How to Mix Rust Oil Paint
To mix rust with oil paint, combine 6 parts Burnt Sienna, 2 parts Cadmium Yellow and 1 part Ivory Black. Rust is a dark, earthy orange. Burnt sienna is already most of the way there; a little yellow warms it and a little black dulls it to the color of oxidised iron.
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 Burnt Sienna. It is the largest amount, so it is your base.
- Add 2 parts of Cadmium Yellow.
- 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 rust
The same recipe with more and more titanium white mixed in, by volume:
#A04622
#BF6C4E
#CD836A
#DAA08B
#E8CBBE
Another way to mix rust
With Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna and Cadmium Orange: 2 parts Burnt Umber, 2 parts Burnt Sienna and 1 part Cadmium Orange.
Tips for mixing oranges
Orange is a balance between yellow and red, and red is far stronger. Always start with the yellow and add red to it.
Questions
What colors make rust?
To mix rust with oil paint, combine 6 parts Burnt Sienna, 2 parts Cadmium Yellow and 1 part Ivory Black. You can also mix it from 2 parts Burnt Umber, 2 parts Burnt Sienna and 1 part Cadmium Orange.
How do you make rust lighter?
Add titanium white a little at a time. Adding the same amount of white as the whole mix gives about #DAA08B. 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 rust darker?
Add a touch of burnt sienna or burnt umber. Blue, orange's complement, also darkens it, but only a speck before it turns brown.