{"id":12963,"date":"2025-06-06T09:54:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T07:54:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cours-de-peinture.net\/%f0%9f%8e%a8-how-to-make-brown-in-acrylic-paint-without-ending-up-with-dodgy-mud\/"},"modified":"2025-06-06T09:57:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T07:57:02","slug":"how-to-make-brown-in-acrylic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cours-de-peinture.net\/en\/how-to-make-brown-in-acrylic\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83c\udfa8 How to make brown in acrylic paint (without ending up with dodgy mud)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ah, brown… that often-overlooked color, unjustly called \u201cgoose poo\u201d or \u201cpalette bottom\u201d. Yet it’s indispensable<\/strong>: warm shadows, tree trunks, chestnut hair, old leathers, beaten earth, melting chocolate… \ud83d\ude0b <\/p>\n\n

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But making beautiful brown<\/strong> with acrylic paint is an art in itself. It’s a bit like cooking a good stew: it looks simple, but if you mess up the proportions… it can quickly turn into a chromatic disaster. <\/p>\n\n

So grab your painter’s apron, your primary colors, and let me guide you step by step.<\/p>\n\n

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\ud83d\udfe4 1 What is brown, technically speaking? <\/h2>\n\n

Brown<\/strong> is a tertiary color<\/strong>. It’s a blend of several primary and secondarycolors<\/a><\/strong>, often with a warm undertone. <\/p>\n\n

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Technically<\/strong>, brown is often composed of red + yellow + blue<\/strong>, but beware: not all mixtures produce the desired brown<\/em>. Some give a muddy grey, others a dubious khaki. <\/p>\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 The secret? Choosing the right color temperatures<\/strong>. More on this below. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

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\ud83e\uddea 2. Magic formulas for creating brown acrylics <\/h2>\n\n

Here’s a summary of the most effective blends for different types of chestnut<\/strong>, tested and approved in our workshops.<\/p>\n\n

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Mix (with common names)<\/th>Type of brown obtained<\/th>Advice \/ Use<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Red (cadmium) + Green (phthalo)<\/td>Warm, intense brown<\/td>Ideal for wood, leather<\/td><\/tr>
Blue (ultramarine) + Orange (cadmium)<\/td>Cold neutral brown<\/td>For shadows, backgrounds<\/td><\/tr>
Red + Yellow + a hint of blue<\/td>Classic brown<\/td>Versatile<\/td><\/tr>
Violet + Ochre yellow<\/td>Soft brown, slightly desaturated<\/td>Skins, natural fabrics<\/td><\/tr>
Bordeaux red + Emerald green<\/td>Deep brown, almost black<\/td>For very dark details<\/td><\/tr>
Sienna + Blue<\/td>Marron glac\u00e9<\/td>Excellent for shading without soiling<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n
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\ud83d\udd25 Tip: always play with proportions<\/strong>. 1 drop of blue can change everything (and sometimes ruin everything). <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

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\ud83c\udfaf 3. Classic mistakes (and how to avoid them) <\/h2>\n\n

\u274c 1. Mix it all up and see what happens. <\/h3>\n\n

It rarely makes a nice brown. It’s a bit like mixing all the leftovers from the fridge into one soup. <\/p>\n\n

\u274c 2. Forget color temperature <\/h3>\n\n

Cool blue + warm orange = sometimes greenish brown (and that’s rarely the point).<\/p>\n\n

\u274c 3. Add white to lighten <\/h3>\n\n

\ud83d\udc49 Bad idea. White grays<\/strong> the color. If you want a lighter brown<\/strong>, add light yellow<\/strong> orochre<\/strong> instead. <\/p>\n\n

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\ud83c\udfa8 4. Ready-to-use \u201cbrowns\u201d: allies or enemies? <\/h2>\n\n

There are tubes in \u201cbrown\u201d colors such as :<\/p>\n\n