What two colors blend together to make green?

Refresh your home with a custom shade of this nature-inspired color.

How to Make Green

This article was co-authored by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces.

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Green is a mixture of blue and yellow. Once you understand the basic color theory involved, you can make green using a variety of mediums, including paint, frosting, and polymer clay.

Steps

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Making Green Paint

• When mixed, the original colors should produce a pure green.
• To get a more accurate idea of how this green looks, use a paint brush to apply a small amount to some scrap practice paper.

• Adding more yellow will create a warmer green, and adding more blue will produce a cooler green.
• When attempting to change the hue, make small changes until you find the hue you want. Gradually building the correct hue is easier and less wasteful than overcompensating and needing to work back toward the center from the extreme.

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• Pure yellow and pure blue will create pure green, but if these starting colors have been altered prior to being mixed, the resulting color will also change. For instance, combining golden yellow with a standard blue may result in a more muted, brownish green. On the other hand, mixing standard yellow with a light blue could produce a light green.
• The best way learn which blues and yellows produce which greens is through experimentation. Pick a few different hues of yellow and blue. Combine equal parts of one yellow and one blue hue, working through each possible combination. Mark down your results for future reference. [2] X Research source

• Since all greens contain elements of blue and yellow, mixing them should result in new hues of green.
• You can also mix green together with different yellows or different blues to change the hue more dramatically.

• Add white paint to create a lighter tint or black paint to create a darker shade.
• Regardless of which value you desire, you should add the white or black paint in small amounts. If you add too much, you can easily create a value that is far too light or far too dark.

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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Making Green Frosting

• You need at least four sample dishes, but the experiment will be more effective if you set up six to twelve dishes.
• Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 125 ml) of white icing in each dish. Keep track of how much icing you use since it has an impact on the amount of food coloring you’ll need.
• Obtain at least four food dye colors: one green, one yellow, one blue, and one black. You can also get other hues of green, yellow, or blue to experiment with.
• Paste, powder, and gel food dyes are designed for coloring frosting, so work with these types of dyes when possible since they should not alter the consistency of the frosting. Liquid dyes only work when you need very light tints; otherwise, the amount of liquid food coloring you’ll need to create a vibrant hue will change the consistency of the frosting. [3] X Research source

• To get an accurate idea of the color you’ve created, you’ll need to continue mixing until you can no longer see any remaining green streaks in the frosting.
• The type of green dye you use will affect the color of the icing. For instance, using “moss green” dye will create a warmer color than “kelly green” dye or “leaf green” dye.
• The amount of food coloring will affect the shade. Since the icing is white, using small amounts of green dye will produce very light, pastel greens. More dye will create more vibrant values.

• After mixing the blue and yellow food coloring, you should produce green frosting.
• The exact hue will vary based on the hues of yellow and blue you start with. Similarly, the value will vary based on how much food coloring you use.

• After thoroughly mixing in the black food coloring, you should see a darker shade of the original green. The actual hue should remain the same, though.
• Since black can have a dramatic impact on the appearance of the color, you should only work with very small amounts of it.

• Use guidelines from the dye manufacturer to create different hues or experiment on your own.
• Some ideas include: [4] X Research source
  • Mix equal parts sky blue and leaf green to create an aqua color.
  • Create chartreuse using nine parts lemon yellow and one part leaf green.
  • Combine equal parts leaf green and royal blue, then add a touch of black. This should create a deep jade color.
  • Mix various amounts of lemon yellow and sky blue to produce a teal or turquoise color.

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  Method 3
  Method 3 of 4:

  Making Green Polymer Clay

  

  • One blue should be slightly warm (with a hint of green) while the other should be slightly cool (with a hint of purple). Similarly, one yellow should be slightly warm (with a hint of orange) and the other should be slightly cool (with a hint of green).
  • You can use more variations of blue and yellow clay, but starting with two each should provide you with a fairly accurate understanding of how to make your desired hue of green.
  • Roll, stretch, and knead the ball continuously to blend the colors. When finished, you should no longer see any streaks of blue or yellow in the sample.
  • The finished color should be a relatively bright green since both the blue and yellow already leaned toward the color green. [5] X Research source
  • The warm yellow and cool blue should create a dull green with hints of brown in it.
  • The warm yellow and warm blue should create a medium-tone, warm green with strong yellow undertones.
  • The cool yellow and cool blue should create a medium-tone, cool green with strong blue undertones.
  • Blend the white into the green until no streaks remain. The color should look less bright and should also gain a lighter tint. The more white you add, the lighter the tint will be.
  • Once blended, the translucent clay should make the green appear much less bright without changing the value or hue of the resulting sample.
  • If you use more translucent clay than green, however, you’ll end up with a semi-transparent wash of green instead of an opaque color.
  • After blending the black into the green, the sample should develop a darker shade while remaining the same hue.
  • In most cases, it won’t take much black to dramatically darken the green, so you should only work in very small amounts.

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  Method 4
  Method 4 of 4:

  Understanding Color Theory

  

  • “Primary” colors exist on their own and cannot be created by mixing other colors. The three primary colors are red, blue, and yellow, but you only need blue and yellow to create green.
  • “Secondary” colors are colors obtained through the mixture of two primary colors. Green is a secondary color because it’s made from blue and yellow. The other two secondary colors are orange and violet.

  

  • The two most basic variations are “blue green” and “yellow green,” which are also referred to as “tertiary” colors since they fall between secondary and primary colors on the color wheel.
    • Blue green is made with two parts blue and one part yellow. You could also create it by mixing equal parts of green and blue.
    • Yellow green is made with two parts yellow and one part blue. You could also create it by mixing equal parts of green and yellow.

    

    • Light shades are referred to as “tints” and dark shades are called “shades.”

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    Community Q&A

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    Question
    I didn’t have green paint to add to it. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    It’s totally fine. You could use varying amounts of yellow and blue to change the type of green.

    Thanks! We’re glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy! Claim Your Gift If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

    Question
    Can you make green with secondary colors?
    NELLIE WONG XIAO CHIEN Moe
    Community Answer

    No, you can’t. You can only make it by primary colors. But, you can find a ton of paint bottles in the stationery store or art stores. You can also use food coloring as an alternative.

    Thanks! We’re glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy! Claim Your Gift If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

    Question

    I have bright teal hair and I’m trying to figure out what color(s) I could use to make it a darker, true green. Should I just use another green on top with maybe a dab of black?

    NELLIE WONG XIAO CHIEN Moe
    Community Answer

    Start off with teal. Then, add a little black to see if it is your tone you wanted. If it is not, then you’ll just add more bits of black until your happy or satisfied at that color.

    Thanks! We’re glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy! Claim Your Gift If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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    Things You’ll Need

    Making Green Paint

    Making Green Frosting

    Making Green Polymer Clay

    What Colors Make Brown? Creating Different Shades of Brown
    How to
    Make Red
    5 Ways to Mix Black Paint
    How to
    Make Orange
    How to
    Make Gray
    The Ultimate Guide to Mixing Purple Paint
    How to
    Mix Colors to Make Pink
    How to
    Make Maroon
    How to
    Mix Colors to Get Turquoise
    How to
    Mix Colors to Make Dark Blue
    How to
    Make Brown from Primary Colors
    How to Make Magenta Paint: Colors, Ratios, and More
    How to
    Make Red Paint Darker
    How to
    Mix Paint to Make the Colour Pink
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    References

    1. ↑http://willkempartschool.com/is-green-ruining-your-acrylic-paintings/
    2. ↑http://emptyeasel.com/2006/12/22/how-to-make-better-oil-paintings-tips-and-techniques-for-correctly-mixing-color/
    3. ↑http://www.cakecentral.com/tutorial/20151/how-to-color-your-icing
    4. ↑http://www.wilton.com/decorating/icing/icing-color-chart.cfm
    5. ↑http://www.jaedworks.com/clayspot/polyclay-faq/mixing.html
    6. ↑http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Colormixing.shtml

    Co-authored by:
    Professional Painter

    This article was co-authored by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces. This article has been viewed 548,421 times.

    8 votes – 55%
    Co-authors: 8
    Updated: September 26, 2022
    Views: 548,421
    Categories: Mixing Paints

    When you’re using pigments, you can make green by mixing blue and yellow. For instance, to get green paint, try combining equal amounts of blue and yellow. Blend them together with a brush or a palette knife until they’re thoroughly mixed and you don’t see any more streaks of yellow or blue. You can get different shades of green by combining different types of blue and yellow, or by mixing the colors in different proportions. For example, for a more bluish green, use a larger amount of blue than yellow. You can also change the value of your green by mixing in a little white or black paint. Keep experimenting until you find the perfect shade. Use the same basic rules if you’re making green frosting. For instance, add a few drops of yellow and blue food coloring to a white frosting base and mix them together. To adjust the color, experiment with using different quantities of blue or yellow. If you already have green food coloring, try adding smaller or larger amounts of it to the white frosting to get paler or more vibrant result. Or, darken the green frosting by adding a drop or two of black food coloring. You can also make green modeling clay by rolling blue and yellow clays together. Start by pinching off equal amounts of each color, then roll, stretch, and knead the pieces of clay together until they’re completely combined. Just like with paint or food coloring, you can vary the look of your green clay by changing the proportions of the colors, using different shades of yellow and blue, or mixing in white or black to adjust the value. For tips on how to get the perfect shade of green with food coloring for frosting or icing, read on!

    Which Colors Make Green?

    This nature-inspired color is a great way to bring the outdoors in and give your home an instant refresh. The basic answer for what colors make green is blue and yellow. However, color theory is a little more complex.

    Yellow and blue are both primary colors, meaning they are the starting point for mixing secondary colors, such as green. Green can have warm or cool undertones, depending on the amount of yellow and blue it contains. If yellow is the dominant color, expect a green paint color with warm undertones. If you use more blue than yellow, you will end up with a cooler shade of green.

    In addition to the amount of each of the primary colors used, the shade and saturation of yellow and blue also affect the green color you get. This is why the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating your own custom shade of green.

    

    How to Make Light Green Paint Colors

    A light green paint color is a great way to freshen up a room, create a spa-like feel, and make a space feel light and airy. It’s a great choice for a bedroom or bathroom and one that works well with cool or warm neutrals as well as soft pastels.

    To make your own shade of light green paint, start with yellow. Little by little, add small amounts of blue to it until it begins to turn green. It’s important to add the blue in small increments to avoid creating a dark shade of green. A large amount of yellow paint mixed with a little bit of blue will give you a warm, light-green color perfect for injecting a little warmth into your home.

    If you’re looking for a cooler shade of light green, such as a mint green, add white. It will tone down the warmth of the yellow undertones and, depending on the amount of white you add, give you anything from a soft mint green to a beautiful pastel green.

    To add more depth and create a light sage green color, instead of adding white, add a little bit of red paint. A little bit of red goes a long way but adding too much will turn your paint brown quickly, so make sure to add it in slowly and in small increments.

    

    
    

    How to Create Dark Green Paint

    A deep, dark shade of green paint creates a cozy atmosphere and timeless elegance no matter which room it’s used in. Add dramatic contrast with bright white molding and millwork to instantly dress up a room and give it a traditional feel. Pair it with metallics to go glam or black and charcoal for a more modern feel.

    To get started, begin with the same base—blue and yellow paint. Use a larger amount of yellow or blue depending on whether you’re looking for a warmer or cooler shade of dark green. You can, of course, adjust the warmth as you go as well.

    To darken the green, add a bit of black paint to it. Start slowly and add a tiny amount as it will darken your paint very quickly. Experiment with adding more yellow to warm up your dark green or add extra blue or even a dash of white paint to cool it down.

    Another option is using purple to darken green paint. Either use ready-made purple or mix your own by combining red and blue. Add black as needed to create the perfect shade. Green and purple are contrasting colors and some shades sit opposite each other on the color wheel, making them complementary colors. A dark green paired with a regal purple form a stunning color combination that feels dramatic yet sophisticated.

    Turquoise Blue

    I use Turquoise Blue instead of Primary Blue. It’s dark enough to create beautiful deep shades for cooler colors, without them verging on looking muddy.

    I stick with the basics when it comes to yellow. This helps balance the turquoise and keep the greens in the right hue family. It is bright enough to create vibrant hues and mixed with the magenta and turquoise it produces great results. If I ever need to add more vibrancy to a warm tone, I tend to add a fluorescent color to help make it pop.

    Quinacridone Magenta

    We won’t use this for mixing green, but I wanted to note it just in case. This is my alternative to Primary Red. This Magenta can still produce beautiful and rich shades, but unlike Primary Red, it helps bring the colors more towards the “jewel tone” space. I use a lot of purples in my work, and primary red can sometimes be a bit too warm and it muddies up the purple. Magenta is a great alternative because it is already mixed with the warmth of the red but incorporates some of the cooler tones as well.

    The other colors you will need for mixing green are Titanium White and Prussian Blue, and Cobalt Blue. The white and Prussian Blue will serve as the dark and light colors used to change the value of the green shades you make. The Cobalt Blue will help create a more earthy olive green color.

    Squeeze out some of each color onto your palette, and we’ll start mixing! I use a brush to mix my colors, but you can use a palette knife or whatever you’re comfortable with!

    Now let’s dive into some specific color recipes for mixing green!

    First up, let’s mix a bright, vibrant green! To mix this green, take some of your yellow, and a tiny bit of turquoise blue. Blues have a much stronger hue than yellow, so a little goes a long way.

    Always start with your lighter color. Adding a dark color to a light one makes for a better mixing experience. If you started with blue and added yellow to it, the yellow can have a tendency to get swallowed up by the stronger blue color. So start with yellow when mixing green. I also prefer to mix little by little so that I don’t overdo it on my mixing.