How to Mix Navy Blue Oil Paint
To mix navy blue with oil paint, combine 4 parts Indanthrene Blue and 1 part Ivory Black. Navy is a very dark blue that should still look blue, not black. Darken the blue with a small amount of black or burnt umber and check it against white.
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 Indanthrene Blue. It is the largest amount, so it is your base.
- 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 navy blue
The same recipe with more and more titanium white mixed in, by volume:
#19264B
#2D4B77
#3F6390
#5C82AB
#99B5CD
Another way to mix navy blue
With Indanthrene Blue and Lamp Black: 5 parts Indanthrene Blue and 1 part Lamp Black.
Tips for mixing blues
Blues are strong tinters. Add them to the lighter color in small amounts, because it is much easier to add more blue than to rescue a mix that has gone too dark.
Questions
What colors make navy blue?
To mix navy blue with oil paint, combine 4 parts Indanthrene Blue and 1 part Ivory Black. You can also mix it from 5 parts Indanthrene Blue and 1 part Lamp Black.
How do you make navy blue lighter?
Add titanium white a little at a time. Adding the same amount of white as the whole mix gives about #5C82AB. 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 navy blue darker?
Add a little more of the blue itself, or a speck of burnt umber. Umber is close to blue's complement, so it deepens the blue without turning it grey as fast as black does.