How to Mix Cerulean Blue in Oil

A soft, opaque sky blue. Slightly green-leaning and calm. This guide gives you the pigment ratios that land on #3A78A5 in oil, using the same solver that powers the Chromilla mixer.

Target

Cerulean Blue

#3A78A5

Mixed result

97% match

From these pigments

#3078A8

Pigment recipe

Checked August 2026

Ratios calibrated for oil. 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
51%
2. Titanium White
PW6
25%
3. Phthalo Blue
PB15
24%

What colors make Cerulean Blue?

Viridian Green, Titanium White, and Phthalo Blue, in roughly a 51:25:24 ratio.

How to make Cerulean Blue in oil

Start with Viridian Green at about 51% as your oil base, then work in Titanium White and Phthalo Blue in the order above. Adjust in 5% steps until the swatch reads #3A78A5.

Why mix Cerulean Blue instead of buying it

Mixing Cerulean Blue yourself lets you approximate an expensive or hard to find tube from pigments you already own, match Cerulean 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. White cools and chalks a mix as you add it, so tint in small steps and stop before it goes pastel.

Get this recipe for your paint brand

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

Open in mixer

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.