How to Mix Royal Blue in Watercolor

A vivid, deep royal blue. This guide gives you the pigment ratios that land on #2B4CA0 in watercolour, using the same solver that powers the Chromilla mixer.

Target

Royal Blue

#2B4CA0

Mixed result

98% match

From these pigments

#254CA4

Pigment recipe

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

1. Ultramarine Blue
PB29
65%
2. Phthalo Blue
PB15
20%
3. Titanium White
PW6
15%

What colours make Royal Blue?

Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue, and Titanium White, in roughly a 65:20:15 ratio.

How to make Royal Blue in watercolour

Start with Ultramarine Blue at about 65% as your watercolour base, then work in Phthalo Blue and Titanium White in the order above. Adjust in 5% steps until the swatch reads #2B4CA0.

Why mix Royal Blue instead of buying it

Mixing Royal Blue yourself lets you approximate an expensive or hard to find tube from pigments you already own, match Royal Blue across paint brands whose factory tubes differ, and rebuild the exact colour 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 Royal Blue + watercolour 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.