What Colors Make Black Paint?

Have you ever wondered how the black color has been made? And to end this thinking, today here we’ll talk about “What colors make black paint?”

Black is a color that creates depth and complexity.

But there are different types of black like warm black, cool black, matte black and more. Understanding this is more important than considering it directly because the black you mix yourself will NEVER look the same as the one straight from the tube.

And that’s what you want.

I’ve been working with paint colors for a long time now, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched someone go with Mars Black or Ivory Black from a tube and put it on a wall or canvas…only to step back and wonder why it looks so flat. 

It’s because tube black is one note.

When you mix your own black, you’re creating something that has undertones, warmth, coolness, and MORE character. You’re making a color that plays well with everything else in your space or your painting. 

This is the difference between a black that is there doing nothing and a black that makes your whole color scheme look well.

So, let’s see what colors make black paint because there are many colors who get together and make a black color but with different tones like warm, cool or anything else. 

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What Colors Make Black Paint and What’s Its Theory?

Here’s where color theory becomes important.

Black is the absence of light. If we talk through reality, when all light wavelengths are absorbed and none are reflected back, you see black. But in the paint world, it works differently because of subtractive color mixing.

When you mix paints, you’re combining pigments that each absorb some wavelengths of light. The more pigments you add, the more light gets absorbed, and the dark your mixture becomes.

Or something close to it.

The color wheel is what you should focus on here. I keep one in my studio and I reference it more than I’d like to admit. It shows you how colors relate to each other, and importantly for our purposes, it shows you which colors are complementary colors.

Here’s the thing about complementary colors: when you mix them, they neutralize each other like blue and orange, red and green and yellow and purple.

Mix any of these pairs in the right proportions, and they’ll create a dark neutral tone that’s black.

This works because complementary colors contain ALL three primary colors between them. Blue and Orange gives you red, blue, and yellow all mixed together. And when you combine all three primaries…. you get black.

Or at least a very dark charcoal that looks like black.

I spent the weekend just mixing different combinations to see what happened. Some created these beautiful deep blacks while others looked like muddy browns. The difference is the pigment transparency.

Using transparent pigments instead of opaque ones makes a difference. Opaque pigments have white in them, which means they cannot create a truly deep black no matter how much you mix. They’ll always look a bit chalky or gray.

What Colors Make Black Color?

Let’s get into the combinations. I’m going to walk you through the methods I use most, and I’ll tell you which ones I love and which ones which ones I’ve learned to avoid.

There are six approaches I use depending on what I’m doing and what materials I have on hand. Some work better for walls, some for furniture painting, some for art. But they all work.

Use Primary Colors Method

This is the foundational method, the one that makes the most sense when you think about color theory.

Mix red, blue, and yellow together in equal strengths and you’ll create black.

I use Cadmium Red, Ultramarine Blue, and Hansa Yellow for this. Sometimes I’ll swap the red for Quinacridone Magenta if I want a cool black.

But equal strengths doesn’t mean equal amounts. Some pigments are STRONGER than others. Like the Cadmium Red looks so bossy. Meanwhile the yellow needs more to show up.

What you’re looking for is a mixture where you can’t identify any single color dominating. Not too purple, not too green, not too orange but just dark.

I take a small amount of my mixture and add white to it. If it turns gray with no color cast, I’ve got true black. If it looks purple-ish, I add more yellow. If it looks too warm, I add more blue.

This method creates what artists call a chromatic black, a black that’s made from colors rather than carbon or lamp black from a tube.

Use Complementary Colors Method

THIS is my go-to method.

Mixing complementary colors is fast and gives you rich results. The combinations that work are:

Blue + Orange 

Red + Green

Yellow + Purple

But here’s where it gets good: you don’t need pure secondary colors for this. You can use earth tones and other pigments that contain these.

My absolute favorite combination is Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna.

I discovered this combo and it changed everything for me. Burnt Sienna is an orange-brown, so it’s the perfect complement to blue. Mix them together and you get this GORGEOUS warm black that works beautifully in interiors with wood tones, warm metals, or earthy color schemes.

If you want it cooler, then add more blue. And if you want it warmer, then add more Burnt Sienna.

Another best combination: Phthalo Green and Alizarin Crimson. This creates a very neutral, deep black. I use this when I’m painting furniture and I want the black to work with any other color.

And then there’s Dioxazine Purple with Phthalo Green. This one makes a dark black because both pigments have high tinting strength. 

I made the mistake once of using this combo for a small decorative box without testing it first. And then when I applied it, I thought it looked fine and when it dried, it was SO dark.

Use Different Shades of Blue Method

This is a specialized technique, but when you need a cool-toned black, this is THE way to do it.

You’re using Ultramarine Blue which has a slight warm, purple-ish undertone with Burnt Umber a cool, greenish brown.

The Burnt Umber isn’t as orange as Burnt Sienna, so the resulting black is cool. I use this for modern spaces, rooms with cool gray tones, or anywhere I want a black that feels more contemporary and less cozy.

Another option: Phthalo Blue and Burnt Umber. This creates an even cooler black, almost greenish if you use too much Phthalo.

Pro tip: Phthalo colors are incredibly powerful. Start with way less than you think you need and build up slowly.

How to Make Black Paint Using Different Color Types?

Now that we have learned how to make black paint using different colors and different shades of blue, we will now learn how to make black using different types of paint. 

Understanding the paint type you are using is important as it ensures the consistency and texture of your black paint. So make sure to read ahead to create that perfect shade of black paint. 

Use Watercolor Paints

Mixing black with watercolors is my favorite for small craft projects or when I’m doing color samples for clients.

The technique is the same, using complementary colors or primaries but watercolor behaves differently because of how transparent it is.

I mix Ultramarine Blue with Burnt Sienna here too. In watercolor, this creates a black that’s almost luminous when you dilute it. You can see the individual colors dancing in the mixture if you look closely, which creates the depth.

The mistake I see people make with watercolor black is using too much water. Yes, watercolor is a water-based medium, but if you want true black, you need PIGMENT. 

Use Oil-Based Paints

Oil paints are my medium of choice for furniture refinishing and art pieces.

For oils, I love Ultramarine Blue plus Burnt Umber. This is one of the most recommended combinations among professional painters because both pigments are naturally transparent in oil form, which means they create deep blacks.

The slow drying time of oils is an advantage here. You can keep adjusting your mixture on the palette, blending, testing, tweaking the ratios until it’s what you want.

I spent an afternoon mixing the perfect black for a vintage dresser I was restoring. The client wanted something that would feel “old world” but work in her modern farmhouse. I ended up with a slightly warm black that had a HINT of brown when the light hit it.

The slow oil dry time let me test it on the dresser, see how it looked, scrape it off, and adjust before it set.

Use Acrylic Paints

Acrylic paint is what most people have at home, and it works great for mixing black.

The fast drying time means you need to work quickly and mix your custom black in one go. It is nothing worse than running out of your perfectly-mixed black halfway through a project and then not being able to match it.

I use the same color combinations with acrylics as I do with other mediums: Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna for warm black, Phthalo Blue and Burnt Umber for cool black.

Strong pigments make mixing easy with acrylics. Cheap craft paint can work, but you’ll need more of it and the results won’t be as deep or rich.

I learned this when I was trying to mix black using dollar store acrylics for a kid’s playhouse project. Then I ended up with a sad grayish-brown no matter what I did.

How to Make Black Color Paint? Step-by-Step Guide

Let me walk you through how I do this, like you’re standing here in my studio watching me work. This is the process I use a lot of times, and it hasn’t failed yet.

Step 1: Choose your color combination. I’m using Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna because it’s reliable and creates a beautiful warm black. Grab your colors and a palette or mixing surface. 

Step 2: Start with your darker color. I always begin with blue. Squeeze out or pour out a good amount and more than you think you’ll need.

Step 3: Add your second color gradually. Add the Burnt Sienna in a small amount. The ratios aren’t going to be 50/50. I end up with something closer to 60% blue, 40% Burnt Sienna, but it varies.

Step 4: Mix thoroughly. Mix it well. Keep working it with your palette knife until it’s uniform.

Step 5: Test your black. Take a small amount and mix it with white paint. Does it turn gray with no color bias, then it is perfect. Does it look purple, then add yellow or more Burnt Sienna. If it looks too warm or orange, then add more blue.

Step 6: Adjust as needed. This is the part where you’re looking at your paint. Keep making small adjustments until that test mixture with white gives you a true neutral gray.

Step 7: Mix enough for your project. Once you’ve got it right, mix a full batch. Write down your rough ratios if you think you may need to match it later.

Step 8: Apply and observe. Paint always looks different wet and dry, and it DEFINITELY looks different under various lighting conditions. Test it in the space or on the surface before committing.

Tips to Consider When Making Black Paint

Here’s everything I wish someone had told me when I first started mixing my own blacks:

• Use transparent pigments, not opaque ones. Opaque pigments contain white and will never give you deep, rich black. Check your paint labels or do a transparency test.

• Start with less of your stronger pigments. Phthalo colors, Alizarin Crimson, Quinacridone Magenta, these are POWERFUL.

• Mix more than you think you need. Trying to recreate an exact custom black mixture is nearly impossible. Mix a full batch upfront.

• Keep notes on your ratios. Even rough notes help. “Mostly blue, less Burnt Sienna” is better than nothing.

• Test on your surface first. Paint looks different on wood and on walls or on canvas or metal.

• Consider your lighting. Warm lighting will make your black appear warm. Cool daylight will emphasize cool undertones.

• Don’t be afraid of slightly-not-black blacks. Sometimes a very dark charcoal or brown-black works better than true black. Trust your eyes.

• Temperature matters more than you think. Warm blacks feel cozy and traditional. Cool blacks feel modern and fresh. Choose based on your overall color scheme.

• Avoid mixing ALL your colors together equally unless you want mud. This was my beginner’s mistake. Throwing everything into the pot doesn’t create black but it creates brown-gray sadness.

• Store mixed paint properly. If you’re using acrylics, keep them airtight. Oils can sit out longer but will form a skin. 

Conclusion

So there you have it to know what colors make black paint…. everything I know about it, learned through trial and error, client projects, personal pieces, and a few mistakes.

The thing about mixing your own black is that it gives you control. You’re not stuck with whatever black the paint manufacturer decided to put in. You’re creating something that works for YOUR project, YOUR space, YOUR vision.

Is it more work than going with Mars Black or Ivory Black? Yes.

Is it worth it? Absolutely.

The custom black with the perfect warm undertone that makes your room feel cohesive. The cool, slightly greenish black that makes your modern furniture shine..

Start with the complementary color method, specifically Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna. Get comfortable with that combination, learn how to adjust it, and then branch out to other methods and pigments.

Keep a color wheel handy, take notes on what works and test everything before you commit. And don’t get discouraged if your first attempts look more brown than black…. that means you need to adjust your ratios.

You’re learning to SEE color better, to understand how pigments interact, and to create what you need.

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