Why does phthalo blue 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 #0F3A6A is predicted to dry to about #11345D. Dries slightly darker and a touch warmer.

What is the hex code for phthalo blue?

Chromilla uses #0F3B6E as the target for phthalo blue. The acrylic recipe is predicted to dry to about #11345D.

Can I mix phthalo blue without black?

Yes. Chromilla's acrylic recipe uses no black: 3 parts Viridian Green to 2 parts Phthalo Blue.

How to Mix Phthalo Blue in Acrylic

Quick answer

To mix phthalo blue (#0F3B6E) in acrylic, use 3 parts Viridian Green to 2 parts Phthalo Blue. Chromilla's model predicts a 92% 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.

Adjust for my paints

Target

Phthalo Blue

#0F3B6E

Predicted dry result

92% match when dry

Mix to #0F3A6A while wet. It dries to about #11345D.

Phthalo Blue in acrylic: tube ratios, and ml for a 100 ml batch
Paint	Pigment	Parts	Share	100 ml batch
Viridian Green	PG18	3	61%	61 ml
Phthalo Blue	PB15	2	39%	39 ml

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: Tinting strength, Dry shift, Kubelka-Munk, Delta E (dE2000), Pigment code, Gamut.

A staining, intense green-shade blue. Tiny amounts go a very long way. This guide gives you the pigment ratios that land on #0F3B6E in acrylic, using the same solver that powers the Chromilla mixer.

Pigment recipe

Checked August 2026

Ratios calibrated for acrylic. Start with the dominant pigment, add the modifiers in the order below, and adjust in 5% steps to your target swatch.

1. Viridian Green
PG18
61%
2. Phthalo Blue
PB15
39%

What colors make Phthalo Blue?

Viridian Green and Phthalo Blue, in roughly a 61:39 ratio.

How to make Phthalo Blue in acrylic

Start with Viridian Green at about 61% as your acrylic base, then work in Phthalo Blue in the order above. Adjust in 5% steps until the swatch reads #0F3B6E.

Why mix Phthalo Blue instead of buying it

Mixing Phthalo Blue yourself lets you approximate an expensive or hard to find tube from pigments you already own, match Phthalo Blue across paint brands whose factory tubes differ, and rebuild the exact color when you run out mid painting. The recipe above is the working starting point.

Common mistakes

That pigment is a very strong tinter, add it a touch at a time or it will swallow the mix.

Variations on Phthalo Blue

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 Phthalo Blue

#275186

5 parts Phthalo Blue, 3 parts Titanium White and 1 part Alizarin Crimson. Chromilla's model predicts a 93% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Darker Phthalo Blue

#002653

10 parts Phthalo Blue to 1 part Yellow Ochre. Chromilla's model predicts a 95% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Warmer Phthalo Blue

#24376F

12 parts Ultramarine Blue, 4 parts Viridian Green and 1 part Yellow Ochre. Chromilla's model predicts a 93% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Cooler Phthalo Blue

#20386F

66% Ultramarine Blue, 29% Viridian Green and 5% Yellow Ochre. Chromilla's model predicts a 92% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Phthalo Blue questions

What two colors make phthalo blue?: In acrylic, Viridian Green and Phthalo Blue: 3 parts Viridian Green to 2 parts Phthalo Blue. Chromilla's model predicts a 92% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.
How do you make phthalo blue paint lighter without losing the hue?: Re-balance the mix instead of only adding white. For a lighter phthalo blue (#275186) in acrylic, Chromilla mixes 5 parts Phthalo Blue, 3 parts Titanium White and 1 part Alizarin Crimson. Chromilla's model predicts a 93% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.
Why does phthalo blue 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 #0F3A6A is predicted to dry to about #11345D. Dries slightly darker and a touch warmer.
What is the hex code for phthalo blue?: Chromilla uses #0F3B6E as the target for phthalo blue. The acrylic recipe is predicted to dry to about #11345D.
Can I mix phthalo blue without black?: Yes. Chromilla's acrylic recipe uses no black: 3 parts Viridian Green to 2 parts Phthalo Blue.

Phthalo Blue in other mediums

Phthalo Blue in Oil: 3 parts Viridian Green to 2 parts Phthalo Blue, predicted 98% dry match by Chromilla's color model.
Phthalo Blue in Watercolor: 3 parts Viridian Green to 2 parts Phthalo Blue, predicted 95% dry match by Chromilla's color model.

Get this recipe for your paint brand

Open the live mixer with Phthalo Blue + acrylic pre-loaded and calibrate to your tubes.

Open in mixer

Technique guides for this color

Related mixing guides

Pigment mixing is subtractive, so small ratio changes matter. The mixer refines this recipe to your brand and updates on the fly.