Chromilla paint mixing tool

Mixing guide

Paint mixing chart: real ratios for custom colors

Working paint ratios for custom colors are almost never 50/50, because pigments differ in tinting strength by up to 20 times. A clean starting ratio is 4:1 base to modifier, then nudge in 10% steps. For tints, expect 80 to 90% white to 10 to 20% color. Every recipe below is generated by the Chromilla solver from real pigment data.

Worked examples: target, pigments, ratio, result

Three custom colors that painters ask about often, with the exact starting ratio the Chromilla mixer returns. Treat these as the first pull. Nudge in 10% steps against your own swatch.

  • #9CA783

    Sage green (#9CA783)

    • Titanium White58%
    • Yellow Ochre22%
    • Ivory Black12%
    • Ultramarine Blue8%

    Muted decorator green. White carries the value, black and blue pull the yellow ochre off warm.

  • #B25538

    Terracotta (#B25538)

    • Burnt Sienna58%
    • Cadmium Yellow22%
    • Titanium White14%
    • Ivory Black6%

    Burnt sienna is the base. Cadmium yellow pulls it toward fired clay, a whisper of black stops it going neon.

  • #3F4C5B

    Payne's Grey (#3F4C5B)

    • Ultramarine Blue48%
    • Burnt Umber34%
    • Titanium White18%

    The classic non-black shadow. Ultramarine plus burnt umber is the workhorse pair, white lifts it to Payne's value.

Tinting strength is why 50/50 does not work

Pigments do not carry equal weight in a mix. Phthalos, dioxazine and titanium white dominate. Earth pigments (ochres, siennas, umbers) are quiet. Cadmiums sit in the middle. If you mix a strong tinter with a quiet one 50/50, the strong one wins, always.

  • Phthalo Blue and Phthalo Green: start at 5 to 10% and work up.
  • Dioxazine Purple and Quinacridone Magenta: start at 5% or less.
  • Titanium White in a tint: 70 to 90% is normal, not a mistake.
  • Earth pigments (ochre, sienna, umber): safe to start at 30 to 60%.

How to scale a ratio up to any volume

Ratios are proportional. A 70:20:10 mix stays 70:20:10 whether you are making a coin-sized dab or a full liter. Multiply every part by the same factor.

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml): 10.5 ml + 3 ml + 1.5 ml.
  • 100 ml studio batch: 70 ml + 20 ml + 10 ml.
  • 1 liter wall batch: 700 ml + 200 ml + 100 ml.
  • Always reserve a swatch of the first batch so you can match the next batch by eye.

Sample mixing ratios

Tint (pastel)
Titanium White 85% + base color 15%
Shade (deeper)
Base color 90% + complement 8% + black 2%
Tone (grayed)
Base color 70% + complement 20% + white 10%
Green (yellow + blue)
Cadmium Yellow 80% + Phthalo Blue 20%
Orange (yellow + red)
Cadmium Yellow 65% + Cadmium Red 35%
Purple (red + blue)
Ultramarine Blue 60% + Quinacridone Magenta 40%
Neutral gray (complements)
Ultramarine Blue 45% + Burnt Sienna 45% + White 10%
Skin tone (light)
Titanium White 60% + Yellow Ochre 22% + Cadmium Red 12% + Burnt Sienna 6%

Ratios are calibrated as a starting point. Pigment tinting strength varies by brand - use Chromilla's color mixing calculator to recalibrate for your specific tubes.

Try it on your tubes

Browse the Chromilla mixing library

Real pigment ratios for common colors across acrylic, oil and watercolour, generated by the same solver used above.

Open Chromilla →

Frequently asked questions

Why isn't 50/50 the right ratio for mixing paint?
Tinting strength varies wildly. Phthalo Blue, Quinacridone Magenta and Titanium White overpower earth pigments by 5 to 20 times. A 50/50 mix of Phthalo Blue and Yellow Ochre is almost pure blue, not green.
What is a safe starting ratio for a custom color?
4:1 base to modifier is a good default. Lay in the pigment closest to your target as the base (about 70 to 80%), add the modifier at 10 to 20%, then adjust in 5 to 10% steps against your reference swatch.
How do I scale a recipe up to a liter or gallon?
Ratios stay the same, multiply every part by the same factor. For 1 liter of a 70/20/10 mix, that is 700 ml + 200 ml + 100 ml. Mix in batches and reserve a swatch so you can match the next batch.
Do these ratios work across paint brands?
The proportions are a starting point. Actual tubes vary by pigment load and binder, so the same 80/20 mix will land a touch differently in Winsor and Newton, Golden, or Daniel Smith. Chromilla recalibrates the ratio to your selected brand.

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