You can change orange paint by altering its hue, value (lightness or darkness), or saturation (intensity) through the addition of other colors.
Changing the Hue of Orange Paint
Changing the hue means making it appear more reddish-orange or yellowish-orange.
- To make orange more reddish: Add a touch of red paint. Start with a small amount and mix thoroughly.
- To make orange more yellowish: Add a touch of yellow paint. Again, use small amounts and mix thoroughly.
Changing the Value of Orange Paint (Lightness/Darkness)
Changing the value refers to making the orange paint lighter or darker.
- To lighten orange: Add white paint. This will create tints of orange.
- To darken orange: Adding black can make it dirty and muddy. It's often better to add a complementary color (blue in this case) or a dark brown. As the reference states, violet can darken orange, as well as a warm blue such as ultramarine. Start with a tiny amount of the darkening color.
Changing the Saturation of Orange Paint (Intensity)
Changing the saturation means making the orange more vibrant or more muted (less intense).
- To mute or desaturate orange: Add a small amount of its complementary color, blue. This will make the orange appear more earthy or brownish. You can also add gray.
Example Combinations
Here is a simple table summarizing some common changes:
| Goal | How to Achieve | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Redder Orange | Add Red Paint | Add slowly, a little at a time. |
| Yellower Orange | Add Yellow Paint | Add slowly, a little at a time. |
| Lighter Orange | Add White Paint | Creates tints of orange. |
| Darker Orange | Add Blue, Violet, or Dark Brown | Blue is the complement. Avoid adding too much black, which can muddy the color. |
| More Muted/Desaturated Orange | Add Blue or Gray | Blue is the complement. Adding a neutral gray will reduce intensity without drastically changing hue or value. |
