What Color Does Brown and Green Make? – Colors of Nature

You might notice that green and brown are colors that are found quite often in nature. Simply look at a tree with its green leaves and brown bark. These colors frequently surround us daily, but what would happen if you mix brown and green? Will the resulting color be something amazing, or will you regret creating the brown and green combination? To find out, read further to discover how brown mixed with green turns out!

What Colors Do Brown and Green Make?

When you mix brown and green paint, it will produce a dull and darker shade of green. Many have labeled the color “forest green”, which is a fairly apt description and name. There are many different shades of both brown and green. Also, the different quantities used can all play a role in the final color, making it a brownish green or a more greenish brown.

Mixing Results for Different Shades of Green and Brown

Understanding Brown and Green As Colors

The most common color model most of us have come across is the RYB or traditional color system. You can find all the colors involved in this model on a color wheel. The colors or primaries that you start with are red, yellow, and blue.

In this model, these colors are original hues that cannot be created. Next, you find the secondary colors, which are formed by a combination of two primary hues. So, red and yellow combined will produce orange, red and blue will produce purple, and yellow and blue will produce green. So, here we have our green color which is also a secondary hue.

You can also combine the primary and secondary colors to form the intermediate colors, also known as tertiary hues. For example, yellow-orange or blue-green, among four others.

Each color also comes in different tones and shades. So, where does brown come into the picture? Brown is neutral, meaning that it is not technically a color, and is not a part of the color wheel. Generally, to create brown, you can blend all of the primary hues. When mixing paint, it is the proportions of each color added, as well as the pigments used, that create a variety of shades of brown. There are a number of ways to make brown.

• You can simply take orange and add a small amount of black to create a brown tone.
• Complementary colors, when mixed in certain proportions, can create a brown. For example, orange and blue.
• You can try mixing violet and yellow to create a shade of greenish-brown.
• Another combination you can try includes mixing red and green to make a shade of brown.

Brown mixed with green, is then technically a mixture of red, yellow, and blue, which is mixed with yellow and blue. When you create a brown and green combination, you are using the brown to tone down the green, and depending on what paints you use and the ratios used, it will produce a variety of dark greens. In many cases, the results may appear muddy or even more grayish, so do not be afraid to experiment with mixing the different colors to see what happens.

Creating Lighter and Darker Shades

When working with colors, you can adjust them by creating lighter and darker varieties of green. A brown and green combination already creates a dark green, however, you can make it even darker by adding a very small amount of black. The addition of black creates a shade of color. To lighten the dark green, you can include white to make what is known as a tint.

The white might create a paler green, so if you want to have more of a vibrant color, consider adding a little more yellow instead of white.

Meaning of Brown

Brown is something that is closely linked to nature and the earth. Consider brown wood, brown sand or earth, brown rocks, and different shades of brown animals and insects. This connection to the earth makes brown a very grounding color that offers comfort, security, and stability. From a psychological viewpoint, brown is seen as a dependable, practical, and responsible color.

Negative associations of brown often see brown as boring and unoriginal.

Meaning of Green

Green also has a close relationship with nature and the earth, and it is seen as a fresh, healing, calming, and revitalizing color. Green is also seen as a balancing color for the emotions and the mind, providing a sense of safety.

Other positive associations include green being hopeful, generous, and even lucky. Many countries have green paper money, which makes the color a representation of wealth and prosperity.

However, green also has a few general negative associations including jealousy and an unhealthy connection to materialism.

Meaning of Dark Green

Dark green has a similar meaning to green in general, however, the muted dark shade can offer more of a sense of calmness. Being surrounded by dark green can, therefore, be calming to the mind and body.

A dark green can also create a more sophisticated feel, due to its association with wealth and prosperity. As with all shades of green, dark greens can convey a sense of harmony and balance.

Negatively, dark green tends to be associated with greed.

Understanding Brown and Green in Other Color Models

Many color combinations can be achieved by mixing light wavelengths, each color is layered to produce a particular color at various brightness levels. If you combine all of the colors, you will come up with white light. This is known as additive mixing and is what happens when you see colors on your cellphone screen. When mixing light colors, it also uses a different color model than the RYB model. Here the primaries are red, green, and blue (RGB), while the secondary hues include cyan, magenta, and yellow.

However, in this color model, brown does not exist, so there is no way to mix brown and green. However, we can still see or perceive a brown color. This is because of how we see objects when light is reflected off the surface.

In many cases, brown is a version of dark orange, instead of a true brown, but our brain then sees a color according to context. In other words, our brain interprets the color as brown. So, we can perceive brown, but you cannot mix it with other colors.

In the table below, you will find an example of both brown and green. The brown is a shade of dark orange but can be perceived as a brown tone, depending on how you use it. The dark forest green, in this case, is a combination of red, green, and blue, of which you can see the ratios as provided in the RGB color code.

Best Uses for Brown and Green in Art and Design

The dark green color is ideal for use in paintings, where there are plants, landscapes, and other natural elements. Dark greens like forest green have also become popular in the design world, from creating unique brands, logos, and websites, to fashion outfits, and interior designs.

Graphic Design

Colors play an important role in creating a brand image, as they help to evoke certain emotions and also send specific messages. Dark green is a more sophisticated shade of green and is associated with dependability, trust, and safety. You can easily create a fresh and professional-looking logo and website.

Green is often linked to nature, so naturally, environmentally eco-friendly products and services will always be an option for this color. Dark green is also calming and balanced, so services like yoga or spas might benefit from using the color.

Other industries that could also benefit include organic services and products, luxury accommodations or retreats, or even corporate logos. Since dark green is also linked to wealth, it can be used for luxury brands. An example would be the Land Rover brand which uses a dark green color in the logo.

Fashion Design

Green has been a popular fashion color for many years, the darker greens adding a certain sense of luxury and depth to an outfit. Various shades of green have also been used by the military to create camouflage outfits. This style of clothing has also filtered into the mainstream fashion scene, where camouflage outfits have become quite popular.

The dark green can add a certain fresh appeal to an outfit, because of its close connection to nature. The color also works well with other colors, especially neutrals like white, beige, gray, brown, and black.

Wearing dark green can also have a subconscious effect, helping you to feel calmer and less nervous. Dark green is also associated with wealth and prosperity, so choosing a green outfit or accessory can help to add to that perception. Dark green can easily be used in formal wear or can be incorporated in casual wear, to create a stylish look.

Interior Design

Dark green can be used quite successfully as an interior design color and can help to create a relaxing and pleasing space. The easiest way to bring the dark green color into a room is to use natural elements like dark-leaf plants. Dark green can be used in most rooms in the home and can be applied as an accent wall or through decorative accessories like cushions or vases.

You can use a dark green on the walls, however, for some this might be too much. So, rather pair the dark green with neutrals like white, or gray and brown.

You can also incorporate a variety of greens to provide more interest and complexity. Dark green also pairs well with natural elements like wood and stone. Add contrast with a few colors like soft pink, red, or yellow. You can also consider adding metallics like gold or silver, to enhance the feeling of luxury.

Brown and green might seem like a natural choice when used together. However, a brown and green combination is not something many would consider. A mix of brown and green might be murky and gloomy to some, but to others, it is more mysterious and lush. Whatever your thoughts on the matter, dark green is a versatile color that can be used in many ways throughout the art and design world.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Colors Do Brown and Green Make?

Green is a secondary hue, while brown is a neutral color. So, when you mix brown and green, you will most likely create a darker shade of green. Depending on the shades or tones used and their ratios, the color can appear more green or brown, and can often appear a bit murky or muddy.

Do Brown and Green Work Well Together?

Brown is a neutral color and like all neutrals, it will work well with most colors, including green. This includes any shade of green, such as forest green. These colors can successfully be used together in art, fashion, graphic design, or interior design.

How Can You Mix a Brown Color?

When using paints, you can mix brown by blending red, yellow, and blue. These are all the primary colors, and depending on the type or shade of color and the amount you use, it will change the shade of brown that is produced.

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.