How to Mix Burgundy Oil Paint
To mix burgundy with oil paint, combine 4 parts Alizarin Crimson, 1 part French Ultramarine and 1 part Ivory Black. Burgundy is like maroon but cooler, leaning toward purple. Crimson with a little blue gives the wine-like tone; black only deepens it, so keep the black to a small amount.
Opens the free browser simulator with these colors on the palette. Squeeze them out and blend with the palette knife.
Step by step
- Put down 4 parts of Alizarin Crimson. It is the largest amount, so it is your base.
- Add 1 part of French Ultramarine.
- Add 1 part of Ivory Black. It is a strong tinter, so add it a little at a time and check the color as you go.
- Blend with a palette knife, folding the paint over itself until no streaks of the separate colors remain.
- Pull a thin smear out to the side. Thin paint shows the true color better than a thick pile.
Lighter versions of burgundy
The same recipe with more and more titanium white mixed in, by volume:
#792131
#9A345D
#AD4976
#C06A94
#DAA9C0
Another way to mix burgundy
With Alizarin Crimson and Winsor Violet: 3 parts Alizarin Crimson and 1 part Winsor Violet.
Tips for mixing reds and pinks
Reds are strong, and white changes them more than you expect: it cools them and pushes them toward pink. Add white gradually and compare against the color you are aiming for.
Questions
What colors make burgundy?
To mix burgundy with oil paint, combine 4 parts Alizarin Crimson, 1 part French Ultramarine and 1 part Ivory Black. You can also mix it from 3 parts Alizarin Crimson and 1 part Winsor Violet.
How do you make burgundy lighter?
Add titanium white a little at a time. Adding the same amount of white as the whole mix gives about #C06A94. White also cools and softens a color, so you may need a touch more of the warm color in the recipe to keep the same character.
How do you make burgundy darker?
Add alizarin crimson or a little burnt umber. A tiny amount of green also darkens red, since green is its complement, but black tends to turn reds brown.