Chromilla paint mixing tool

How to mix

Bronze paint in acrylic, oil and watercolor, compared

Real pigment ratios for bronze (#CD7F32) in acrylic, oil and watercolor. The recipes below come straight from Chromilla’s mixer, calibrated to real manufacturer paint data.

Quick answer

To mix bronze (#CD7F32) in acrylic (oil and watercolor are compared below), use 2 parts Burnt Sienna to 1 part Titanium White. Chromilla's model predicts an 87% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out. Chromilla is a web-based paint color mixer that turns any color, from a photo, the camera or a hex code, into exact paint-tube ratios for acrylic, oil and watercolor, using Kubelka-Munk pigment mixing and aiming at the color after it dries.

Bronze in acrylic, oil and watercolor, side by side (dry match by Chromilla's color model, not a measured paint-out)
MediumTubes and partsPredicted dry matchDrying
Acrylic2 parts Burnt Sienna to 1 part Titanium White87%Dries slightly darker and a touch warmer.
Oil2 parts Burnt Sienna to 1 part Titanium White98%Dries true to color.
Watercolor2 parts Burnt Sienna to 1 part Titanium White88%Dries slightly darker and a touch cooler.

How we calculated this: Kubelka-Munk pigment mixing, then a per-medium dry shift, scored with CIEDE2000. Method and accuracy benchmark. Last checked August 2026.

Terms used here: Dry shift, Value, Kubelka-Munk, Delta E (dE2000), Transparency, Pigment code, Tint.

Target color

Bronze

#CD7F32

Live mixer

Open this color in the mixer

The Chromilla mixer is pre-loaded with #CD7F32. Change your brand, medium or palette and the recipe updates instantly.

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Recipes by medium

Checked August 2026

Generic pigment ratios, the same ones the Chromilla mixer solves for. Open the mixer to swap in your own brand and tubes.

acrylic

Pigment recipe

87% when dry

Wet mix

#CC7F37

  1. 1. Burnt Sienna (PBr7)68%
  2. 2. Titanium White (PW6)32%

Dry-down

Dries slightly darker and a touch warmer.

oil

Pigment recipe

98% when dry

Wet mix

#CC7F37

  1. 1. Burnt Sienna (PBr7)68%
  2. 2. Titanium White (PW6)32%

Dry-down

Dries true to color.

watercolour

Pigment recipe

88% when dry

Wet mix

#CC7F37

  1. 1. Burnt Sienna (PBr7)68%
  2. 2. Titanium White (PW6)32%

Dry-down

Dries slightly darker and a touch cooler.

Common mistakes when mixing bronze

Like gold, true metallic bronze depends on reflective particles a flat pigment mix can't reproduce, this recipe gets the flat color equivalent, a warm, muted orange-brown, not the shimmer. Painters expecting a metallic look from a standard pigment mix are usually disappointed for a reason that has nothing to do with the recipe being wrong. If the shimmer matters for your piece, look for an actual metallic or interference paint instead.

Why the three mediums differ for bronze

  • acrylic carries a 10% value shift on drying in Chromilla's model (dries slightly darker and a touch warmer), so the acrylic mix is predicted to dry to #BB7230.
  • oil dries true to color in Chromilla's model, so the oil mix is predicted to dry to #CC7F37.
  • watercolor carries a 8% value shift on drying in Chromilla's model (dries slightly darker and a touch cooler), so the watercolor mix is predicted to dry to #BB7535.
  • In watercolor the paper is the white, so lighter versions come from adding water rather than white paint.

Acrylic recipe in detail

Bronze in acrylic: tube ratios, and ml for a 100 ml batch
PaintPigmentPartsShare100 ml batch
Burnt SiennaPBr7268%68 ml
Titanium WhitePW6132%32 ml

Variations on Bronze (acrylic)

Each variation is its own target (lighter and darker move OKLCH lightness by 0.08; warmer and cooler turn the hue 12 degrees toward red or blue), solved fresh.

Lighter Bronze

#E8984E

74% Yellow Ochre, 21% Titanium White and 5% Cadmium Red. Chromilla's model predicts an 86% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Darker Bronze

#B3670E

12 parts Cadmium Yellow, 7 parts Burnt Sienna and 1 part Burnt Umber. Chromilla's model predicts an 89% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Warmer Bronze

#D47944

9 parts Burnt Sienna, 7 parts Titanium White and 1 part Alizarin Crimson. Chromilla's model predicts an 88% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Cooler Bronze

#D47944

9 parts Burnt Sienna, 7 parts Titanium White and 1 part Alizarin Crimson. Chromilla's model predicts an 88% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Bronze questions

What two colors make bronze?
In acrylic, Burnt Sienna and Titanium White: 2 parts Burnt Sienna to 1 part Titanium White. Chromilla's model predicts an 87% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.
How do you make bronze paint lighter without losing the hue?
Re-balance the mix instead of only adding white. For a lighter bronze (#E8984E) in acrylic, Chromilla mixes 74% Yellow Ochre, 21% Titanium White and 5% Cadmium Red. Chromilla's model predicts an 86% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.
Why does bronze look different when acrylic dries?
Acrylic binder looks milky while wet and clears as it dries, so the dried film reads darker. Chromilla's model applies a 10% value shift for acrylic, so the wet mix #CC7F37 is predicted to dry to about #BB7230. Dries slightly darker and a touch warmer.
What is the hex code for bronze?
Chromilla uses #CD7F32 as the target for bronze. The acrylic recipe is predicted to dry to about #BB7230.
Can I mix bronze without black?
Yes. Chromilla's acrylic recipe uses no black: 2 parts Burnt Sienna to 1 part Titanium White.

Related colors

More colours to try once you have bronze sorted.