Teal is a beautiful blue-green color that is quite popular in interior design, fashion, and graphic design. While teal can be found pre-mixed in most major paint or dye brands, many DIY-ers enjoy creating their own custom teal shades at home using basic color theory and readily available food dyes or fabric paints. The two primary colors that can be easily mixed to create teal are blue and green. By blending these two colors together in different ratios, an endless array of teal tones can be produced to match any decor or project needs.
Primary Colors for Mixing Teal
The two main primary colors that can be combined to make teal are:
- Blue
- Green
Blue and green are two of the three primary colors on the traditional RYB (red, yellow, blue) color wheel. By mixing different proportions of these two base hues, teal can be made in any saturation from a deep jewel-toned teal to a pale seafoam green.
Ideal Blue and Green Food Colorings
When mixing teal with food coloring, the best options are:
- Royal blue food coloring
- Leaf or forest green food coloring
These deep primary shades provide the richest starting point for mixing vivid teal tones. Other alternatives would be electric blue or neon green food gels or highly pigmented paste gels if available.
Food Color Ratios for Mixing Teal
The simple formula for mixing teal with food coloring is:
Blue food coloring + Green food coloring = Teal
There are a few key ratio guidelines to follow based on the desired teal shade:
- Balanced mid-tone teal: 1 part blue + 1 part green
- Blue-leaning teal: 2 parts blue + 1 part green
- Green-leaning teal: 1 part blue + 2 parts green
The more blue used, the deeper and more jewel-toned the teal will appear. Using more green creates an aqua or seafoam effect. Equal parts blue and green produces a balanced teal halfway between the two extremes.
| Teal Variation | Blue Food Coloring | Green Food Coloring |
|---|---|---|
| Balanced mid-tone teal | 1 part | 1 part |
| Blue-leaning teal | 2 parts | 1 part |
| Green-leaning teal | 1 part | 2 parts |
The ratios can be adjusted as needed to produce stronger, softer, lighter or darker variations of teal.
Steps for Mixing Teal Food Coloring
Follow these simple steps for DIY teal food coloring:
- Select blue and green food coloring gel or liquid in primary shades
- Decide on a desired teal color tone and appropriate color ratio
- Add the food color amounts to a mixing bowl or container
- Thoroughly mix together the blue and green dyes
- Check the color and adjust ratios if needed for ideal teal tone
- Use the custom mixed teal food coloring as needed
Start by mixing a small test batch to confirm the color before making a larger quantity. The mixed teal food gel or liquid keeps well sealed in a jar or squeeze bottle for simple storage and future use.
Alternative Options for Homemade Teal Dyes
While blue and green food color provide the quickest route to DIY teal, there are some other homemade dye options to consider:
- Teal powdered drink mix: Dissolve blue and green unsweetened powdered drink mix like Kool-Aid in water to make teal liquid dye.
- Natural dyes: Boil blue and green plant materials like red cabbage, blueberries, and spinach to extract blue and green natural dyes.
- Icing colors: Mix royal blue and leaf green icing color gels from cake decorating supplies.
- Food coloring markers: Draw lines of blue and green on paper, mix together, and use teal washable marker ink.
With a touch of creativity, many common household items can be used to hand-mix custom teal shades.
Uses for Homemade Teal Food Coloring
DIY teal food dye opens up endless possibilities for hand-dyeing and coloring projects:
- Tinting icing, cake batter, cookie dough, etc. teal for decorating baked goods
- Coloring teal buttercream frosting or fondant for cake decorating
- Dyeing teal sugar crystals or rock candy for dessert toppings
- Tinting teal chocolate for candy making or molding
- Coloring teal vanilla or sugar cookie dough
- Marbling teal tones on cakes, breads, or pastries
- Hand-dyeing teal Easter eggs
- Tinting teal lemonade, fruit drinks, or cocktail mixes
For best color vibrancy, use the homemade teal dye in lighter colored batter, dough or frosting. A little bit of coloring goes a long way, so start with a small amount of dye and gradually increase intensity as needed.
Mixing Teal with Acrylic or Fabric Paint
The same principle of blending blue and green applies when mixing teal paint rather than food coloring. For acrylic or fabric paint, combine:
- Cobalt or ultramarine blue paint
- Leaf or phthalo green paint
Using an artists’ color wheel, look for a true primary blue positioned opposite true primary green for the optimal intensity when combined. Mixing complementaries on the color wheel results in a beautiful, balanced secondary color.
When painting, use a teal mixing guide similar to the food coloring ratios above. Equal parts blue and green will create a vibrant mid-tone teal. Adjust the ratios as desired for more greenish-blue or blueish-green teal hues. Test colors on a palette and make adjustments as needed before painting.
| Teal Paint Variation | Blue Paint | Green Paint |
|---|---|---|
| Balanced mid-tone teal | 1 part | 1 part |
| Blue-leaning teal | 2 parts | 1 part |
| Green-leaning teal | 1 part | 2 parts |
Use the custom mixed teal paint to revitalize furniture, accessories, crafts and more with an energizing splash of color.
Conclusion
Teal is a fantastic color for instantly brightening up any space or project. By understanding the basics of color theory and creatively mixing blue and green dyes or paints, endless shades of custom teal can be handcrafted. Whether using food coloring for baking projects or acrylics for home decor, the possibilities are as unique as the teal tones you dream up. With a simple formula of blue plus green, you’ll be on your way to creating stunning teal colors to put your personalized touch on any DIY.
