Brown is a composite color made by combining red, yellow, and black pigments or light rays. Unlike primary colors, brown needs to be created through combining other colors. There are many different shades and tints of brown, from the yellow-tinged tan to the nearly black dark brown. The specific colors mixed together determine the resulting brown hue.
Primary Colors for Mixing Brown
The primary colors that are blended together to create different shades of brown are red, yellow, and black:
| Red | Yellow | Black |
Red and yellow produce orange when mixed together. Adding black darkens the orange into brown. Different proportions of the three colors result in lighter or darker browns.
Tints and Shades of Brown
Tints are browns lightened by adding white. Shades are browns darkened by adding more black pigment. Some examples of brown tints and shades include:
| Beige | Bistre |
| Taupe | Sienna |
| Umber | Sepia |
Beige and taupe are light tints of brown. Bistre, umber, and sienna are medium shades. Sepia is a very dark brown that is nearly black.
Warm and Cool Browns
Brown hues can be split into warm or cool shades. This depends on whether they lean towards red-orange or green-blue tones.
| Warm Browns | Cool Browns |
| Tan | Taupe |
| Peach | Ash |
| Russet | Mocha |
Warm shades like tan and peach have touches of red or yellow. Cool shades like taupe and ash get their tones from hints of blue or green. Neutral medium browns can go either way depending on the exact mixture.
Mixing Paint Colors to Create Brown
For painting, brown can be mixed using the primary colors red, yellow, and blue. Combining all three makes a neutral brown. Varying the proportions shifts the tone.
Here are some paint mixing formulas for shades of brown:
| Medium brown | 2 parts red + 2 parts yellow + 1 part blue |
| Red-brown | 4 parts red + 2 parts yellow + 1 part blue |
| Yellow-brown | 2 parts red + 4 parts yellow + 1 part blue |
Adding more red makes a warmer, redder brown. Increasing yellow produces more golden earth tones. A higher proportion of blue results in cooler ash browns.
Mixing Dye Colors for Brown
For dyes and fabrics, the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Combining all three makes a neutral brown color.
| Golden brown | 4 parts yellow + 1 part red + 1 part blue |
| Chestnut brown | 4 parts red + 2 parts yellow + 1 part blue |
| Ash brown | 3 parts blue + 1 part red + 1 part yellow |
With dyes, increasing the proportion of yellow creates golden browns. Boosting the red results in richer chestnut hues. Adding more blue dye produces cooler ash browns.
Mixing Brown with RGB and CMYK
For digital or print design, brown can be created with RGB or CMYK color mixing.
In RGB, mixing different levels of the red, green, and blue channels makes various browns. Increasing red and green while lowering blue makes warm browns. Raising blue and lowering red/green makes cool browns.
With CMYK, mixing all the colors together creates brown. The cyan, magenta, and yellow combine to make the orange base. Black is then added to darken it to brown. Increasing black makes darker shades of brown.
| Medium Brown RGB | 165, 42, 42 |
| Medium Brown CMYK | 0, 82, 88, 35 |
Brown Color Symbolism and Meaning
Brown carries different symbolism and meanings in color theory:
| Down to earth | Simplicity |
| Reliability | Comfort |
| Nature | Rusticity |
As an earthy tone, brown represents stability, wholesomeness, and simplicity. It is often thought of as solid, grounded, and dependable. Brown can also symbolize nature, rusiticty, comfort, and the outdoors.
In design, brown works well for backgrounds. It creates a warmth and relaxed feel. Brown packages imply natural or homemade products. The color is commonly used in wood, leather, and earthy products.
Brown in Fashion and Décor
Different shades of brown feature prominently in fashion. Tan and beige are popular neutrals in clothing. Dark brown suits and leather jackets are wardrobe staples. Earth tones like rust, mocha, and sand complement most complexions.
In interiors, brown provides a cozy, down-to-earth look. From pale mushrooms to deep chocolate browns, it comes in many wood, paint, and fabric options. Brown works for furniture, textiles, and accents. It pairs well with blues, greens, and orange.
Some ways to incorporate brown into décor include:
| – Wood furniture and floors | – Leather chairs or sofas |
| – Earthy textiles and rugs | – Wicker baskets |
| – Terracotta pots | – Metal accents |
Mixing brown with natural elements like plants, wood, and stone creates an organic, cozy look. Accenting with metals and blue adds striking contrast.
Brown Pigments and Dyes
Some common natural and synthetic brown pigments used in art, manufacturing, and cosmetics include:
| Raw umber | Burnt umber |
| Raw sienna | Burnt sienna |
| Vandyke brown | Cassia brown |
These warm earth tones are made from clays, iron oxide containing ores, and plants. Synthetic browns are also produced like mars brown, titanium brown, and van dyke brown substitutes.
Brown dyes include:
| Walnut shells | Teak wood |
| Oak galls | Catechu |
| Madder root | Rhubarb leaves |
These natural dyestuffs create warm shades from golden tan to chocolate brown. Different mordants modify the hues.
Mixing Brown with Other Colors
Brown combines nicely with many colors to create pleasing schemes. Some examples include:
| Brown and blue | Brown and green |
| Brown and orange | Brown and yellow |
| Brown and pink | Brown and purple |
Brown and blue are classic complements. Blue also cools down warm shades of brown. Green and brown evoke the colors of nature. Earthy brown alongside vibrant orange or yellow provides striking contrast. Soft brown with pink or lavender creates a romantic feminine look.
Popular Varieties of Brown
Some of the most popular, commonly recognized shades of brown include:
| Chocolate brown | Coffee brown |
| Tan or beige | Taupe |
| Caramel | Rust |
| Camel | Khaki |
| Hazelnut | Chestnut |
| Cinnamon | Saddle brown |
| Sand | Walnut |
These include both warm, reddish browns like chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, and chestnut. There are also cooler ashy browns like taupe, camel, and khaki. Nature inspired names like rust, sand, and walnut are common too.
Conclusion
Brown is a versatile secondary color with many shades created by combining primary colors. It has a down-to-earth, comfortable symbolism. Brown mixes nicely with other hues for fashion, design, and décor. From light tans to deep chocolate hues, shades of brown can enhance any color palette with an earthy, natural feel. With many options for mixing and matching shades, brown is a reliable color that provides a stable foundation for any creative endeavor.
