How to Mix Forest Green Oil Paint
To mix forest green with oil paint, combine 6 parts Viridian and 5 parts Ivory Black. Forest green is a deep, cool green that should still read as green in the shadows. Darken it with black or a dark red rather than more blue, or it slides toward teal.
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 6 parts of Viridian. It is the largest amount, so it is your base.
- Add 5 parts 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 forest green
The same recipe with more and more titanium white mixed in, by volume:
#24513C
#497860
#628E78
#83A695
#B8CBC1
Another way to mix forest green
With Sap Green and Ivory Black: 3 parts Sap Green and 1 part Ivory Black.
Tips for mixing greens
Greens from a blue and a yellow are only as clean as the two colors you start with. A cool lemon yellow and a green-leaning blue give bright greens; a warm yellow and ultramarine give softer, more natural ones.
Questions
What colors make forest green?
To mix forest green with oil paint, combine 6 parts Viridian and 5 parts Ivory Black. You can also mix it from 3 parts Sap Green and 1 part Ivory Black.
How do you make forest green lighter?
Add titanium white a little at a time. Adding the same amount of white as the whole mix gives about #83A695. 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 forest green darker?
Add a little more of the blue, or a touch of a red such as alizarin crimson. Red is green's complement, so it darkens and dulls the green without making it look dirty the way black can.