How to Mix Mustard in Oil

Quick answer

To mix mustard (#C29A2E) in oil, use 5 parts Raw Umber, 4 parts Titanium White and 2 parts Cadmium Yellow. Chromilla's model predicts a 98% 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.

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Target

Mustard

#C29A2E

Predicted dry result

98% match when dry

Mix to #BF9A2F. It dries true to color.

Mustard in oil: tube ratios, and ml for a 100 ml batch
PaintPigmentPartsShare100 ml batch
Raw UmberPBr7545%45 ml
Titanium WhitePW6436%36 ml
Cadmium YellowPY35219%19 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 muted yellow-gold mustard. This guide gives you the pigment ratios that land on #C29A2E in oil, using the same solver that powers the Chromilla mixer.

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. 1. Raw Umber

    PBr7

    45%
  2. 2. Titanium White

    PW6

    36%
  3. 3. Cadmium Yellow

    PY35

    19%

What colors make Mustard?

Raw Umber, Titanium White, and Cadmium Yellow, in roughly a 45:36:19 ratio.

How to make Mustard in oil

Start with Raw Umber at about 45% as your oil base, then work in Titanium White and Cadmium Yellow in the order above. Adjust in 5% steps until the swatch reads #C29A2E.

Why mix Mustard instead of buying it

Mixing Mustard yourself lets you approximate an expensive or hard to find tube from pigments you already own, match Mustard 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

White cools and chalks a mix as you add it, so tint in small steps and stop before it goes pastel.

Variations on Mustard

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 Mustard

#DCB34C

10 parts Yellow Ochre to 1 part Titanium White. Chromilla's model predicts a 99% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Darker Mustard

#A6821E

2 parts Cadmium Yellow to 1 part Raw Umber. Chromilla's model predicts a 95% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Warmer Mustard

#CE9334

95% Yellow Ochre and 5% Burnt Sienna. Chromilla's model predicts a 99% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Cooler Mustard

#B4A131

94% Yellow Ochre and 6% Viridian Green. Chromilla's model predicts a 97% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Mustard questions

What two colors make mustard?
Chromilla's oil recipe uses 3 tubes rather than two: 5 parts Raw Umber, 4 parts Titanium White and 2 parts Cadmium Yellow. Raw Umber leads the mix. Chromilla's model predicts a 98% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.
How do you make mustard paint lighter without losing the hue?
Re-balance the mix instead of only adding white. For a lighter mustard (#DCB34C) in oil, Chromilla mixes 10 parts Yellow Ochre to 1 part Titanium White. Chromilla's model predicts a 99% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.
What is the hex code for mustard?
Chromilla uses #C29A2E as the target for mustard. The oil recipe is predicted to dry to about #BF9A2F.
Can I mix mustard without black?
Yes. Chromilla's oil recipe uses no black: 5 parts Raw Umber, 4 parts Titanium White and 2 parts Cadmium Yellow.

Mustard in other mediums

  • Mustard in Acrylic: 5 parts Raw Umber, 4 parts Titanium White and 2 parts Cadmium Yellow, predicted 87% dry match by Chromilla's color model.
  • Mustard in Watercolor: 5 parts Raw Umber, 4 parts Titanium White and 2 parts Cadmium Yellow, predicted 88% dry match by Chromilla's color model.

Compare acrylic, oil and watercolor for mustard

Get this recipe for your paint brand

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

Open in mixer

Deep-dive guide

How to mix Mustard Yellow, the long version

Common mistakes, per-brand recipes, and the honest limits when the target sits outside what real paint can reach.

Read the guide

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.