix towards yellow-green tones.
– Blend thoroughly if using acrylics to fully combine the wet paint.
– Be patient and take notes to recreate your favorite color recipes.
With the right blue and green shades and some practice, you can mix a wide spectrum of aquas, teals, turquoise, and chartreuse tones. Play with the ratios and possibilities!
In Summary
Mixing blue and green paint does not automatically produce yellow paint. But with the right colors and ratios, secondary blue-greens to yellow-greens can be created. Understanding primary color theory provides the foundation for predicting and biasing the results of blending two colors of paint together. With acrylics vs. oils, the mixing principles are the same but the blending process differs. Try mixing test swatches to see what hues you can make from greens and blues. The more green used, the brighter and more yellow-based the mix will be. Have fun exploring the possibilities!
Conclusion
While combining blue and green paint won’t make pure yellow, you can mix a variety of aqua, teal, and chartreuse secondary colors. The resulting hue depends heavily on the specific blue and green shades used and the ratios blended. With the right colors and mixtures, beautiful bluish-green to greenish-blue tones can be created. Mixing paint is the best way to see firsthand what interesting tones can result from blending blue with green.
