Brown is a versatile color that can be made by mixing complementary colors or by altering chemical pigments. The two main ways to make the color brown are by combining paint pigments or dyes of different colors, and by using natural or synthetic brown pigments.
Combining Complementary Colors
One of the simplest ways to make the color brown is by mixing complementary colors on the color wheel. Complementary colors are those located directly across from each other on the color wheel. When complementary colors are mixed together, they neutralize each other to create a more muted, earthy tone like brown.
Here are two common color combinations used to make brown:
Mixing Orange and Blue
Orange and blue are complementary colors located across from each other on the color wheel. When blended together, these vivid primary colors combine to create the more neutral secondary shade of brown.
| Color | Amount |
|---|---|
| Orange | 50% |
| Blue | 50% |
The exact hue of brown can be adjusted by changing the proportions of orange and blue used. Adding more orange results in a warmer, reddish-brown. Increasing the amount of blue makes for a cooler, greenish-brown.
Mixing Red and Green
Another complementary pair that can be blended to create brown is red and green. These colors also lie opposite each other on the color wheel. Mixing red and green pigments results in a neutral brown tone.
| Color | Amount |
|---|---|
| Red | 45% |
| Green | 55% |
As with orange and blue, the ratio of red to green can be adjusted to control the temperature of the brown. More red makes for a warmer, rust-colored brown, while increasing the green shifts the tone to be cooler and earthier.
Using complementary colors is an easy, subtractive way to produce brown for painting, dyeing, or other applications where color is mixed. However, the brown that results from combining complements tends to be murky and muted. Other methods can produce truer, more vibrant shades of brown.
Using Brown Pigments
A second way to reliably create rich browns is by using brown pigments and dyes. These pigments come from natural earth minerals, plants, and synthetic chemical compounds that inherently produce shades of brown. Some brown pigments that are commonly used include:
Natural Brown Pigments
– Raw umber – Made from clay containing iron and manganese oxide, producing warm, reddish browns.
– Raw sienna – Clay containing iron oxide, resulting in yellowish, tan browns.
– Sepia – Sourced from the dark brown ink produced by cuttlefish, creating deep brown tones.
Synthetic Brown Pigments
– Iron oxide – Manufactured chemical compound containing iron and oxygen, available in a wide range of brown hues.
– Quinacridone burnt orange – Modern synthetic organic pigment known for its rich reddish-browns.
– Indanthrone brown – Anthraquinone-based organic dye yielding very dark brown tones.
Using natural and synthetic brown pigments allows colorists to control the exact hue and shade of brown needed for a given project. And brown pigments deliver truer, more consistent color than mixing complements together to try to achieve brown.
Some examples of specific brown pigments and the rich tones they produce:
| Pigment | Tone |
|---|---|
| Raw umber | Warm, reddish brown |
| Raw sienna | Yellow-brown tan |
| Sepia | Neutral, dark brown |
| Iron oxide | Range from red to yellowish brown |
| Burnt umber | Rich, warm dark brown |
Using pure brown pigments and dyes ensures the finished brown color has the correct intensity and hue needed for artistic, textile, manufacturing, or other uses.
Color Theory of Brown
Now that we have looked at practical methods for making brown, let’s discuss some color theory principles that explain why these methods work:
Brown is a Tertiary Color
On the color wheel, brown is considered a tertiary color – one made by combining the primary colors red, yellow, and blue. This means brown can be created by blending adjacent primary and secondary colors like red, orange, and yellow. Mixing these warm hues results in different shades of brown.
Brown is an Earthy, Neutral Color
Ideally, true brown contains balanced amounts of all three primary colors. This balance reduces the intensity of the individual components, producing the muted, earthy tone characteristic of brown. Removing brightness and saturation gives brown its neutral quality.
Brown Desaturates Complementary Pairs
As we saw earlier, blending complementary pairs like orange and blue creates brown. These complements contain all three primary colors between them. When mixed, the complement colors desaturate and neutralize each other to form brown. The proportions can be adjusted to control the exact brown hue.
Brown Connects Warm and Cool Colors
Sitting between the warm and cool sides of the color wheel, brown has elements of both. Adjusting the red, yellow, and blue content shifts brown along the continuum from warm reddish-browns to cool greenish-browns. This allows brown to connect and harmonize these color extremes.
Psychology of Brown
In addition to its technical color properties, brown also carries symbolic associations:
Connection to Earth
As a core earth tone, brown conveys a sense of stability and nature. Its earthy quality grounds designs and creates comfortable, organic ambiance. Use of brown can make built environments seem more natural.
Reliability and Durability
Brown implies a product or concept is sturdy, reliable, and enduring. It does not call attention to itself but simply does its job. Brown works well for packaging consumer goods like boxes, bottles, and paper bags.
Simplicity and Humility
Unlike brighter, showier colors, brown has a quiet, understated effect. It communicates humility, subtlety, and simplicity. Brown works for design elements meant to fade into the background.
History and Heritage
As an earth tone, brown connects to the material world and sense of history. It brings feelings of wistfulness or nostalgia, calling to mind heirlooms, antiques, and burnished wood. Brown can add heritage and craft to branding and products.
Masculinity and Maturity
Since brown is not feminine or flashy, it most commonly conveys masculine energy. Darker browns especially imply experience, wisdom, strength and maturity. Brown works well for men’s products, outdoor gear, vehicles and other rugged use cases.
Uses of Brown
This natural yet versatile color has many applications including:
Industrial Uses
– Packaging – Brown craft boxes, shipping containers, paper bags
– Construction materials – Bricks, wood, leather, concrete
– Automotive industry – Rust protection, interiors
Fashion and Textiles
– Earth tones – Clothing, upholstery, carpeting, wool, cotton, linen
– Camouflage patterns – Hunting gear, military uniforms
– Vintage styles – Leather belts, satchels, footwear
Fine Arts
– Realistic portrayals – Tree bark, fur, earth, wood, human complexions
– Sepia tones – Aging photographs, nostalgic imagery
– Sculpture – Terracotta clay, bronze casting
Graphic Design
– Backgrounds – Websites, branding, packaging, menus
– Borders – Framing images, section dividers
– Icons – Eco-friendly, natural products
Food and Beverage
– Coffee – Espresso, coffee packaging
– Chocolate – Candy bars, boxes
– Spices and sauces – Paprika, cinnamon, soy sauce
– Beer and liquor – Bottles, labels
Different Shades of Brown
Brown contains undertones spanning the color wheel, allowing for many possible variations:
| Shade | Description |
|---|---|
| Cinnamon | Warm reddish brown |
| Chestnut | Reddish-brown with gray tones |
| Chocolate | Rich dark reddish-brown |
| Coffee | Medium warm brown |
| Hazelnut | Desaturated reddish-brown |
| Beige | Yellowish or tan brown |
| Khaki | Yellow-brown with hints of green |
| Taupe | Grayish yellow-brown |
| Olive | Gray-green brown |
| Bronze | Brown with copper metallic overtones |
This wide spectrum allows designers to choose the perfect shade of brown to evoke natural earthiness, ruggedness, heritage, masculinity, or any other desired aesthetic.
Conclusion
Brown is an incredibly versatile color that can convey nature, stability, craft, and history. The two primary methods of creating brown pigments are combining complementary colors through mixing, and using natural or synthetic brown dyes and pigments. Brown strikes a balance between warm and cool, while retaining an earthy neutrality. With all its variations, brown can suit almost any application where a subtle yet relatable tone is needed. Understanding the nuances of this complex color provides endless possibilities.
