Shades of Orange – Mixing and Using Various Orange Colors

Orange is possibly the most vibrant secondary color on the spectrum. A combination of various ratios of red and yellow, orange is warm and inviting. If we want to get very technical about it, orange is a color with a wavelength between 585 and 620 nanometers. Orange can stimulate oxygen saturation in the brain which can enhance critical thinking and creativity. Typically, this secondary shade can invoke happiness and positivity, but its vibrancy is also used in times of emergency. Like all shades on the spectrum, orange shows itself in a wide range of versatile shades, from light bright peaches to deep autumnal shades.

The Meaning of Orange Shades

Orange has many different meanings, depending largely on the exact shade. From abundance and fertility to amusement, warmth, and excitement, orange is versatile and can be used in art, fashion, and interior design.

Orange first came into Western artistic use after the first synthetic pigment was produced in 1809.

Chrome orange, as this first pigment was known, was widely used by Impressionist and pre-Raphaelite painters. These artists loved the orange pigment for capturing the effects of natural light. Other artists, like Renoir, Monet, and Gauguin used orange shades to invoke feelings of amusement, warmth, and excitement.

Impression, Sunrise (1872) by Claude Monet; Claude Monet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Monet, an Impressionist, often used orange in his paintings of sunsets. We cannot, however, put any other artist above Vincent van Gogh in his use of orange shades. In particular, Van Gogh used orange shades in conjunction with purples and blues to create depth and contrast.

Today, orange is still a popular shade that can be used to elicit a range of different feelings and occasions. Dark pumpkin orange shades are synonymous with Halloween and the changing shades of autumn. Lighter orange shades tend to be associated with warm summery days and feelings of freshness. These light and bright orange shades can become a little overwhelming when used incorrectly, so the key to success lies in choosing the right shade and using it in the correct way.

Thanks to its vibrancy, orange has also become the top color for safety uniforms and equipment. Since the U.S Navy first used the shade for their life jackets in the second World War, orange is often used for items of safety thanks to its eye-catching nature.

Prison jumpsuits use orange for this exact reason so that they can be easily spotted if they escape.

Exploring Different Shades of Orange Color

Now that we have explored the history and meaning of the color orange a little, it is time to explore some of the most exciting shades that orange has to offer. We begin with the warmest shades of orange and move towards those that are cooler. In other words, we start with oranges that are redder and then finish with those that are more yellow. We will look at all of these types of orange colors in depth.

Warm Orange Shades

We begin our exploration of orange shades by looking at some of the warmest orange hues. These colors lean more towards the red side of the orange spectrum and are associated with autumnal warmth, fire, and comfort. 

Many of these warm types of orange color will appear a little red or pink.

Orange Red

This shade is perfect to kick off our warm orange shade list as the name indicates how much this color leans towards the red end of the spectrum. You will see from the details below that orange-red contains a significantly higher percentage of red than yellow. We could also call this color blood orange, as it mimics the shade of these citrus fruits perfectly.

Flame Orange

This warm shade of orange is a bright and cheerful pastel orange shade. The color is cozy and warm, hence the name. You could use this warm orange color as an accent wall in a room to inspire creativity and warmth in the home.

Tomato Orange

If you only knew the name of this orange shade, you would very quickly guess how the hue looks. This very warm orange shade leans strongly towards red, mimicking the shade of beautiful red tomatoes.

Orioles Orange

Orioles orange is a medium hue that has strong red undertones. This hue is named after the color of an orioles belly and is used as a signature color for a few different sports teams.

Tangelo Orange

Another shade of orange that is named after a fruit is tangelo orange. This deep and rich reddish-orange hue resembles the tangelo fruit skin.

Dark Coral Orange

Another orange shade that leans a little more towards pink, this color could belong to either the orange or red color family. 

Darker than traditional coral, this shade is lovely and warm.

Chinese Orange

If you are looking for a light pastel shade of warm orange that looks similar to smoked salmon, then Chinese orange is perfect for you.

Mango Orange

Named after the beautiful juicy flesh of the mango fruit, this orange hue is lovely and warm. With golden undertones, this warm orange shade is similar to pumpkin orange. Although it is similar to pumpkin, mango orange is brighter and lighter.

Persimmon Orange

There are so many interesting and bright shades of orange in the world of fruits, and persimmon is yet another one. Named after a small round Asian fruit, this warm golden orange color is bright and juicy.

Bittersweet Orange

This orange shade is deep and rich with tones of magenta and cyan. Taking its name from a small bitter berry, this pinkish-orange hue is very similar to dark coral.

Terracotta Orange

Anyone with a variety of pot plants will be more than familiar with this rusty orange shade. Named after a type of clay that is often used in tiling and pots, terracotta is a lovely light and warm orange shade.

Browns Orange

This bright orange shade is the signature color of the Cleveland Browns. A large part of the local culture, this team pairs bright orange colors with brown and gold. 

This orange shade is intense and represents the pumping blood of the fans before every big game.

Crayola Orange

When we think of orange as a coloring pencil or paint, this vibrant shade typically comes to mind. Developed by Crayola experts, this orange color is the most standard shade that we can think of. The color is joyful and bright without being abrasive or overwhelming.

Dragon Fire Orange

If you are looking for a fiery and bright orange color, then look no further than dragon fire. This color would be perfectly at home in a medieval painting, with its energetic tone that looks almost ready to explode.

Koi Orange

As you can guess from the name, this color is that of the beautiful large koi fish. Whether you have a koi fish pond in your own back garden, or you have seen them at large botanical institutions, you will be familiar with their glittering orange scales.

Giants Orange

This bright and warm orange shade is the signature color of a New York-based professional baseball team. Giants orange is paired with a dark navy blue, creating a vibrant and eye-catching combination.

Golden Gate Bridge Orange

Another pinkish shade of orange, this color could easily belong to either the orange or red family of colors. We like to describe this shade as a pastel version of blood orange grapefruit. This color’s name is inspired by the rusty orange shade of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Orange Spice

Orange spice is yet another wintery and warm shade of orange. With similar undertones to pumpkin spice, this color is ever so slightly lighter, brighter, and sweeter. 

While still an unmistakably autumnal tone, orange spice is a little more fruity.

Mahogany Orange

Named after a beautiful type of wood with an intricate grain and deep rich color, this orange shade has strong undertones of red. With this orange color, you can mimic the luxury and wealth of mahogany wood.

Pantone Orange

A bright and luxurious orange shade, this color is named after the Pantone Registry. This is perhaps the most stereotypically orange shade on our list. The color is bright and energetic, with warm red undertones.

Pumpkin Orange

You will all be familiar with the bright orange colors of the pumpkin. This warm color reminds us of Halloween, pumpkin pies, and the seasons when the leaves start to gently fall.

Outrageous Orange

As the name suggests, this color is very bright and boisterous. The shade is so vivid that it is almost too intense, delivering exciting and dazzling results. Of all of the shades on our list, this color definitely treads the fine line between bright and obnoxious.

Red Fox Orange

Foxes are fantastic animals, with their playfulness, smarts, and curiosity. This color is named after these little animals, capturing their energy and excitement. Red fox orange captures the liveliness of these creatures.

Rumba Orange

Named after a highly energetic and exotic form of dance, this color really does embody the fiery brightness of the activity. 

The shade is exciting and flirtatious.

Safety Orange

This bright color is the reason why orange is typically used as a color for safety warnings and clothing. The color of traffic cones and reflective vests, this bright orange color is internationally recognized and highly visible.

Salamander Orange

You will have noticed by now that a large quantity of these orange shades are named after either fruits or animals, and salamander orange is no different. These brightly colored creatures used to emerge from rotting wood and the ancients believed that they looked like fire themselves.

Cool Orange Shades

Now that we have explored some of the warmer orange hues, it is time to turn our attention to the cooler orange colors on the spectrum. These shades either contain a little more yellow than red, or they are made by combining cooler red shades with cooler yellow hues.

You will notice that many of these cooler orange colors appear to lean a little more towards brown. The reason behind this is that many of them are made with cooler yellows, many of which contain a small amount of green. When combined with red, green will create shades of brown.

Carrot Orange

Another orange shade named after a natural vegetable, carrot orange is rich and saturated. This orange shade is on the cooler side, containing a little more yellow than red. The color is quite dark, appearing almost brown.

Deep Saffron

Saffron is a natural spice with a deep orange undertone. Saffron is often grouped as part of the yellow family, but this deep saffron color definitely leans more towards orange. The color is dark and similar to the color of the inside of the saffron flower.

Pastel Orange

The name of this shade is a little misleading, as it is not a traditional pastel shade. Instead, pastel orange is a deep and cool orange that borders on the side of brown. The brownish tint results from the cool yellow used to create it. 

Cooler yellows tend to contain a little green, and the green when combined with red creates a brown undertone.

Gamboge Orange

This deep orange shade has distinct yellow undertones, and can easily be compared to a dark gold or saffron shade.

Faulvous Orange

This reddish yellow-orange has a light brown undertone. Many compare this shade to a tawny brown, similar to the color of a swallow’s belly.

Beer Orange

As the name would suggest, beer orange is the color of a nice crispy fresh pint. The yellowish-orange has some light brown undertones.

Jasper Orange

Named after the semi-precious stone, jasper orange is a cool red with brown undertones. You could describe this shade as a combination of pale orange and a tan shade.

Cadmium Orange

This orange shade is one of the most popular with painters. The rich and earthy orange tone is named after the original orange pigment. The yellowish-orange is a deep shade with light brown undertones.

Rajah Orange

This orange shade can fall into a range of different color groups. Some would call it a shade of yellow, while others think it belongs to the skin tone or brown families. 

Rajah orange is pale and peachy.

Papaya Whip Orange

As you may guess from the name, this is a very light and creamy orange hue. The color is similar in tone to the flesh of the fruit of the same name, but it is a little lighter. The peachy color is cool and has slight yellow undertones.

Apricot Orange

Another peachy orange shade, this light and creamy orange shade is very similar to papaya whip. Named after the juicy fruit, this shade of orange is a little lighter and sweeter than many of the orange shades on this list.

Buff Orange

This orange color still holds the name it was given in Victorian England. This color is pale and soft, with light brown undertones.

How to Create Different Orange Shades

At the foundation, learning how to make orange shades is very simple. As one of the secondary shades, you simply need to combine two of the primary hues. In this case, to create true orange, it is simply a matter of mixing equal parts of red and yellow together. By adjusting the ratio of red and yellow or by using different shades of these primary hues, you can create a whole spectrum of orange colors.

Let us begin by looking at the color bias and how it can inform your color palette orange mixing.

Understanding the Color Bias

The color bias is an important part of color mixing, as it informs whether your colors are warm or cool. Color bias ranges from the warmest colors to the coolest. Red is typically the warmest color while blue is the coolest. All colors sit somewhere between these two temperature points, but each individual color itself ranges from cool to warm. 

For example, you can have very warm red shades that lean more towards a fiery orange, or you can have cooler red shades that lean more towards purple because they contain a little blue.

Yellows too can be either warm or cool, with the warmest yellows leaning more towards orange and cooler yellows leaning more towards green. Depending on the type of orange that we want to create, we can either adjust the ratios or we can change up the type of red and yellow that we use. In order to create a versatile color palette orange is an essential player.

Mixing Warm Oranges

There are two easy ways that you can make orange shades warmer. The first is to simply adjust the ratio of red and yellow. For warmer oranges that lean more towards red, you can just add more red than yellow to your mix. The other option is to use a red that is warmer and a yellow that is warmer. Two warm shades will result in a warm shade. Yellow ochre is a warm shade that is already very close to orange. If you were to combine yellow ochre with a warm shade of red like scarlet, you will end up with a very warm shade of orange.

Mixing Cool Oranges

Any orange palette would be incomplete without cooler shades. For cool orange shades, you simply need to invert the process for warm oranges. In terms of the ratio of red and yellow, more yellow and less red will automatically create a very cool shade of orange. Just like creating a warm orange, for cool oranges, you can use a combination of a cool yellow and a cool red. Cadmium yellow light is a very cool shade and works perfectly for creating a cool orange color. 

Combine this shade with a cooler red shade like quinacridone red and you will create a lovely cool orange shade.

Muting Orange Colors

When painting, you always want to have a whole range of orange palette shades. Orange is inherently a very bright and vivid color and it is very rare that you will need to use the brightest orange shade in your work, as it can quickly become overwhelming. As such, it is vitally important that all artists know how to mute orange down a little. When it comes to muting any color, the first thing to do is to locate the color’s complement. The compliment of any color is the shade that lies on the other side of the color wheel. When you mix complementary colors, their brightness will cancel out.

When it comes to orange, its complement is blue. When muting orange colors, you have yet another opportunity to consider the temperature of the shade you are creating. Using a warm blue like a cobalt blue will result in a lovely warm shade of orange. If you were to mute your orange with a cooler blue like ultramarine, your muted shade will be cooler.

The blue you choose will ultimately determine the exact shade of your muted orange color.

You can also mute orange by adding a touch of green. Green will create some very exciting muted orange colors, as green creates a unique depth. If you experiment with using green to mute orange, you can create a variety of interesting shades that range from deep orange to light brownish hues. 

Using Orange Shades in Art, Cinema, Fashion, and Design

We have explored many of the vibrant orange shades available to artists and designers alike, so let us now take a look at how we can use them in our creations. The emotional impact of orange can be invoked in cinema, fashion, and interior design.

Orange in Film

One of the most common ways that we see orange used in cinema is through sepia tones. Films with sepia tones tend to express a type of sentimental nostalgia that makes us remember past experiences with a sense of idealism. Orange is versatile in cinema, and it can also be used in thrillers to create a more sinister effect. You can see an example of this cinematic tool at the desserts of Mad Max: Fury Road where the color change immediately shows the heat and inhospitality of the drought-ridden deserts. 

The same effect is used as a hazy cloud over the cityscape in Blade Runner 2049, to depict an ominous vision of the future.

Orange in Fashion

In the world of fashion, orange tends to create quite a statement. As the exception rather than the rule, the strength of orange can make it a little difficult to wear. The designer, Raf Simons was one of the first to explore the possibilities of orange in women’s fashion in his 2009 winter collection. In this collection, Simons paired a bright orange shade with neutral greys, blacks, and whites, to create memorable statement pieces.

Modern-day designers do not shy away from this bold shade, instead, they use orange as a powerful tool to create luxurious items that celebrate the body of the women who wear the clothes. More neutral orange shades can work wonderfully on their own, while brighter shades are fantastic when subtly paired with neutral colors.

Orange in Interior Design

With all of its strength and vibrancy, orange can be a wonderful addition to your interior. Sometimes a bright pop of color is all that you need to spice up your home, and orange is a fantastic color for this job. Children, in particular, can benefit from rooms imbued with bright colors like orange.

Using orange in your rooms can increase your sense of adventure, independence, and creativity.

Here are a few great reasons why you should consider orange in your interior decor.

• Your mood will instantly be boosted.
• Orange draws an emotional balance between the cheerfulness of yellow and the fiery nature of red.
• You may feel inspired to act confidently and with independence.
• Orange gives you a refreshing twist on normal interior decor.

Orange is a wonderfully bright and diverse color. Used properly, you can breathe life and vibrancy into a painting or a room. When using very bold shades of orange, it is always important to tread carefully, as too much can become overwhelming very quickly! We hope that you are inspired to explore the color orange in new and exciting ways.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Make Different Shades of Orange?

At the most basic, orange can be made with a combination of red and yellow. Depending on the shade that you are looking for, you can alter the ratio to include more yellow or more red. Warmer orange shades can also be created using warm reds and yellows. Alternatively, cooler orange colors can be created with cooler yellows and reds.

What Are the Different Orange Shades?

There are an endless number of orange shades in the world around us, and many of the colors on our list come from nature. Colors like apricot, papaya whip, and grapefruit orange are bright and juicy shades that accurately reflect the wonders of the natural world.

How Can You Make Cool Orange Colors?

Cool orange colors can be made in one of two ways. Firstly, you can simply adjust the ratio of red and yellow to include more yellow. This will create a lighter and more yellow-orange hue. The other option is to use cooler shades of red and yellow in your mix.