What Colors Make Orange & How to Make Shades of Orange Color

What two colors make orange [Answered]

Yellow and red make orange when they are mixed together. However, mixing red and yellow is just a starting point.

Next up, I’ll show you how to make orange varying hues using different yellows.

How to make orange color with different yellows

In the diagram above of what colors to make orange, you can see that I used three different yellows and mixed each of them with cadmium red.

Cadmium yellow and cadmium red are two colors that make orange a good robust color when mixed together. While yellow ochre mixed with cadmium red creates a much more muted orange. The third orange mixture with cadmium lemon and cadmium red creates a brighter orange that is much more saturated than the muted orange with the yellow ochre.

Therefore, by altering the hue of yellow employed, one can observe a notable transformation in the resultant shades of orange produced through the amalgamation of red and yellow.

What colors make orange using different reds

Let’s explore how to create the color orange by blending various red hues with cadmium yellow. By experimenting with different types of red, you can discover a range of delightful orange shades formed by combining yellow and red together. Let’s dive in!

In the color chart directly below, you can see the two reds we have here are Alizarin Crimson and Burnt Sienna.

To achieve a robust and vibrant orange hue, combine cadmium yellow with Alizarin crimson. It’s important to note that this shade of orange may not be as warm and bright as when using cadmium red. This is because alizarin crimson is a cooler shade of red compared to cadmium red. Therefore, the resulting orange shade using alizarin crimson will have a cooler temperature.

Next in the color chart above, you can see a very muted orange color mixture from cadmium yellow and burnt sienna. Burnt sienna is an earth tone color, so whenever you mix it with a yellow it will create a muted shade of orange!

If you haven’t yet – get my FREE Color Mixing Guide for additional help with color mixing techniques!

What colors make orange muted?

Understanding how to make a muted orange and which colors to mix for this effect, is crucial! Almost every time you mix an orange shade, you’ll want to gently tone it down (mute it). Let’s explore how to achieve this with the next color chart.

Mixing blue and orange together

To mute a color, you need to mix it with its complementary color. Since blue is the complementary color of orange, you will then mix blue with orange. Blue and orange mixed, make a lovely neutral muted orange color when mixed together.

TIP FOR MIXING MUTED ORANGE: Orange and blue also make brown when mixed together. So in order to get a muted shade of orange instead of brown, you will just want to watch the amount of blue you mix with your orange color.

You can mix a variety of different muted shades of orange color, as you can see in the diagram above. You will notice that when cadmium orange is mixed with ultramarine blue you get a cooler muted orange. When you mix cobalt blue with cadmium orange you get a warmer muted orange color.

The cadmium orange that is mixed with the RGH blue creates an even deeper almost greenish muted orange. So, you can see that the muted orange color your blue and orange makes, is deeply impacted by the type of blue you use to mix it.

Mixing orange and green

What color does green and orange make? More muted shades of orange! Though blue is the best color to mix your orange with for the most neutral shade of muted orange. Orange and green however, make their own unique muted shades of orange color, which can add depth to your muted color palette.

For example, in the color chart below I used a couple of different orange color mixtures to mix with cadmium green to create muted orange.

Now, cadmium orange is a much more saturated orange than mixing your own orange from red and yellow.

The diagram below shows cadmium orange mixed with various green colors:

• Cadmium orange mixed with pthalo green creates a darker cooler orange.
• In contrast, when you mix cadmium orange with veronese green, you get a lighter mixture than the one above it.
• The third color mixture combines cadmium orange with cadmium green, to create a much more robust and warm muted green.

Problems with mixing muted orange

When mixing muted orange, one common issue is that the color may unexpectedly turn green. In this video, I’ll show you how to tackle this problem and ensure it doesn’t occur. Additionally, I’ll provide solutions for other color mixing challenges. Click play to watch the video below!

VIDEO GUIDE: How to mix the perfect orange

Different shades of orange in art examples

Take a look at this captivating painting by British Artist Diarmuid Kelley, showcasing an array of vibrant orange hues on the surface of the oranges. Notice the diverse palette, featuring dark shades, light oranges, yellowish undertones, and reddish accents. Explore the richness and depth of colors brought to life by the artist.

Above is another painting of an orange but this time by Euan Uglow. You can see very clearly that there are patches of a variety of different orange colors all around the orange. It is all these different orange colors working together that gives the orange subject volume and makes it feel round.

Portrait painting tips, using orange

When painting a portrait or figure, you won’t typically use a straight orange color mixed from yellow and red alone. Instead, you can apply the skills you’ve learned earlier in this article to mix various shades of orange. This technique will enable you to achieve more captivating and lifelike skin tones for your portrait paintings. Give it a try and see the difference it makes!

In portrait painting, the orange colors often possess a subdued quality compared to those in a painting of an orange still life, for instance. Understanding how to create muted shades of orange colors can be immensely beneficial in this regard.

What colors make orange in conclusion

As you can see, at the base of what two colors make orange, yellow and red make orange when mixed together. However, you can also see, that mixing different types of red and yellow together will yield different shades of orange color.

When it comes to creating muted shades of orange, there are several color combinations worth experimenting with. Combining blue and orange produces a more neutral muted orange, while pairing orange with green results in distinctive temperature contrasts and muted orange shades.

Want to delve deeper into mixing orange, as well as different greens, blues and more? Take a look at the following comprehensive resource that will provide you with everything you need.

Resource for mixing even more colors

In addition to orange–learn how to mix all of the colors you need, with the help of my 150+page, Color Mixing Master Guide ebook!

Want to remember this? Save this Orange Color Mixing Guide to your favorite Pinterest board!