Colour Mixing Calculator — Paint Volume Ratios

Start by adding the lighter colour first, then gradually add small amounts of the darker colour. Dark pigments are much more powerful than light ones, so it takes very little dark paint to shift a mixture. Always mix more than you think you need — matching a colour later is difficult.

For most art applications, mixing by volume is practical and sufficient. Professional paint manufacturers mix by weight for precision, but for studio mixing, measuring by volume with syringes or graduated cups works well. Different pigments have different densities, so weight-based mixing is more accurate for exact colour matching.

Most paints dry slightly darker or lighter than when wet. Acrylics typically dry darker because the medium becomes transparent. Oils may yellow slightly over time. Always make a test swatch and let it dry completely before committing to a large batch.

You can generally mix paints of the same type (acrylic with acrylic, oil with oil) regardless of brand. However, mixing different types (acrylic with oil) does not work. Student-grade paints may have more filler, which can affect the mixed colour intensity.