Making the color red is a common need when mixing paints. While red is a primary color, meaning it can’t be created by mixing other colors, you can deepen and enrich reds by adding complementary colors. The most common color added to paint to make a deeper, richer red is the complement of red – green. Adding small amounts of green paint deepens the red color into a dark burgundy or wine shade. Other options like purple, black, or brown can also darken a red paint. It depends on the specific red hue and intensity you want to achieve.
How Color Mixing Works
Mixing colors in paint is based on the color wheel. The color wheel shows the relationship between colors – colors opposite each other on the wheel are complementary, while colors next to each other are analogous. When complementary colors are mixed, they cancel each other out and create a gray or brown shade. When analogous colors are mixed, they create a mixture of the two colors.
So to make a red paint deeper and richer, you need to add its complement – green. Even a small amount of green will cancel out some of the red and allow the remaining red to appear darker and more intense. The right balance of original red paint and added green will produce the desired burgundy or wine shade.
Deepening Different Reds
The specific green paint to add depends on the starting red color. Here are some examples:
Candlelight red – This warm, light red has orange undertones. Add a pine or forest green to deepen it towards a burgundy.
Scarlet – Mix this bright red with a few drops of viridian or emerald green to get a rich wine color.
Crimson red – Start with a vivid crimson and add some sap or Hooker’s green for a dark, earthy red.
Fire engine red – A dark, cool red like this will mix well with more blue-toned greens like teal or mint.
| Starting Red Color | Complementary Green to Add | Resulting Color |
|---|---|---|
| Candlelight red | Pine green | Burgundy |
| Scarlet | Viridian green | Wine |
| Crimson red | Sap green | Earthy dark red |
| Fire engine red | Teal green | Darkened red |
The specific ratio of the two paints to mix depends on the shades and how dark you want the end result to be. Start with more red and add green a little at a time until you achieve the desired tone.
Other Colors That Can Darken Red
While green is the complement of red and the most common option for darkening it, other paint colors can also enrich a red hue:
Purple – Mixing a vivid violet or purple with red produces a nice blend while dulling the red slightly. The resulting color may have more of a wine or raspberry tone.
Brown – Earthy browns are analogous to red, so adding a few drops to a red base will subtly mute and darken the shade. Raw umber or burnt sienna work well here.
Black – Adding black paint is the simplest way to quickly darken any color. But be careful – too much black can overpower the original red and just produce a flat, dark muddy color.
White – While maybe counterintuitive, adding a very small amount of white to a red can actually make it appear darker and richer. The white balances out the red pigment particles.
| Color | Effect on Red Paint |
|---|---|
| Purple | Blends towards raspberry/wine red |
| Brown | Mutes and subtly darkens red |
| Black | Darkens but can overpower if too much added |
| White | Small amount can deepen red |
The amount needed to darken or enrich red paint varies based on the starting shades. Mix in small increments and frequently test the blended color until satisfied.
Choosing Your Reds and Greens
With so many red and green paint colors available, choosing palette combinations can be challenging. Here are some popular paint shades to try:
Reds:
– Cadmium red – An intense, warm red that leans slightly orange. Mix with viridian green.
– Alizarin crimson – A cool, bluish red. Combine with sap green.
– Scarlet red – A bright primary red. Complement with forest or Hooker’s green.
Greens:
– Viridian – A bright, teal-toned green. Mix in small doses with warm reds.
– Sap green – An earthy, olive-toned green suitable for darkening reds.
– Hooker’s green – A dark green with more blue tones. Complements fire engine reds.
– Pine green – Has subtle yellow tones to enrich orange-based reds.
Aim for green with different undertones than your starting red. Warm reds look richer with cool greens, and vice versa. Avoid mixing warm red with warm green or cool red with cool green.
Achieving Different Red Tones
Changing the complementary green paint gives you control over the tone of the darkened red color:
– Cherry red – Use a warm red like cadmium red light and mix in a small amount of pine or olive green.
– Wine red – Start with alizarin or crimson and add some bright viridian or emerald green.
– Raspberry red – Combine a cool red like magenta with a little teal or mint green paint.
– Brick red – Mix in raw umber or burnt sienna brown to mute and subtly darken red.
– Maroon – Use black in small doses to darken red towards maroon.
– Plum red – Add some violet/purple paint for a plummy, bordeaux tone.
Proportions and Mixing Technique
Getting the paint to the right hue and intensity relies on having the correct ratio of the two colors. Here are some tips for mixing:
– Start with mostly red paint, around 4:1 or 3:1 red to green.
– Mix the two colors thoroughly before testing or adding more green.
– Add just a few drops of green at a time and mix carefully.
– Frequently test the mixed color by painting it out before altering the ratio further.
– Scrape paint from the sides of the mixing container so everything incorporates evenly.
– Use a spatula or mixing stick for better control when making small adjustments.
– Don’t over-mix or the color may become muddy from too much green.
– Water can be added to thin and extend the mixed paint.
Take the time to incrementally test blends until the perfect tone of rich, deep red is achieved. Mixing small batches gives you the most control over the color.
Tinting White Paint to Make Red
If you don’t have pre-mixed red paint, you can also tint white paint:
– Start with any white paint – titanium, zinc, latex, acrylic, etc.
– Add very small amounts of red paint tint – a little goes a long way.
– Use a bright primary red like cadmium red light or scarlet.
– Mix thoroughly and test the color after each addition of red tint.
– Deepen to a burgundy red by adding a touch of green tint.
– Water can help thin out the paint after mixing.
Make sure to use an opaque white rather than translucent for the base. Test ratios carefully since white is very prone to discoloring.
Buying Pre-Mixed Red Paints
For convenience, there are many premixed red paint options:
– Hardware stores have standard reds like burgundy, brick, cherry, fire engine, and barn red.
– Art paint brands offer single pigment reds like cadmium, alizarin, and vermilion for mixing.
– Specialty paint stores can color match to any custom red hue.
Premixed paints allow you to skip directly to your project without the mixing step. But you have less flexibility for custom colors.
With mixing, you can control the exact shade from light pink to deep wine red. It takes more work but the range is unlimited.
Conclusion
Deepening red paint requires bringing in the complementary color – green. Start with a red base and add small amounts of green paint like pine, sage, viridian, or emerald until the red darkens towards burgundy or maroon. The green cancels out some red tones while allowing the remaining pigment to appear richer. Other darkening options include purple, brown, black, and white. With the right paints and careful mixing technique, you can hone in on your perfect custom red. Matching pigment temperatures and incrementally testing ratios are key for color control.
