What colors make tan?
Brown and white make tan. A little yellow keeps it warm; a touch of black makes it darker.
How to mix tan
Tan is a light, warm brown. Start with brown and lighten it, or start with white and warm it.
Lighter, darker and muted tan
- Lighter tan (beige): more white.
- Darker tan: more brown.
- Warmer tan: a little yellow.
Add darkening colors a little at a time: it is easy to darken a mix and hard to lighten it again. When you need a lot of a color, mix more than you think you need, because matching a batch later is difficult.
Tan in paint, print and light
There are three color-mixing models. Paint uses the traditional red, yellow and blue primaries. Printers use cyan, magenta and yellow (plus black). Screens mix red, green and blue light, and light adds up instead of absorbing. On a screen, tan is #D2B48C: strong red, slightly less green and less blue.
| Model | Primaries | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| RYB (paint) | Red, yellow, blue | Painting, art education |
| CMY(K) (print) | Cyan, magenta, yellow (+ black) | Printing, many modern paint sets |
| RGB (light) | Red, green, blue | Screens, web and digital design |
Shades of tan to aim for
Named shades near tan. Each links to its hex, RGB and OKLCH values and the colors that go with it.
More color mixing answers
- What colors make brown?Mix any two complementary colors: red and green, blue and orange, or yellow and purple. All three primaries together also make brown.
- What colors make purple?Red and blue make purple. For a brighter violet, mix magenta with blue or cyan; add white for lavender.
- What colors make green?Blue and yellow make green. Cyan and yellow give the brightest green; yellow and black give olive green.
- What colors make orange?Red and yellow make orange. More yellow gives amber; more red gives red-orange.
- What colors make red?In paint, red is a primary color and cannot be mixed from others. In print, magenta and yellow make red; on screens, red is a primary of light.
- What colors make blue?In paint, blue is a primary color and cannot be mixed. In print, cyan and magenta make blue; on screens, blue is a primary of light.
- What colors make yellow?Yellow is a primary color in paint and print and cannot be mixed. On screens, red and green light make yellow.
- What colors make pink?Red and white make pink. Magenta and white give a cooler, brighter pink; add a touch of yellow for coral or salmon.
- What colors make black?Mix the three primaries, or two dark complementary colors such as ultramarine blue and burnt umber, to make a near-black.
- What colors make gray?Black and white make gray. For a richer gray, mix two complementary colors (blue and orange) and add white.
- What colors make teal?Blue and green make teal. Add a touch of black for dark teal or white for light teal.
- What colors make gold?Mix yellow with a little orange or red, then a touch of brown. Metallic gold needs a metallic or pearlescent medium.
Frequently asked questions
What two colors make tan?
Brown and white. See brown and white.
What is the difference between tan and beige?
Beige is lighter and paler; tan is a little darker and warmer.
How do you make skin tones?
Start with tan (brown and white), then adjust with a little red for warmth, yellow for olive tones, and blue or green to cool and deepen.
Mix tan digitally
Blend colors by weight in a spectral paint model, OKLab or linear light, then copy the hex codes.