Hunter-Green Color – Colors in the Hunter-Green Palette

Blue is considered the number one popular color in the world; however, it is followed quite close by green. This is not surprising, as this color surrounds us in nature and plays a significant role in our lives. Colors are amazing and have many different shades, tints, and tones between which we can distinguish. So, when looking at green and all its various shades, what color is hunter green?

What Color Is Hunter Green?

The hunter-green color can be described as a dark yellowish green, the yellow undertone providing a certain warmth to the dark color. However, you also get other shades that offer more of a blue undertone and have a cooler feel to them. Below is a web version of hunter green, with its hex code that helps identify the color and color codes specifically for HTML or website design and printing.

You will notice that for printing, which is the CMYK color code, it contains 44 percent cyan, zero magenta, and 37 percent yellow, which will produce green, and then a whole lot of black ink that gives you the darker hunter-green color.

Hunter-Green Color: A Brief History

The color green itself has a long history from the Ancient Egyptians and Romans, through to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Although there were a few natural pigments, there were also synthetic pigments, for example, emerald green, which was considered highly toxic. The hunter-green color got its name when English hunters chose to wear the color while hunting in the 19^th century. Later, the color changed to olive drab, which is now a popular hue for camouflage. Hunter green did, however, become the official color for the Green Bay Packers, an American football team, in 1957.

Also, since 1998, hunter green became one of the official colors for the New York Jets as well as Ohio University. Hunter green saw a trend during the 1990s, where you often found the colors in libraries, studies, and offices, and today it is a color that is often considered for home interiors and exteriors.

Meaning of the Hunter-Green Color

Like all greens, hunter green is closely linked to nature. Therefore, it is associated with growth, rebirth, renewal, and health. The rich, deep color is also associated with wealth, as well as relaxation, as it has a calming effect. Many doctor’s consulting rooms, or hospital corridors, may have a light hunter green for this very reason.

Hunter-Green Color Comparisons

There are many shades of green, some are bright and bold, while others are more subdued. In many cases, you might not even be able to tell the difference between one green color to the next. So, let us look at a few of these similar hunter-green colors.

Hunter Green vs. Forest Green

Both of these colors are rich and dark greens. However, hunter green can be a little darker and warmer than forest green. Also, when it comes to hunter green vs. forest green, forest green has more of a blue undertone. When looking at these colors, they do have similarities and are quite close in comparison. Although, there are also various shades of forest green as well, as seen below in the table.

When it comes to hunter-green paint for the home, there is a paint manufacturer, Benjamin Moore, who has created their own versions of these shades of green. The Benjamin Moore Hunter Green 2041-10 is a dark, saturated green that is more of a true green color, while the Forest Green 2047-10, is a lighter color, closer to cyan.

Artists often have both these colors in their collections, however, if you had to choose, it would be forest green. The reason is you can create darker tones easier than you can lighten the hunter-green color for better coverage. 

Hunter-Green Color vs. Emerald Green

Emerald green is a brighter blue-green color and is similar to the gemstone it is named after. Emerald green is a more popular paint color, as you can easily purchase it almost anywhere and it costs less than hunter green. Both colors are quite versatile and distinctive in their shade of green and work well together. However, when painting and layering colors, they also complement one another.

Hunter Green vs. Olive Green

The olive color is more yellowish green and is similar to the skin of the green olive many people enjoy consuming. The lighter olive tones tend to have a stronger yellow undertone. Darker olive tones work better with hunter green. 

The olive drab color is what took the place of hunter green for camouflage purposes in the military, but today it is also a popular fashion color for everyday wear.  

Hunter Green vs. Sage Green

Sage is a pale gray-green that is similar to the popular herb everyone uses for cooking. The color has become quite popular in home designs for its versatility and calming nature. You can use hunter green and sage together, but to balance the look and add contrast, make sure to bring in other colors like white to create a more harmonious look.

Hunter-Green Color Combinations

Green is generally an easy color to work with and tends to go well with many different colors. Of course, when creating a hunter-green palette, remember you can also use other shades from dark to light hunter green. The darker shades of hunter green tend to work better with earth tones like shades of brown and yellow, but it also goes with neutral tones like white, gray, cream, brown, and beige.

The best color combinations can be determined by simply referring to a color wheel. 

In color theory, there are specific color combinations that offer contrasting and harmonious color schemes, depending on where all the colors are positioned. Below are three simple color combinations you can use. You can easily find these combinations online, where the specific programs will find them for you.

Analogous Colors

Colors all in a row and next to each other are analogous colors, which are usually found on the same side of the color wheel. These colors are more harmonious and go well together. In this case, it is other shades of green and green blue.

Complementary Colors

Colors facing or opposite one another are known as complementary colors.  When placed next to each other, they will pop out at you and compete for your attention. In most cases, you have to be careful with these colors so as not to overwhelm the viewer in a design. 

A dark, desaturated magenta is the complementary color for hunter green. 

Monochromatic Colors

The variations of color for hunter green are called monochromatic colors. These colors offer a wide range of darker and lighter color selections. This color combination is similar to the analogous option, as the colors go well together.

How to Mix Hunter-Green Acrylic Paint

What colors make hunter green? To make hunter-green paint, you can start by mixing a basic green from yellow and blue. You can then include some more yellow to produce a brighter color, or more blue to create a darker look. Try using navy blue and add small amounts to lemon yellow until you reach the desired color. You might need to experiment with the proportions to get it right.

A quicker way to produce a dark green is to blend black and yellow paint. Experiment with using one part black and about five parts yellow. You can also consider a light cyan mixed with yellow, to which you can add small amounts of black until you reach a nice dark green. There are also tube paints of hunter green available.

Hunter-Green Color in Interior Design

Hunter green is a popular color in fashion, as it works wonderfully in a variety of styles. The same can be said for interior designs using a hunter-green palette. The dark green color can be used as the main color, or if this is too much, it can easily be incorporated as an accent color.  You can pair hunter green successfully with neutral and pastel tones, however, it can also look luxurious alongside bright jewel tones.

Just be careful, as the color can make a space feel smaller than it appears.

You can, however, make sure you have plenty of natural light in a room as well as lighting. Try to include mirrors to help improve the reflection of light. If the dark color is too much on all the walls, a hunter-green accent wall is an ideal alternative. However, you can also bring in the color by simply adding a few plants or using accessories like throws, cushions, and rugs. You also do not have to stick to a single shade, create more depth and layers of colors with lighter and darker shades.

You can also bring in hunter-green furniture, paint the kitchen cabinets, or bring in some hunter-green tiling ideas. A dark green couch will Consider pairing the color with luxurious woods like oak and walnut as well as metallic accents like brass and gold. We know hunter green works well with neutrals as well as other shades of green, but try pairing it with the following colors as well:

• Ochre
• Rust
• Navy blue
• Pink
• Turquoise
• Peach

With so many shades of green and other colors out there, it can be difficult to choose the right color for our project. We hope you have gained a little more insight into the hunter-green color so that you can make a better choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Color Is Hunter Green?

Hunter green is described as being a dark yellowish green, which makes it a warmer green hue. However, there are also different shades and tints of the color that you can use.

What Colors Make Hunter Green?

When mixing the hunter-green color, you can start by adding yellow to blue until you get green. You can then add more blue to darken the color. Try using navy blue to produce a darker green that is close to hunter green.

Do You Get Hunter-Green Interior Paint Colors?

Yes, some manufacturers produce wonderful paint colors for the home. There is a Benjamin Moore hunter green, which is labeled Hunter Green 2041-10, and a Sherwin Williams offers a color close to hunter green, Dard Hunter Green SW 0041. A great idea is to create a hunter-green accent wall that you can use as your focal point.

Charlene Lewis( Content Creator and Creativity Writer )

In 2005, Charlene completed her Wellness Diplomas in Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Reflexology from the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for a couple of years, before opening up her own therapy practice. It was in 2015 that a friend, who was a digital marketer, asked her to join her company as a content creator, and this is where she found her excitement for writing.

Since joining the content writing world, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing on a diverse selection of topics, from beauty, health, wellness, travel, and more. Due to various circumstances, she had to close her therapy practice and is now a full-time freelance writer. Being a creative person, she could not pass up the opportunity to contribute to the Art in Context team, where is was in her element, writing about a variety of art and craft topics. Contributing articles for over three years now, her knowledge in this area has grown, and she has gotten to explore her creativity and improve her research and writing skills.

Charlene Lewis has been working for artincontext.org since the relaunch in 2020. She is an experienced writer and mainly focuses on the topics of color theory, painting and drawing.

Learn more about Charlene Lewis and the Art in Context Team.