How to Mix Cadmium Orange with Blues in Watercolour | Complete Colour Mixing Chart Guide

Understanding how complementary colours interact is one of the most powerful skills in watercolour painting. In this tutorial, we explore how Cadmium Orange (Winsor & Newton) behaves when mixed with different blues - Cerulean, Ultramarine, Cobalt, Prussian Blue, Intense Blue, and Indigo.

Download Colour mixing chart here

If you've ever wondered:

• How to mute bright orange

• How to mix natural browns in watercolor

• How to create deep greens using complements

• How to mix black without using black paint

This colour mixing chart will answer all of that.

Creating swatch cards like this helps you predict results before starting a painting whether you're working on birds, botanicals, florals, wildlife, or autumn subjects like foxes and pine forests. Let’s begin.

Preparing orange and blue colour mixing chart

I start by painting a full-strength swatch of Cadmium Orange. Always begin with the pure pigment so you understand its intensity and tonal range.

Next, I divide the paper into four columns:

1. Full strength blue

2. Less blue (tiny amount added to orange)

3. Equal mix (50/50)

4. More blue

This structure helps us clearly observe how the colour changes as proportions shift.

Cerulean Blue + Cadmium Orange

When I add a small amount of Cerulean Blue to orange, it results in a soft beige tone. The orange loses its intensity quickly.

With equal parts:

• A muted brown emerges, with a slight warmth.

With more blue:

• A soft muted green is produced.

• Ideal for botanical shadows and foliage.

Since Cerulean is a cool blue and Cadmium Orange is warm, they gently neutralize each other.

Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Orange

Incorporating a small amount of Ultramarine results in a slightly muddy orange compared to using Cerulean.

Equal mix:

• Yields a brown or taupe color.

More Ultramarine:

• Generates a deep blackish green.

• Ideal for depicting forest shadows and pine trees.

• Very similar in feel to Perylene Green.

This combination is perfect for painting robins, woodland scenes, and deep nature subjects.

Cobalt Blue + Cadmium Orange

With less blue:

• Darker beige and muted orange shades.

Equal mix:

• A lovely taupe or brown.

More blue:

• Nearly black.

• When mixed with more water, it results in a transparent grey.

• Ideal for painting white flowers and gentle shadows.

Cobalt offers softer neutral transitions compared to Ultramarine.

Prussian Blue + Cadmium Orange

Prussian Blue is a vibrant, cool-toned blue.

With a small amount:

• It quickly tones down orange.

In equal parts:

• Produces deep, earthy browns.

With more blue:

• Creates rich forest greens.

These combinations are perfect for:

• Autumn leaves

• Bright oranges with subtle greens

• Wildlife paintings

Swatch cards like this serve as a visual guide when you need natural color mixes quickly.

Intense Blue + Cadmium Orange

Intense Blue is vivid and powerful.

When combined:

• It creates striking muted greens.

• Equal amounts yield rich, earthy browns.

• Adding more blue leads to deep, dramatic greens.

This blend is excellent for bold landscapes and compositions with strong contrasts.

Indigo + Cadmium Orange

Indigo is a deep and cool color.

Equal mix:

• It approaches a near-black shade.

More Indigo:

• Results in a deep black.

Of all the blues tested, Indigo combined with Cadmium Orange produces the darkest neutral, making it perfect for shadows, night scenes, and dramatic compositions.

Bonus: Violet + Cadmium Orange

When I combined Violet with Orange:

• It resulted in stunning maroons.

• Rich, subdued reddish shades.

This warrants a comprehensive color mixing chart, as the combinations can range into reds, greens, and intricate neutrals.

To conclude

From this color mixing chart, we can determine:

• A small amount of blue desaturates orange.

• Equal mixtures yield beautiful browns and taupes.

• Adding more blue results in muted greens.

• Indigo and orange can naturally create black.

• Mixing complementary colors eliminates the need for ready-made blacks.

This chart offers endless possibilities for:

• Birds

• Botanicals

• Florals

• Fox paintings

• Autumn scenes

• Forest landscapes

Why Colour Mixing Charts Matter

Watercolour is highly responsive to water and pigment ratios. Creating swatch cards helps you:

• Understand tonal range

• Mix colours quickly while painting

• Avoid muddy results

• Build confidence in colour theory

• Develop a cohesive palette

Think of them as your personal colour dictionary.

Combining Cadmium Orange with various blues produces a wide range of muted browns, natural greens, taupes, and even black.

So, when you need a shadow, a forest green, or a natural neutral, you'll know precisely what to mix.

In the upcoming tutorial, we'll delve into another colour combination.

Until then,

Happy Painting

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