Gold acrylic paint is a versatile medium that allows artists to add a radiant golden tone to their paintings. When blended with other colors, gold acrylic can create a variety of rich, shimmering metallic hues. But what colors can be combined with gold acrylic to produce different shades? Here we will explore what happens when you mix gold acrylic paint with various pigments, and provide some examples of appealing color combinations.
How Gold Acrylic Paint is Made
To understand what colors make gold paint, it helps to first look at how it is produced. Gold acrylic paint contains real metallic powdered pigments suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. The most common metallic pigments used are copper, zinc, and bronze. These particles reflect light, which gives the paint its signature shiny, lustrous finish.
Pure gold metal is too expensive to use in standard acrylic paints. However, some high-end brands offer paints with real gold flakes or gold mica powder. Most acrylic gold paints also contain a small amount of black pigment. This deepens the tone and prevents the gold from appearing too brassy.
Mixing Gold Acrylic with Primary Colors
When gold acrylic is blended with the three primary colors – red, yellow, and blue – it produces a range of distinctive secondary shades. Here is what happens when mixing gold paint with each primary:
Red + Gold
Red and gold paint combine to make a vibrant reddish-orange metallic hue. This color is sometimes called “old gold” and has an antique, burnished quality. It resembles the color of autumn leaves or a sunset. In nature, this tone can also be seen in flowers like marigolds.
Yellow + Gold
Adding yellow pigment makes the gold paint more lemon- or greenish-yellow in tone. The metallic sheen is retained, resulting in a bright, sunny, goldenrod-type shade. This cheerful color evokes sunshine, wheat fields, and fall harvests.
Blue + Gold
When blue pigment is mixed with gold paint, it quickly neutralizes the warm golden undertones. The resulting color is a cool, pale greenish silver metallic. This icy silvery tone captures the essence of moonlight and evokes a calm winter night sky.
Gold Mixed with Secondary & Tertiary Colors
Gold acrylic can also be successfully blended with secondary and tertiary colors to produce further unique metallic hues. Here are some recommended color combinations:
Purple + Gold
Vivid reddish purples like magenta swirled into gold make regal, jewel-toned colors. These shades are fitting for a Renaissance portrait or Baroque decor. Dustier purple shades can tone down the gold into intriguing antique brass-like metallics.
Green + Gold
Emerald greens mixed with gold paint create a striking springtime color reminiscent of new leaves and stems. Mixing olive or forest greens results in an earthy, organic metallic tone. Add more green to mute the gold into an almost industrial, military shade.
Orange + Gold
For fiery metallic colors, blend in warm oranges like vermilion, cadmium red, or marigold yellow-orange. Pumpkin orange with gold yields festive tones fit for autumn crafts. Softer peaches make the gold feel more vintage. Add a touch of gray to create a weathered, rusty effect.
| Color 1 | Color 2 | Resulting Color when Mixed with Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Gold | Reddish orange metallic |
| Yellow | Gold | Goldenrod metallic |
| Blue | Gold | Cool silvery metallic |
| Purple | Gold | Regal jewel-toned metallic |
| Green | Gold | Springlike metallic |
| Orange | Gold | Warm fiery metallic |
Mixing Gold with Neutral Colors
Gold acrylic can also be mixed with neutral pigments like white, black, gray, and brown. Here is how these subdued shades affect the gold paint:
White + Gold
Stirring white paint into the gold creates a light, champagne-type finish. Adding white also makes the gold more pastel and dusty in appearance. This combination yields an elegant, antique look, like faded gilt picture frames.
Black + Gold
Mixing black pigment into gold has the effect of toning down the brilliance while enhancing the metallic feel. The black helps ground the gold and makes the finish less brassy. This deeper, smokier gold resembles old coins or gilded antiques.
Gray + Gold
Subtle gray shades help soften the gold into more neutral metallic tones. Warm grays give the gold an aged, timeworn look, similar to weathered bronze sculptures. Cool grays have a sophisticated, urbane effect on the gold sheen.
Brown + Gold
Rich browns like raw umber or burnt sienna blended with gold produce handsome retro colors. These earthy gold tones evoke mid-century aesthetics, vintage goods like leather bags or sepia photographs. Adding more brown eventually transforms the gold into coppery metallics.
Special Effect Gold Acrylic Colors
There are also many specially formulated gold acrylic paints that deliver extra dazzling metallic finishes:
– Iridescent golds contain tiny flecks that catch the light, creating a rainbow prismatic effect.
– Interference gold paints shift hue at different viewing angles, showing green, violet, and blue reflections.
– Mirror gold is made with actual flakes of foil that provide a super reflective surface.
– Patina effect golds have an intentionally tarnished, aged look right from the bottle.
– Crackle medium can be added to gold paint to make it dry with a cracked, weathered texture.
Best Practices for Mixing Gold Acrylic
When experimenting with mixing custom gold tones, keep these tips in mind:
– Mix slowly and carefully. Adding too much pigment can overpower the gold.
– Try the colors on a palette first before applying to your artwork.
– Metallic paints are prone to settling. Be sure to stir well before using.
– Allow your mixed colors to dry fully to see the true resulting tone.
– Seal your finished piece with a varnish suited for metallics. This enhances the luminosity and protects the flecks from flaking over time.
– Clean your brushes thoroughly after using metallic paints. Any lingering particles can contaminate other colors.
Achieving a Unified Look
The wide range of opulent colors you can make from gold acrylic paint allows for lots of creativity. But it also presents a challenge when using multiple custom gold tones together in one painting. Here are some ideas to help your mixed metals complement each other:
– Stick to colors along the same general hue spectrum, such as warm tones or cool tones. Avoid clashing mixes.
– Make sure your custom gold colors share a similar tinting strength. If one is very pale or deep, others may look odd next to it.
– Use the same base gold brand for color mixing consistency. Varying gold pigments react differently.
– Unify colors with an overall wash or glazing layer of the base gold paint.
– Repeat your custom gold tones in different areas of the work to create a cohesive metallic palette.
Conclusion
Gold acrylic paint is an artist’s dream for creating dazzling, luxurious effects. By mixing it with an array of colors, ranging from primary and secondary hues to neutrals and special effect pigments, you can produce a treasure trove of custom metallic tones. With some expert blending and consistency in your mixing approach, these lush gold colors can form a beautiful, integrated palette for all kinds of brilliant artwork. So grab a brush, break out your gold paint, and get ready to layer on the luxury!
