What Colors Make Green? – Tips on What Colors Make Green

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In the world of art and design, colors hold an immense power to evoke emotions, convey messages, and create impressions. When it comes to the color green, its significance is no less. This calming hue, often associated with growth, nature, and balance, has been a favorite amongst artists, designers, and even scientists for centuries. But have you ever wondered what colors make green? This is exactly what we will be exploring in this article today, along with how to make forest green paint amongst many other shades, and more!

What Color Is Green?

Before we learn about what colors make green, we first need to come to understand and truly appreciate this primary color on its own. Green, a color that has captivated artists, scientists, and thinkers for centuries, is a symbol of life, nature, and harmony. It is a color that occupies a unique space in the spectrum of light, blending aspects of both yellow and blue to create a hue that is both calming and energizing. Have you ever wondered what two colors make green? As a primary color, this question should not have a correct answer.

However, while green is believed and generally accepted to be a primary color, this shade is technically a secondary color, as it is the result of combining both blue and yellow light in equal measure.

When these two colors are mixed, they stimulate the green receptors in our eyes, producing a sensation of green. This phenomenon is known as additive color mixing, and it is the basis of how color displays like televisions and computer monitors work. But green is more than just a technical phenomenon. It is a color that holds deep cultural and symbolic significance.

It has largely been associated with growth, renewal, and rebirth, as well as with the natural world and the environment. In many cultures, green is also associated with luck, fertility, and prosperity. From the verdant forests to the vibrant foliage of a summer garden, green is a color that surrounds us and inspires us. It is a color that has the power to soothe the soul, invigorate the spirit, and connect us to the beauty and wonder of the world around us.

History of Green

As the color of the trees and foliage that predates conscious life on Earth, it should come as no shock that green has a rich and fascinating history. Throughout the ages, this shade has been celebrated, feared, and even revered for its aesthetic and symbolic qualities. In ancient Egypt, green was seen as both a symbol of fertility and regeneration, as well as death and decay.  The shade was also closely associated with the god Osiris, who was commonly depicted with green skin, representing both the cycle of life and death, and the Nile’s annual flooding, which brought both abundance and destruction.

The Egyptians would use malachite and other green pigments in their art and jewelry, while also adoring their pharaohs with emerald and peridot jewelry.

In medieval Europe, green was associated with love, youth, and the arrival of spring, but was also linked to envy and jealousy. The famous “Green Knight” in Arthurian legend was a formidable opponent who tested the honor and bravery of the knights who faced him, while Shakespeare’s “green-eyed monster” in Othello represented the destructive power of jealousy. During the Renaissance, green took on new significance as a symbol of wealth, prestige, and power, as well as poison and danger. It was a favorite choice among royalty and nobility, and was even used in elaborate tapestries, clothing, and furnishings.

On the other hand, arsenic, a toxic substance used in dyes and pigments, produced a bright green color that was popular among Renaissance painters and fabric makers. However, the use of arsenic led to illness and even death, giving rise to the fear of the color green at the time. In the modern era, green has come to represent the environmental movement, sustainability, and the natural world. It can also be seen in branding and marketing in order to evoke feelings of freshness, love, and innovation. As you may tell, the history of the color green is a complex and multi-layered journey through time and culture, tracing the evolving meanings and associations of this captivating hue.

While it has been celebrated for its beauty and revered for its symbolic power, there have also been moments in history where green has been feared and associated with negative connotations.

The Color Wheel and Its Relationship With Green

The color wheel is a timeless tool for artists and designers, guiding the creation of harmonious color schemes and inspiring new palettes of hue and contrast. At the heart of this circular arrangement of colors lies the vibrant and captivating color green, which plays a unique and essential role in the color wheel’s overall structure and function.

Green Complementary Color

Green and red are two colors that, when combined, create a bold and dynamic hue that is impossible to ignore. This complementary pairing of hues has been used by artists, designers, and creatives for centuries to convey a wide range of emotions, from passion and energy to tranquility and harmony. At the heart of this striking color combination is the natural interplay between warm and cool tones. Red, a color associated with fire, passion, and excitement, is a warm hue that draws the eye and commands attention.

Green, on the other hand, is a cool and calming color that evokes nature, growth, and harmony,

When used together, these complementary colors create a visual tension that is both exciting and harmonious. In art, the contrast of green and red is often used to create dynamic and expressive compositions that convey a sense of movement, energy, and emotion. From the iconic paintings of Henri Matisse to the bold and expressive works of contemporary street artists, this complementary pairing of hues has become a timeless symbol of creativity and artistic expression.

Green Split Complementary Colors

Green can often be found paired with its split complementary colors, red orange and red violet, to create a striking and dynamic color scheme that is able to evoke a wide range of emotions and sensations. This combination of colors creates a visual tension that is both energizing and harmonious, with the cool green acting as a calming counterpoint to the warm tones of red-orange, and red-violet. Red-orange, a warm and vibrant hue that sits between red and orange on the color wheel, is associated with excitement, energy, and enthusiasm.

When paired with green, this bold and dynamic color creates a powerful sense of movement and vibrancy, making it a popular choice for fashion, art, and design.

Red-violet, however, is a rich and sophisticated hue that sits between, you guessed it, red and violet on the color wheel. Associated with elegance, luxury, and creativity, red-violet is able to create a stunning contrast against green, providing a look that is both dramatic and harmonious, making it the perfect choice for high-end fashion, home decor, and art. Together, green and its split complementary colors create a dynamic and visually appealing color scheme that is both exciting and harmonious.

From the bold and playful designs of modern fashion to the timeless works of classic art, this color combination continues to inspire and captivate audiences with its endless possibilities for creative expression and artistic interpretation.

Green Triadic Colors

Green can also be found paired with its triadic colors, orange and purple, and has been used to create a striking and dynamic color scheme that is able to bring up a myriad of emotions and sensations within the observer. This combination of colors creates a harmonious balance that is both energizing and calming, with green acting as a stabilizing anchor to the more vibrant tones of orange and purple. Orange is a warm and vibrant hue that is closely linked to feelings of enthusiasm, energy, and excitement. When paired with green, this bold and dynamic color creates a powerful sense of movement and vibrancy, making it a great choice in fields like fashion, art, and design.

Purple, on the other hand, has a more rich and regal tone that sits in between red and blue on the color wheel. It is associated with creativity, luxury, and sophistication.

When paired with green, this color creates a stunning contrast that is both dramatic and harmonious, making it a popular choice for high-end fashion, home decor, and art. When used together, green and its triadic colors create a visually stunning color scheme that is both just as exciting as it is harmonious. From the bold and playful designs of modern fashion to the timeless works of classic art, this color combination continues to inspire and captivate audiences with its endless possibilities for creative expression and artistic interpretation.

Green Monochromatic Colors

Monochromatic green color schemes can range from serene and calming to bold and vibrant, depending on the specific shades and tones chosen. Lighter greens are able to create a peaceful and soothing atmosphere, while darker greens add depth and richness to a design. By using different shades and tints of green in a monochromatic color scheme, designers can create a sense of visual interest and depth without introducing additional colors. Monochromatic green color schemes are popular in both modern and traditional designs, and can be found in a variety of contexts, from interior design to fashion to graphic design, and beyond.

In each case, the use of monochromatic green creates a sense of harmony and balance that is both visually pleasing and emotionally satisfying.

In conclusion, the use of green in a monochromatic color scheme is a powerful and versatile approach to design that can evoke a wide range of emotions and sensations. Whether used in fashion, interior design, or even graphic design, the harmonious and calming effects of a monochromatic green color scheme are sure to captivate and inspire your audience.

How to Make Green Paint

Much like with any color, knowing what two colors make green and how to make your own green paint can be a fun and rewarding way to explore your creativity and develop a deeper understanding of color theory. While there are many different approaches to making green paint, the basic process involves nothing more than mixing a blue and yellow pigment together to create a green hue that is uniquely your own. To start, bring together your blue and yellow pigment and place them on your mixing palette. Using a palette knife, mix the two pigments together in equal measure until you have achieved a shade of green that you like.

The amount of each pigment that you use will determine the exact shade and tone of your green paint, so feel free to experiment and adjust as is needed.

As we will now be moving on to mixing other shades of green, it is important to experiment and remember that the possibilities are truly endless. By mixing different ratios of blue and yellow, experimenting with different hues and tones, and incorporating other colors and mediums, you can create a unique and personalized green paint that reflects your own creative vision and style, all from knowing what colors make green.

How to Make Light Green Paint

Knowing what colors make light green is like capturing the essence of a sunlit meadow, where vibrant nature dances with refreshing hues. Imagine a palette filled with an array of colors, waiting to be harmoniously blended to bring forth the ethereal glow of springtime foliage. To begin, gather the previously mentioned tools and materials, along with blue, yellow, and white paint. Now, on your mixing palette, add a modest amount of blue paint alongside a slightly greater amount of yellow paint. With a clean brush and a gentle touch, mix these hues together until you have reached a consistent shade of green throughout your paint.

Mix in small amounts of blue or yellow until you have reached your desired base shade of green.

Once achieved, simply add in a touch of white paint and mix it into your base shade, and watch as your paint lightens into a softer, gentler shade of light green. Now that you know what colors make light green, your artistic horizons expand as you take your first steps towards mixing your own paint, something we will continue to explore down below!

How to Make Lime Green Paint

Lime green is a bold and vibrant hue that can add a fresh and invigorating energy to any painting or design project. However, to know how to make lime green paint, you must first know what colors make lime green. With a few basic pigments and some simple mixing techniques, you will soon be able to create a beautiful and unique lime green paint that is perfect for your next project. To start, choose a yellow pigment that has a bright and sunny tone, such as cadmium yellow. Next, choose a green pigment that has a cool and refreshing undertone, such as viridian green.

Then, place a small amount of each pigment on a mixing palette, and mix them together using your palette knife.

As you mix the yellow and green pigments together, you may find that the resulting shade of green is not quite as bright or vibrant as you would like. To intensify your color, you can add a small amount of white or yellow paint to the mix or adjust your ratio of yellow and green until you achieve your desired look.

How to Make Neon Green Paint

Knowing how to make neon green paint can help you add a bold and modern edge to any of your paintings or designs. All you need to start is a bright yellow pigment, such as hansa yellow, along with a deep and bold green pigment, such as phthalo green. Place a small amount of each pigment together on your mixing palette and mix them together using your palette knife.

As you mix your yellow and green pigments together, you may begin to notice that your resulting shade of neon green is not quite as bright or fluorescent as you may have been hoping.

To intensify your color and make it truly neon, you can add a small amount of fluorescent pigment to the mix. Fluorescent pigments are specially formulated to glow under UV light, and they can add an extra level of vibrancy and intensity to your neon green paint.

How to Make Olive Green Paint

Unlike our neon shade of green, knowing how to make olive green paint will allow you to add some rich and earthy undertones to your designs, adding a sense of warmth and depth wherever needed. To start this process, you will simply need a yellow pigment such as yellow ochre, and a green pigment, such as sap green.

Place a small but equal amount of both pigments on your mixing palette and start to mix them together using your palette knife.

As you continue to mix your shade of olive-green paint together, it is not uncommon to find that your current shade of green is not nearly as deep or complex as you would prefer. If this is the case and you would like to add more nuance to your shade, you can simply add in a small amount of red or orange paint to your mix. This will help to balance your green and yellow pigments, creating a rich and harmonious shade of olive green.

How to Make Emerald Green Paint

The journey of finding out how to make emerald green paint is filled with reminders of the sophistication and opulence that this shade exudes. If you are looking to add this striking color to your art collection, making your own emerald green paint is an excellent way to do so. To create your own emerald green paint, you will need lemon yellow and ultramarine blue pigments, along with your mixing palette and palette knife.

To start off, you will need to squeeze small but equal amounts of each paint onto your mixing palette before blending them together thoroughly.

As you mix the two pigments, you will begin to see the color shift towards green. Adjust the ratio of yellow and blue as necessary to achieve your desired shade of emerald green. If you find the green is too light, add more blue pigment, and conversely, more yellow paint if the green is too dark.

How to Make Mint Green Paint

Mint green is a fresh and serene color that evokes the crispness of a cool breeze on a spring morning. Knowing what colors make mint green can be a fun and exciting way to start providing your works with a refreshing touch. To start, you will need ultramarine blue, lemon yellow, and titanium white pigments.

Begin by placing equal amounts of each pigment together onto your mixing palette before mixing them together. You should then be left with a light shade of green. To achieve your desired shade of green, simply add small amounts of each color as necessary. If your mix is too dark, add yellow, and more blue if it is too light.

How to Make Forest Green Paint

To make your own rich and deep shade of forest green paint, you will need cadmium yellow and phthalo blue paint, as well as ivory black and titanium white paint too. You can begin by squeezing together equal amounts of yellow and blue until you are left with an even shade of green.

Now, to attain your shade of forest green, you will need to start adjusting your base shade with either your black or white paint as necessary. Too much of either will muddy your shade, so feel free to separate some of your green paint so as to not contaminate your whole mix.

In conclusion, making your own green paint can be a fun and creative process that allows you to explore the beauty and complexity, not only of green, but of color as a whole. With a few basic supplies and some experimentation, you can create a unique and beautiful shade of green that is perfect for your next art project or design!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Two Colors Make Green?

As green is technically a secondary color, you can attain your own shade of green by mixing together equal amounts of blue and yellow paint.

What Colors Make Lime Green?

Lime green is a bright, vivid shade of green that can be created by mixing together equal amounts of yellow and green paint. However, your final shade of lime green will depend on the shade of green you use to mix with.

What Colors Make Mint Green?

Mint green is a soft and refreshing shade of green that can be made by mixing together blue and yellow paint in equal amounts. To lighten your shade of green to the right amount, start by adding in small amounts of white.

What Two Colors Make Dark Green?

Knowing what two colors make dark green is a simple affair, as all you need to do is mix some green paint with a subtle amount of black paint. Alternatively, you can mix equal parts of yellow and blue, before adding small amounts of black paint.

Rebecca Fleming( Interior Designer, Crafting Maniac, Content Editor )

Rebecca has been a crafting maniac since childhood. One of her great passions is also decorating and furnishing. She has a degree in English and Communications (BA) from Cornell University in New York. After graduating and working at a local art gallery, Rebecca discovered her enthusiasm for art and design. During this time she continued her education in interior design with a recognized certificate from an institute in New York. Since 2020 she has been writing blog posts about the topics crafting, home decor, interior design and color theory at craft-art.com. Meanwhile, she is also the senior content editor with us. Working as a content writer and editor for Craft Art perfectly allows her to combine her fluency with her affinity for art and design.

Learn more about Rebecca Fleming and about us.