How to Mix Paints to Achieve a Color
- 1). Select a color on the color chart that you want to achieve.
- 2). Select a base paint color similar to the color you want to achieve. If you do not have the color you need, start with white paint.
- 3). Lighten a paint color by mixing in white paint. Pour the white into the existing paint, stirring it constantly with a paint stick until you achieve the level of lightness that you need. It may take quite a bit of white paint to lighten your paint.
- 4). Darken paint by adding some gray or black paint to it. Black should be used when trying to darken a deeper color, and gray for lighter colors. Stir the paints together with the paint stick until you get the desired tone.
- 5). Intensify a paint color by adding more of the base color. If you are trying to liven up a tan paint, try adding more orange or yellow to it. To brighten a pale blue, add more blue.
- 6). Decrease the intensity or tone down a paint color by adding its opposite color to it. This would be a color on the color wheel that sits directly across from it.
- 7). Alter the hue of a color by adding warm or cool tones. Yellow added to green will create a warm hue; blue added to green will create a cool hue.