Green is a secondary color that can be made by mixing two primary colors together. The most common way to make green is by mixing the primary colors yellow and blue. However, there are other color combinations that can produce green without using any yellow.
Using Blue and Red
One way to make green without yellow is by mixing the primary colors blue and red. Blue and red are located on opposite sides of the color wheel. When mixed together, they create the secondary color purple. By adding more blue than red, the resulting color moves closer to green on the color wheel.
The exact ratio needed will vary depending on the shades of blue and red used. In general, a greater proportion of blue is required. Artists’ paint brands like Winsor & Newton recommend using a ratio of 4 parts blue to 1 part red. CMYK printers mix cyan and magenta ink. More cyan (which is a shade of blue) than magenta (which is a shade of red) is needed to make green.
Different ratios of blue to red will create different hues of green. Using more blue will make a greener teal shade. Using more red will create an earthier forest green. The advantage of mixing blue and red is that vibrant, saturated shades of green can be produced.
Using Blue and Black
Another combination that can yield green is blue mixed together with black. As opposites on the color wheel, blue and black are direct complements. When blended, they neutralize each other to create a muted, greyish tone.
By adding a greater proportion of blue than black, the color leans towards the green section of the spectrum. The more black is added, the duller and darker the green becomes. Various shades of dark green can be mixed by incrementally increasing the amount of black.
Blue and black create more subdued, olive greens. This method works best when deep shades like navy or Prussian blue are used. A large quantity of black is required in the mixture to counterbalance the vivid blue.
Using Blue with White and Black
Green can also be produced by tinting blue with white while also neutralizing it slightly with black. This creates a pale, desaturated sea green. Different shades can be made depending on the ratios used.
More white will make the green lighter, while more black will create a deeper pine green. Generally, a greater portion of white than black needs to be added to maintain a green hue rather than having the color turn grey or navy.
Soft seafoam greens work well for painting tranquil landscapes or seascapes. Adjusting the white levels allows for highlighting within a predominantly green composition.
Using Blue and Orange
While not direct complements, blue and orange can be combined to make green as well. This works due to the location of blue, orange, and green on the color wheel.
When painting, more blue pigment needs to be used than orange. Start with a blue base and add small amounts of orange until a green is achieved. Too much orange will shift the color towards brown.
Vibrant shades of orange work best for mixing greens. Duller oranges may only dirty or mute the blue rather than actually combining to make green. Pairing warm orange tones with cool blues creates pleasant, balanced greens.
Using Blue with Complementary Colors
The complement of blue is orange, but other complementary color pairs can also generate greens.
Mixing violet with yellow will create green, as these two colors are directly across from each other on the color wheel. More violet is generally needed to offset the bright yellow. This produces emerald and lime greens.
Green can also be blended from the complements red-green and orange-blue. In both cases, the dominant color needs to be the one closer to green on the wheel. So more red than green, and more blue than orange is required.
Having one color be the main pigment with only a small amount of its complement will shift the hue towards green in each scenario.
Tinting with White or Toning with Grey
Once a green has been mixed using two of the aforementioned color combinations, the hue can be further modified. Mixing in white will lighten and soften the green into a mint green tone.
Adding grey will reduce the saturation, creating an olive or sage type green. Both tinting and toning mute and dull the original green color.
Darkening with Black or Brown
The opposite effect of dulling the hue can be achieved by darkening an existing green color. Mixing in a small amount of black will darken it into a forest or pine green.
Adding a touch of brown will also darken while imparting an earthy feel. Browns help turn bright greens into camouflage shades. Start with a tiny bit of brown and add more as needed.
When darkening green, use a very soft, gradual approach. Only minimal amounts of black or brown are required. Too much will quickly turn the green to black, brown, or grey.
Blending Analogous Colors
Green can be mixed from colors that are adjacent to it on the color wheel. Analogous colors are hues located directly next to each other.
Blue-green is halfway between blue and green. Adding more green shifts the blue-green towards true green. Yellow-green sits between yellow and green. Increasing the green ratio moves the hue from yellow to green.
Analogous colors create harmonious, subtle hues. The greens made by blending analogous colors are not as bright but have a pleasant, muted aesthetic.
Using Green with Its Complement Red
While red and green are complements, a small amount of red can shift a green slightly towards yellow. This warms up cool greens into shades like lime green.
Only a very small ratio of red should be used to avoid shifting the color too far into yellow. Red has very high tinting strength so only tiny amounts are needed.
Combining Split Complements
The split complement of green on the color wheel is red-orange and violet. These three colors form a triad. While red-orange and violet are not exact complements, they can still mix to make green.
More violet is needed than red-orange to offset the warm tones. Combining these colors produces vibrant yellow-greens and blue-greens.
Using Other Color Combinations
Colors located close to each other on the wheel, not just direct complements, can often be blended to create new hues. Some examples of combinations that can yield green:
- Yellow + teal
- Yellow-orange + blue
- Red + turquoise
- Violet + lime
- Purple + spring green
The same general principles apply as when mixing complements. One color needs to dominate over the other to shift the hue towards green.
Colour Combinations for Mixing Green
Below is a table summarizing some of the complementary and near-complementary color combinations that can be used to mix green without yellow:
| Color 1 | Color 2 |
|---|---|
| Blue | Red |
| Blue | Black |
| Blue | White |
| Blue | Orange |
| Violet | Yellow |
| Red | Green |
| Orange | Blue |
| Blue-green | Green |
| Yellow-green | Green |
| Red-orange | Violet |
Conclusion
While combining yellow and blue makes the most common green, many other color pairs can produce green as well. Using primary colors like red and blue makes vibrant greens. Neutral colors like black, white and grey mute and soften the hue. Complementary colors cancel each other out, meeting in the middle at green.
With a solid understanding of color theory, endless shades of green can be mixed without using yellow at all. The key is balancing the ratios to offset one color with its complement or near opposite.