How to Mix Maroon Oil Paint
To mix maroon with oil paint, combine 3 parts Alizarin Crimson and 2 parts Ivory Black. Maroon is a dark brownish red. A deep, bluish red darkened with black or burnt umber keeps it red; darkening with green or blue drifts toward brown or purple.
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 3 parts of Alizarin Crimson. It is the largest amount, so it is your base.
- Add 2 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 maroon
The same recipe with more and more titanium white mixed in, by volume:
#6E2120
#90334B
#A34766
#B86786
#D5A5B8
Another way to mix maroon
With Alizarin Crimson and Lamp Black: 2 parts Alizarin Crimson and 1 part Lamp Black.
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 maroon?
To mix maroon with oil paint, combine 3 parts Alizarin Crimson and 2 parts Ivory Black. You can also mix it from 2 parts Alizarin Crimson and 1 part Lamp Black.
How do you make maroon lighter?
Add titanium white a little at a time. Adding the same amount of white as the whole mix gives about #B86786. 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 maroon 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.