Most painting kits contain skin-colored paints that are too peachy or brown shades that are too unnatural to be used for painting the color of skin. So, what’s the solution? You can either search the art supplies store for the perfect shade of tan or create one with the colors you already have at home.
Believe it or not, making your own shades of tan is highly satisfying because you can see the actual color on the palette and adjust it according to your needs.
The quickest way to make tan paint is to add some white to your brown color; however, the shade will lack depth and intensity. Instead, you should blend blue, red, yellow, and white in varying quantities to get the perfect hue of tan.
Several shades of tan can be used to elevate your masterpieces, and in this guide, I will tell you how you can play around with the right colors to explore its shade range.
What Colors Make Tan Paint?
At first glance, tan looks like light brown, and you will be tempted to add some white paint to brown and create the color. But you will quickly notice that the color lacks the complexities and depth of a true tan.
In the same way, if you add white to beige, you will end up with a tan color with a pinkish hue. If that’s what you’re looking for, you have found the answer to what two colors make tan, but if you desire a deeper and more intense tint, a combination of beige and white isn’t the solution.
The reason is that skin contains other pigments that define its undertones. Some people have pink, peach, or red undertones, while others can have yellow, olive, and orange undertones.
Therefore, to achieve a tan color that stands out from quicker alternatives, you must first mix blue, red, and yellow to make a rich tone of brown with prominent undertones and then add white to subdue its darkness.
How Do You Make Tan Skin Paint? A Step-by-Step Guide
Tan invokes feelings of security and warmth, like most shades from the brown family. The earthy and neutral hue of tan provides a sense of stability wherever it is used.
Now that you know what colors are needed to make tan paint, let’s discuss the simple steps you must follow to make it.
Step 1: Squeeze Out White Paint
Since tan is primarily a light, neutral color, you will need more white paint on your palette. Also, it’s always better to start with a light color and build the intensity as you go.
So, generously squeeze out some white paint on your palette before adding any other colors.
Step 2: Make A Custom Brown Color
Next, take out some red, blue, and yellow paint on the palette to make a brown color. You should keep in mind that blue paint gives brown its darkness and intensity, so start with a small quantity and add more only if needed.
At this point, you can experiment with varying quantities of yellow and red to see which blend looks closest to the tan color you’re looking for.
Pro Tip: Remember to clean your brush after dipping it in color. You don’t want your mix to look more yellow, red, or blue just because you forgot to wipe the brush after adding that color to your mixing palette.
Step 3: Mix All The Colors
Once you have all your colors on the palette, it’s time to mix them thoroughly to achieve an even color. If you’re not careful at this step, you can end up with streaks of individual colors in your tan shade.
How To Make Tan For Digital Art
If you need to create a digital version of your painting, you must know the CMKY% and RGB% of the tan color to get the exact shade you want.
To make tan, you need C 0%, M 14%, Y 33%, and K 18%. This will give you a basic tan shade, but you can always tweak the percentages to lighten or intensify the color. For example, if you want a darker tan, you can increase the percentage of K. Similarly, for a brighter tan, you can decrease the level of K.
The RGB code of tan is #D2B48C, but if you prefer a darker hue, you can increase the value of red and blue to check if the color matches your preference. In the same way, you can decrease the value of red and blue to make your tan color lighter or add a higher percentage of white to it.
How To Make Different Shades Of Tan
Like other colors, tan also comes in various shades that you can mix at home simply by adjusting the values of the colors needed to make tan. Since tan is mostly used to paint skin tones in paintings, having expertise in different hues of tan can be very helpful in representing people of multiple backgrounds and ethnicities.
How do you make brown tan?
Brown tan, also called tan brown, has the HEX code #AB7E4C. It is a warm color that primarily belongs to the yellow color family. Brown tan has darker yellow tones that give it its distinct color.
How to make brandy color?
Brandy is a popular shade of tan as it’s lighter and brighter than traditional tan. The HEX code of brandy is DABC94, and it can be achieved by increasing the quantity of white in your color mix.
Brandy-colored interior looks chic and welcoming, so if you want to know how to spray paint leather car seats on a budget, this article can help you get near-professional results.
What colors make Windsor tan?
Windsor tan has the HEX code A75502, a warm color that leans towards orange. You can get this color by adding a dash of orange or red to your tan mix.
How to make Tuscan tan?
Tuscan tan is a rich tan color with earthy brown tones. The HEX code of Tuscan tan is #A67B5B. Tuscan tan is a slightly darker hue that can be achieved by reducing the quantity of white in the mix.
Tuscan tan looks great on mirror frames, and you can find how to spray paint mirror frames in seven quick steps here.
What colors make desert tan?
Desert tan has the HEX code C49E78, a muted, earthy color that captures the sunbaked warmth of the Sahara Desert. It comprises 76.9% red, 62% green, and 47.1% blue in RGB format.
| Shade Name | HEX Code | RGB | CMYK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tan | D2B48C | R: 210 G:180 B:140 | C: 0% M: 4%, Y: 33% K:18% |
| Tan Brown | AB7E4C | R: 171 G: 126 B: 76 | C: 0% M: 26% Y: 56% K: 33% |
| Brandy | DABC94 | R: 218, G: 188, B: 148 | C: 0%, M: 14%, Y: 32%, K: 15% |
| Windsor Tan | A75502 | R: 167 G: 85 B: 2 | C: 0% M: 49% Y: 99% K: 35% |
| Tuscan Tan | A67B5B | R: 166 G: 123 B: 91 | C: 0% M: 26% Y: 45% K: 35% |
| Desert Tan | C49E78 | R: 196 G: 158 B: 120 | C: 0% M: 19% Y: 39% K: 23% |
How To Adjust Tan Color Brightness And Warmth?
A custom color palette allows you the freedom to create shades and tones that perfectly match the shade you have in mind, with just the right brightness and warmth. Here is a quick guide that will help you adjust your tan shade.
How To Make Tan Darker?
There are a couple of ways to make your tan color darker. The first one is to add a dash of black to your mix but remember to keep a very light hand because it can quickly overpower the color.
If you don’t feel confident adding black to the mix, add some red or brown paint to your tan to make it darker. However, adding too much can make the mix look muddy and less vibrant, so be careful to introduce a small amount.
How To Make Tan Lighter?
Suppose your mixed color is too dark; adding white paint is the best way to lighten it. You can also add a bit of yellow or green to counter the darkness but make sure to add just a little since it can alter the tone of your tan color and turn it into beige.
How To Make A Warmer Tan?
Although tan is primarily a neutral color, you can always make it warmer to achieve the skin color you’re looking for. Yellow is an excellent addition to warm your tan, but bright yellows can produce a very neon shade that might not work well for certain skin tones. Therefore, stick to medium hues of yellow.
You can also use orange to change the tone of your tan and make it warmer, but if you want an even richer hue, try adding red to the mix.
How To Make A Cooler Tan?
Adding more blue is the quickest way to neutralize your warm tan paint mixture. Another trick is to use cool-toned brown, yellow, or red to make the tan mix. This will help you achieve a cool tan without compromising its hue or depth.
Are Beige and Tan The Same?
Beige is a lighter version of tan, so some people might think the two can be used interchangeably.
If you’re wondering, ‘What colors make beige?’ the answer is white and yellow, unlike tan, which needs white, blue, red, and yellow. It’s obvious from their color composition that tan has more depth and complexity than beige.
To find out how to make beige, you must take white paint and add a drop of yellow to the mix. The yellowish hue that is produced turns a white base into a beige or cream color.
Complimentary Colors That Make Tan Pop!
Are you wondering what colors look the best paired with tan? I have some exciting combinations based on color theory for you to try.
Tan With White
Since tan is a neutral color, it compliments various shades and tones across the color wheel. If you like the ‘clean space’ vibes, tan and white can be an excellent combination for your interior walls. It creates the illusion of a wider space and looks modern and chic.
Before starting any home improvement project, you should check out the best paint brushes for your home interior.
Tan With Pink
Tan paired with a soft pink like Resounding Rose (#D1918C) creates a fresh and soothing ambiance. You can even add some green to your interior palette, like the Sherwin Williams Dancing Green (#CBD18C), to make your room more interesting.
Remember to use the best primer for interior walls for a more professional finish.
Tan With Monochromatic Colors
Here’s a combination you will find in many acrylic masterpieces. You can pair tan with monochromatic colors such as Brandy (DABC94), Gold (E8CAA2), Calico (E2C49C), and Peach Yellow (FDDB5) to portray different shades of desert sand, mountains, and skin tints.
What Interior Colors Go With Tan?
Do you love the earthy and warm feeling of tan but are not sure how to make it work inside your home? Don’t worry because I have the answers you’re looking for.
First things first, tan being a neutral color, looks great paired with a variety of hues and works seamlessly with a range of aesthetics. However, some colors can elevate tan shades and transform your living spaces.
Here are my top picks:
1. Tan and Purple
Since tan is a light, neutral color, it looks outstanding with contrasting colors from the purple family. Depending on how low or high you want the contrast, you can experiment with a range of shades, from pale purple (#FAE6FA) to Eminence (#6C3082), for the perfect combination.
Tan and purple can be used together for decorating your bedroom, living room, and even the kids’ nursery. Combining the two creates a warm and welcoming ambiance where each perfectly compliments the other.
If you’re unsure about the high contrast, make small additions in purple before a big commitment. For example, add cushion covers in English Violet (#563C5C) to your tan leather sofa for a luxe and majestic feel.
2. Tan And Blue
Nothing compares to the serenity and calmness of a blue interior, and what better color to pair it with than tan?
You can use blue accents on tan walls to infuse a sense of relaxation in any living space. This color combination also looks amazing in bathrooms and bedrooms, whether you want to unwind in the bathtub after a long day or get a good night’s sleep.
There are several blue shades that you can pair with a tan interior. For example, you can decorate your living room with tan furniture, Prussian blue (#003151) curtains, or a rug. Don’t be afraid to add some white to the mix, as it adds a touch of freshness to the earthy undertones of the room.
3. Tan And Yellow
Yellow is often overlooked as an interior color because of its brightness, but using it sparingly can give any room a unique and modern look.
If you find yellow’s vibrancy too much for your tan walls, you can opt for warm golden yellow (#EEC61F) against tan walls with white and dark wood accents.
Since the combination of yellow and tan isn’t high in contrast, it balances the earthy tones of tan with the vibrancy of the sun. The room looks alive, and you feel energized, but remember to add small splashes of yellow color, or it will overpower the tan interior.
4. Tan And Teal
Now, here’s a color combination that homeowners love!
Teal (#008080) paired with tan creates an accentuating impression in home decor that can elevate any living space. The color teal itself is a soothing and rich hue that screams attention, and when you combine it with tan walls or furniture, the result is striking yet relaxing. In short, a match made in heaven!
The contrasting colors can be used for the bedroom, living room, or dining area. Whether you place a tan sofa against a teal-colored wall or a teal sofa against a tan-colored wall, they will complement each other seamlessly.
FAQs
How to make orange?
To make the color orange, you need red and green colors. Start by mixing red and green to get the color yellow. Next, add more red to get the desired shade of orange.
How to make brown paint?
If you want to find out how to make brown, just mix the colors red, blue, and yellow, and you will get a basic shade of brown.
How to make grey?
The two colors that make grey are white and black, and you simply need to mix equal parts of both to get a neutral shade of grey.
What colors make a tan with food coloring?
Add 1 drop of red food coloring to 10 drops of yellow to make tan, but if the color looks grey or black, add another drop of red to the mixture.
Conclusion
Mixing up colors is fun, especially if it perfectly compliments your artwork. Follow the tips in this article to customize your shade of tan, and also check out how to make teal paint for a tan combination that truly pops!