Best Spray Paint for Wicker Furniture: 6 Options (2023)

Woman Shopping for Spray Paint
Wicker Furniture Outside

Wicker furniture has been around forever. I don’t just mean that your grandma probably has rattan furniture somewhere in her Florida condo. Wicker furniture dates back to 3000 B.C. when Egyptian rattan fibers were used to weave things like wicker baskets and baby cradles. Ever heard of a Moses basket, anyone? This article will look at the best spray paint for wicker furniture.

Wicker is a versatile, sturdy material and is one of the first materials ever used to make furniture. Its popularity has ebbed and flowed for centuries. In the late 19th century, the first mass-produced wicker chair became popular in both Europe and America.  This time period is likely why wicker furniture has been equated to being old, outdated, and antique in the modern era. However, wicker has been making a huge stylistic comeback in terms of its popularity as it suits the bohemian and farmhouse design niches exceedingly well.

Your grandma’s old wicker buffet table might beckon some admiration from people of this century, afterall. It just might need a coat of paint first, and that process can seem a little tricky. Wicker is nothing if not chock-full of layered textures and depth, and these are characteristics that are hard to cover evenly with the thick coats of paint you’d get if you were to use just a paint brush and a gallon of house paint. A paint sprayer might get you a little further. But what’s the best kind of paint to use for the best results when updating the look of your wicker pieces?

We are of the opinion that spray painting is the best option when deciding to paint a piece of furniture made of wicker. The reason is that using cans of spray paint allows you to paint very light coats in a multi-directional pattern. The thin coats aspect is important because wicker has so much texture that applying thick coats would gunk up the rattan and the piece would not have a smooth finish on all of the corners and pockets within the rattan weaving. And using spray paint cans to paint multi-directionally allows you to reach every nook and cranny of the tightly woven wicker material without gunking them up.

So now that you know that spray paint is the best type of paint to use for your “bring some excitement back to my [insert your wicker item here]” DIY project, what are the best products for the job? Don’t worry, I’m not just here to give you a history lesson – I’m also here to help guide you to the best spray paint for the job, and I’ll even give you a bit of an overview on how to accomplish the task!

But first you must decide the answer to a very important question: to prime or not to prime?

Should I Prime Wicker Furniture Before Painting It?

Wicker Chair Indoors

In all honesty, this really just depends on your patience level and the quality of finish that you desire (or require). Priming before painting will almost always result in a better finish. But if this is just a fun weekend project to liven up some furniture that you would otherwise toss out, or you simply have no real interest in making your upcycled patio furniture look like something you could’ve bought from Pottery Barn for $1,200, then you might be okay with skipping the priming step.

If you choose to skip the primer, you can use either a combination primer/paint spray paint or just go straight for one of the best spray paint options that we’ve listed, below (one of which is a paint/primer combo). You might have better luck skipping the priming step if you’re dealing with lighter wicker pieces. Darker pieces will likely require more coats of paint if a primer is not used, first.

But what if you’re a type-A perfectionist and you need this project to look like you did spend $1,200 on it? In that case, please reach for a high quality primer to use as your first coat. You will undoubtedly get a much better finish than if you skip the priming step. This is especially true if your existing wicker is coated in varnish or another coat of paint. Primer will prepare the surface properly, make the paint adhere better and more consistently, make the paint more durable, and reduce the number of coats of paint you’ll need. 

Woman Shopping for Spray Paint

Top 3 Best Spray Paint Primer Options for Wicker Furniture

  1. Zinsser B-I-N Shellac Base PrimerThis shellac primer blocks both stains and odors, making it perfect for outdoor or very old pieces.
    • It adheres to all surfaces without the need for sanding and dries very quickly within 20 minutes.
    • It greatly increases the durability of a variety of spray paints but works exceptionally well with Behr’s spray paint line and any Rust-Oleum Protective Enamel spray paint option.
    • Another unique feature of this primer is that it can be used in low temperatures.
  1. Kilz Original Oil-Based Interior Primer Spray, Sealer, and Stain Blocker This primer can be used on virtually all interior surfaces including furniture, drywall, plaster, wood, wallpaper, masonry, brick, and painted metal, so you can bet that you can use it on either wood or resin wicker. It dries relatively quickly within 1 hour and, like our #1 choice, it also blocks both stains and odors. It greatly increases the durability of a variety of spray paints but works exceptionally well when a clear coat is used after priming and painting.
  1. Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Plus Interior/Exterior Primer SprayOne useful aspect about using this primer is that you have the option of purchasing it in the “Turbo” can which provides a 10-inch-wide fan spray. This will allow you to prime your furniture much faster than the regular can and is definitely a cool feature, but it isn’t a necessity by any means. This option dries within 30 minutes and blocks stains and odors on textured or rough surfaces – it’s even mildew resistant. It also resists cracking and chipping over time and greatly increases the durability of a variety of spray paints, though it works exceptionally well with Color Place brand spray paints.

Best Spray Paint for Wicker Furniture? Top 3 Picks

  1. Behr Premium Interior/Exterior Spray Paint and Primer in One Aerosol –  This paint/primer combo is designed for both indoor and outdoor projects and is highly weather- and rust-resistant. It can be used on both wood and plastic, among other materials, making it perfect for either wood or resin wicker pieces. Behr has designed their spray paints to dry within 15 minutes, meaning you can apply multiple coats very. They recommended each coat be applied before the paint has been allowed to dry for longer than 1 hour. Otherwise, it is recommended that the user wait 24 hours to apply another coat.
  2. Color Place Interior/Exterior Spray PaintYou may be surprised to find this Walmart staple on our top 3 list but don’t let the inexpensive price tag fool you. This paint delivers, especially when used in combination with any of the primers we have discussed in this article. It is designed to be used on wood and metal, but can be used on a variety of materials and can be used for both indoor or outdoor projects.
  3. Rust-Oleum Protective Enamel Spray Paint This spray paint option is designed for use on wood, metal, concrete, and masonry, so it’s best to use our #1 pick if your wicker is made out of resin or if you aren’t sure that it’s a wooden wicker weave. This spray paint takes about 2 hours to dry which is not a small amount of time, but the enamel finish is incredibly durable, making the lengthy drying time a reasonable tradeoff. This paint will work well with any high-quality primer, but it works exceptionally well with either of the Zinsser brand primers listed above.

How to Prep Your Wicker Furniture for Spray Primer and Spray Paint

  1. You should properly prep your wicker pieces for spray painting by using a wire brush to remove any debris that might get in the way of achieving a smooth finish.This includes chipping paint, dirt, and other debris that might have settled in the nooks and crannies of the rattan weave.
  2. Vacuum the wicker to remove any debris you may have loosened in step 1.
  3. Use a rag and a bucket of soap and water to clean the rattan weave.
  4. Let the wicker air dry.
Wicker Furniture Outside

How to Paint Your Wicker Furniture with Spray Paint

Whether you are priming first or going straight for your first coat of paint, the process will be the same for every coat of paint or primer you choose to apply:

  1. Pick an appropriate location to paint your furniture – preferably outside or in a location that otherwise has excellent ventilation and where no overspray might get on anything you don’t wish to be painted. Use a drop cloth, if necessary, to cover your floor area. 
  2. Turn your wicker furniture upside down so that you can begin with the legs of your wicker furniture first, ensuring that you don’t miss a spot and that you don’t mess up a fresh coat of paint halfway through your project. If you start at the top of a chair, for example, you will have to turn the chair over onto its freshly painted back rest or arm rests to get adequate paint coverage on the legs, and this will mess up the finish. Starting with the piece upside down helps to avoid this.
  3. With the can 8-10 inches away from the rattan weave, spray in a consistent side-to-side “sweeping” motion, left to right and then right to left. Move the can fast enough that you do not leave behind any drip marks but slow enough that you achieve adequate coverage (consider practicing your spraying technique on a spare piece of lumber before starting on your project to make sure that you have this technique down).
  4. Spray from a variety of directions and angles, making sure to get every corner and nook in the complex wicker pattern.
  5. Allow the paint or primer to dry completely. Drying time will depend on the type of spray paint used, follow the manufacturer’s direction regarding this.
  6. Apply a second coat of spray paint, if needed. Note: if you’re aiming for a drastic color change between a dark wicker or primer color and a light wicker color and using white spray paint to do so, you may find that you need to apply more than just a second coat of paint for adequate coverage.
  7. Repeat drying time.

Consider Applying a Clear Top Coat

If your furniture is likely to get a lot of use or if the wicker you are painting is for outdoor use, it may be a good idea to consider applying a clear top coat like Rust-Oleum Protective Enamel Gloss Crystal Clear Spray Paint. A clear coat will add extra protection to the wicker from the elements and heavy use while making your new paint color last a long time.

Can You Paint over Polycrylic [A Definitive Guide]

can you paint over polycrylic

Protective coating helps seal the finished paint of woodworks and preserves their beauty for a long time. But gradually the paint will get old and you will get bored of it. Then to bring the furniture back to its beautiful look, a solution will come in handy; repainting.

can you paint over polycrylic
Image via Piqsels

Polycrylic finish is a common coating for protecting paint in woods. If your furniture or woodwork was previously finished with polycrylic and you want to repaint it, I think a common question should come to mind first: can you paint over polycrylic?

Painting over polycrylic is possible. But to get better results, first, you need to determine the type of the existing polycrylic on the surface, and then prepare the surface accordingly, and finally, you will be able to apply the paint.

Also Read: How to Make Navy Blue Paint

Can You Paint over Polycrylic?

Yes, you can surely paint over polycrylic. However, you need to make sure there is the right type of polycrylic existing on the surface. This is important because you can not apply any type of paint over any type of polycrylic finish.

For example, if you have Minwax polycrylic on the surface, you can not apply oil-based paints. It will peel off eventually. So, first, let’s understand what type of paint is polycrylic.

Polycrylic is water-based. And being water-based means if you want to apply paint over it, the paint needs to be water-based as well. One good example of water-based paint would be acrylic paint.

Does Paint Stick to Polycrylic?

Of course, it will. But you need to make sure you apply it over the proper type of polycrylic and you use proper methods of painting. The proper method of painting includes a good prep phase. A good preparation phase will increase the chance of achieving better results.

What Paint Will Stick to Polycrylic?

Generally speaking, you can choose water-based paints to paint over polycrylic. It will stick to polycrylic properly. However, another good option would be to use acrylic paints. The reason behind this is that both acrylic and polycrylic have polyacrylate resins. And the polyacrylate resin helps bind paint particles.

Are you wondering why acrylic will be a great choice? You see, all types of paints have four things in common; solvent, binder, pigments, and additives. All of these elements have their specific task like pigments are the reason behind the color of the paint, the solvent is used to help the paint particles get dissolved, the binder will help hold the paints together, and finally, additives will work to ensure you a better finish.

From these four elements, only two are going to decide whether you will be able to paint over another paint type or not. This is because whether a paint will adhere to another painted surface or not depends on these elements.

Since acrylic and polycrylic paints contain the matching type of paint binders and solvents, you will get better paint adhesion between paint coats. Hence, acrylics can be considered the best option to apply over a polycrylic finish.

Can You Paint over Polycrylic with Acrylic Paint?

Yes, we have said earlier that acrylic paints can be applied over polycrylic paints. Both acrylic and polycrylic paints are water-based. So, water works as the solvent for both types. And for paint binder, this is the thing that ensures better paint adhesion.

In the case of both polycrylic and acrylic, usually, you will find the binder to be polyacrylate resins. So, having the same solvents and binder makes acrylic paint easily stick to polycrylic paints.

Can You Paint over Polycrylic with Chalk Paint?

You can use chalk paint over polycrylic. Chalk paint is great for wooden furniture, your interior walls, or even fabrics. Chalk paint is water-based. So, it can be used over polycrylic. However, chalk paint is not very durable so this is not the best option to apply over polycrylic.

Polycrylic has a wide range of finishes, from matte to high gloss. Generally speaking, chalk paint will adhere to a polycrylic surface with a satin, semi-gloss, or matte finish. However, if you are thinking of applying it over a polycrylic surface with a high-gloss finish, it’s not quite a good idea. It’s not going to stick to the surface properly.

I would advise you to prepare the surface well before applying the chalk paint over any finish. Remove dust and dirt, clean up the area properly and after ensuring the proper prep phase, move on to applying the chalk paint over a polycrylic surface.

Can You Paint over Polycrylic with Latex Paint?

You can use latex paint over polycrylic. There are two reasons why latex paint is suitable for polycrylic. One is the solvent type and the other is the flexibility. Firstly, latex paint and polycrylic both have the same solvent type; both are water-based. Since they have the same solvents, latex paint sticks to polycrylic.

The second thing I mentioned was flexibility. Depending on the temperature, polycrylic expands and contracts to protect the underlying wooden surface. When the temperature is high, it expands, and when it’s cold, it shrinks. This is how the paint protects the underlying wood from getting damaged by moisture.

But this can be a fact of concern with polycrylic finish when you think of applying a non-flexible paint over it. However, this is not stopping latex paints because latex can also expand and contract depending on the temperature. So, it is compatible with the underlying flexible polycrylic paint.

How Long to Wait before Painting over Polycrylic?

If you want to apply paint over a polycrylic finish, first you need to make sure the finish is properly cured. If you apply paint before allowing the polycrylic to cure properly, moisture can hamper the overall beauty of your finished project. This may result in unclear paint or other problems.

So, giving the polycrylic finish enough time to cure is important. However, the time for proper curing may vary from brand to brand. But generally speaking, you will find polycrylic finishes are drying to touch in about 2 hours.

To be on the safe side, let the polycrylic cure for a day (24 hours) or more. If the weather is humid, you need to give more time; like at least 3 days (72 hours) before thinking of applying any paint.

How Do You Paint over Polycrylic Finish?

If the surface was previously finished with a Minwax Polycrylic, this is the method of painting over it. Before getting started, you need to collect these things first.

  • Acrylic paint
  • Water-based primer
  • Sandpaper
  • Paintbrushes
  • Wet cloth

Step 1: Sanding the Item

First, go to an open area or select outdoor for sanding because this can result in a complete mess and you don’t want your room to look dusty. You need to thoroughly sand the item. You can use good quality 300-grit sandpaper for this.

Step 2: Cleaning the Item

Now, you need to remove the dust particle left after sanding. Dust and debris will hamper the beauty of the finished item. Use a wet cloth to wipe down the dust.

Step 3: Applying the Primer

You need to use a primer before applying the paint. Apply even coats and cover the entire item with primer. Applying the primer directly from the container may not be a good idea so you can pour it into a paint tray to make your work easier. Finally, after completing, allow it to sit on the surface overnight.

Step 4: Applying the Paint

Evenly apply the first coat of paint. After completing you need to let it rest for a sufficient amount of time. That’s why let it dry overnight. After it’s properly dry, apply further coats.

Final Thoughts

If you don’t know the proper techniques and proper paint types to apply over a polycrylic surface, things can get a little bit tricky. In our article, we made things easier for you. We have discussed the paint types and techniques to apply over polycrylic. So, if you want to paint over an item with existing polycrylic, go ahead, follow our guide, and turn it into a masterpiece.

How to Make Navy Blue Paint [A Detailed Guide]

how to make navy blue paint

If you are up for painting your interiors or your car with a rich navy blue color and you don’t have navy blue paint at the moment, we have a cheap solution for you. You don’t need to purchase a can of navy-blue paint. You can simply blend some of your existing paints and create navy blue paint yourself. This will save you a pretty penny which you can invest elsewhere.

how to make navy blue paint

That’s why, in this article, we are going to discuss how to make navy blue paint from your existing paintsand which colors make navy blue paint. So, what are we waiting for, let’s get started?

What Colors Make Navy Blue?

Navy blue is simply a darker shade of blue. So, if you want to achieve a rich navy blue color, firstly, you need a pure blue color. This should be the base color. Next, to add the darkness and rich look, you need to mix a little amount of orange or black with the base color.

Did you notice orange here? When we are making a darker shade of a color, using black seems okay. But when we are making a darker shade of blue, using orange seems quite unusual, right? I mean how would that work?

The secret lies in the color wheel! If you carefully look at the color wheel, you will find that the blue and the orange are sitting opposite of each other, which makes them complementary colors. And when you mix these complementary colors, you get a nice, dark shade of blue, i.e. navy blue color.

What Two Colors Make Navy Blue?

Probably, you’ve already got ideas about the two colors that create navy blue. Yes, pure blue, and a little bit of black. If you mix these colors you will end up with a deep, navy blue color which you can, later on, adjust according to your desired shade.

Another way of creating navy blue using two colors would be to use pure blue and a little bit of orange. For both methods, the amount of base color – blue will be more than orange or black colors. You can try them both and see which one works best for you.

How to Make Navy Blue Paint (Step by Step)

Okay, now you know what colors construct navy blue. It’s time to learn the process of making navy blue paint, step by step. But before getting started, here are the things you need to collect:

  • Blue paint
  • Black or Orange paint
  • Stirring stick
  • Paint mixing containers
  • Paint chip

Step 1: Taking the Blue Paint

Take some blue paint in the paint mixing container. Stir it well.

Step 2: Mixing Black or Orange Paint

Depending on the availability, you can choose either black or orange. The amount of black or orange will be very little compared to the blue paint. Maybe just a drop or two will be sufficient. But if you are thinking of creating a large batch, increase the amount of black or orange depending on the volume of blue.

Now, mix them well using the stirring stick. Keep mixing until no streaks of black or orange are visible on the blue color. One more thing, try to use all the colors from the same brand. Using paints from different brands may not bring better results.

Step 3: Adjusting the Color

If the color doesn’t seem satisfactory, you can always adjust it by changing the volume of blue or black/orange color. If the navy blue seems pretty lighter, you can add a little amount of black or orange and mix again.

On the other hand, if you think you have added too much orange or black color, slightly increase the amount of pure blue color and mix them again. Keep adding and mixing until it reaches the true navy blue shade.

Remember, instead of pouring everything at once, it’s always better to add a little amount of color to the mixture at a time. It gives you scopes to fix the color until you achieve your desired shade.

Step 4: Matching the Color

You won’t get to see the true shade of the paint you have made until you apply it to a surface. It’s better to choose a spotless white surface like a paper sheet to test the color. Apply the color using a brush and check if it matches the paint chip. If you don’t see your desired shade, repeat steps 3 and 4 until you are satisfied with the color.

How to Make Navy Blue Acrylic Paint

No matter which paint types you are using (acrylics or house paint), the basic principle for creating navy blue will remain the same. You need to blend blue and black/orange colors to achieve navy blue color.

So, the process for creating navy blue acrylic paint will remain the same.

  • Firstly, you need to get some blue acrylic paint.
  • Then, add a little amount of orange or black paint at a time and keep stirring using a stirring stick.
  • Finally, you need to adjust the values of blue, orange, or black to achieve your desired shade.

How to Make Navy Blue with Orange

Probably the easiest way to make a color look darker would be to use black paint. But what if you ran out of black paint! No worries, you can still create navy blue paint because now we are going to discuss how to make navy blue without black.

I think you’ve already got some ideas about it but let’s explain with a little bit of detail.

Whether you are using orange or black, the first step of constructing navy blue will remain the same; taking the blue paint. For the second step, you can follow this rough measurement – take 1 part orange for 3 parts blue.

Unlike adding and subtracting a little amount, this will make it easier to achieve a navy-blue shade. But this is not fixed. You may need to change the amount from both sides and adjust the color according to the shade you want.

How to Make Navy Blue Paint with Light Blue

To make a shade like navy blue using light blue paint, you can give it a try with a combination of light blue, dark blue, and black. You may not get the exact shade you are looking for but it will be a fun experiment and you will get a darker blue color.

Achieving the perfect shade of navy blue may not be possible here because you are using a combination of black and dark blue which may cause the color to look dull and lifeless.

Anyway, first you need to put a tiny amount of light blue. Then you need to use the dark blue in a large amount; this is to cancel out the brightness of the light blue. Additionally, you need to use some black color to give its final look.

If the combination of light and dark blue looks satisfactory, don’t add black paint. But if you suppose the color needs a little blackish look, proceed with black paint. Like before, add the colors in a little amount at a time and mix properly. Try to play with the amount of paint colors until you get a result close to what you are looking for.

Uses of Navy Blue Color

Navy blue resembles the beauty of dark colors. It gives a classy look to interiors, automobiles, and other surfaces. If you start listing navy blue objects, the number might exceed your expectations. But let’s take a look at some of the common usage of navy blue color.

  • Interior Design: Navy blue can be a great choice for interiors. Since navy blue is a dark color, you need to choose other colors and decors wisely to highlight the overall tone of your house.
  • Automotive Painting: Navy blue simply takes the look of automobiles to a new level. From cars to motorcycles, navy blue is an awesome choice for all.
  • Clothing: When hearing about navy blue clothes, probably the first thing that will cross your mind is a gentleman wearing a navy blue suit! This color can be a very common one in the textile industry. You will also find navy blue outfits for both men and women in a significant number.
  • Beauty Industry: You may find a number of beauty products like nail polish, hair dye, etc to be navy blue in color.
  • Other Designs: Navy blue can be a great choice for home decors like flower pots, vessels, dinner plates, etc.

The usage of navy blue is not limited to these fields we just mentioned above. There are more uses of navy blue. You just need to have the eye of a detective to find this color around you!

Final Thoughts

Navy blue is a great choice for many purposes. If you are thinking of using navy blue color, don’t buy a can of paint unless you try the methods we discussed earlier.

The same thing applies when you are painting with navy blue and all of a sudden you run out of it. You don’t need to stop the work, grab the keys, and drive to the paint shop. Just use your artsy hands and give it a try with the methods we discussed in the article.

How to Make Silver Paint: Silver Color Mixing Guide

how to make silver paint

When you are painting a surface with a metallic silver color, it’s totally normal that you run out of paint. And we know how it feels to stop the work midway, grab the keys, and drive to the paint shop to grab new paint cans. It distracts you from your work, we understand.

how to make silver paint

That’s why in this article, we are going to discuss how to make silver paint so that you can make silver with existing paints and stay focused on your work.

First, you need to mix an equal amount of black and blue and a little amount of white. Next, you need to increase the warmth of the color by adding some brown. And finally, depending on your preferences, you can adjust the tone by adding some white or black.

Know the Color Theory

No, you don’t need to visit your elementary school again. We are making things easy for you. Here are the basics of color theory, probably which you don’t remember anymore.

Generally speaking, in traditional painting, you will find three types of colors; primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors. However, there are other colors as well, like quaternary colors. But we are not going there; we are sticking to the basics.

Primary Colors:

Primary colors refer to those colors which cannot be created by mixing two or more colors. You can say they are unique. All other colors are the product of the mixture of these colors. In traditional painting with pigments and paints, red, yellow, and blue are considered primary colors. If you want to make other colors, you need to start with these colors.

Secondary Colors:

Secondary colors are the product of the mixture of primary colors. Simply mixing two primary colors will produce a secondary color. Note that secondary colors are made from two primary colors only. So, if you add one more color, it will no longer remain a secondary color.

In traditional painting, if you mix red and yellow, you will get an orange color. If you mix blue and yellow, you will get green and if you mix red and blue, you will get purple as a result.

Tertiary Colors:

The name is quite self-explanatory. If you mix a primary color and a secondary color, you will get a tertiary color as a result. There are six tertiary colors. And the names of these colors are based on the mixture so, you can easily remember them.

If you mix red and orange, you will get red-orange and if you mix blue and purple, you will get blue-purple. Similarly, the other tertiary colors are yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, and red-purple.

Next Read: How to make beige

What Is Silver: Meaning of the Color Silver

Silver is a cool, metallic color. The color originally refers to the metal, silver. However, when you want to make the color, you will see that it is related to gray color. Generally, you will find the color has a metallic gloss in it. And this color shows the smoothness and richness of a surface.

What Colors Make Silver?

There can be multiple ways of making silver color. One of the best and simplest ways of making silver color would be to use different shades of gray.

And to make gray you will need white and black color. But simply mixing different shades of gray won’t do, you need to use some white as the final touch to make the silver color.

And if you were to go even further, like you want to achieve a nice metallic silver color, you need to do some extra tasks. You need to use some reflective pigments; this is the only way to achieve it. However, the gray color will remain the base color.

Also Read: Yellow Paint Making Guide

What Two Colors Make Silver Paint?

Generally speaking, you will not be able to achieve the silver color with just two colors only. Even if you do, chances are it won’t be the accurate shade. To make a nice-looking silver color, you need to go through the gray color first. And the easiest way of making a gray color would be to use just black and white color.

How to Make Silver Paint by Mixing Oil Paints

To make silver paint with oil paints, you need to collect some supplies first. Take a look at the things you will need so that you can start the mixing process.

  • All primary colors (Red, Blue, and Yellow paints)
  • Black paint
  • White paint
  • A container
  • A stirring stick or a palette knife

Step 1: Mixing Blue, Black, and White

First, take some blue paint and black paint. The ratio should be equal, 1:1 respectively. Mix them well. Now, add a little amount of white color to the mixture. Mix them again.

Step 2: Adjusting the Temperature

Here, we need to add some brown to the mix. This will help adjust the temperature of the mixture. To begin making brown, you need to take some yellow and blue paint. The ratio should be equal, 1:1 respectively. Mixing them you will get the green color.

Now, you need to add some red to the green color. This will give you a brown color. Finally, add this brown color to the mixture of blue, black, and white that you made previously. Mix them well, you will get a warmer color.

Step 3: Adjusting the Tone

You may not be satisfied with the silver color you got in the first shot. No worries, it’s normal. You can always adjust the shade of your silver color. If you want a brighter silver color, add some white to the mix. And if you want a darker color, use a little amount of black.

Keep adjusting the value of the color until you are satisfied with it. For some reason, if you don’t find your desired silver color, try changing the amount of the paints until you get your desired color.

Step 4: Adding Finishing Touches

After implementing all the steps above, you should get your desired shade by now. Additionally, you can focus on the shadows and highlights now.

To create highlights you can use good quality titanium white paint with your silver color. And if you want to add some silver shadows to your painting object, add some black to your silver mix.

How to Make Silver Paint by Mixing Watercolor Paints

Generally speaking, the process of making silver paint with watercolor will be quite the same as paint mixing with oil paints or acrylics. There may be slight changes in the procedure. To make silver paint with watercolor paints, you need to gather the supplies below:

  • All primary colors (Red, Blue, and Yellow paints)
  • Black paint
  • White paint
  • Water
  • Paint palette and Paintbrush

Step 1: Taking the Basic Colors

As we are working with watercolors, first, we need to make the brush damp. Dip the brush in water. Take out some blue and black paint from the paint tube. Mix the colors using that paintbrush.

Step 2: Adjusting the Temperature

Here, you need to adjust the temperature using brown color. You can make the brown color the same way you made it with oil paints. You can mix the primary colors blue and yellow to make green first. Then add red to it to make it a brown color.

If you don’t want to make things messy, you can simply use brown paint instead. Now, you need to add the brown color to the previous mixture of blue and black. And finally, adjust the warmth of the color by gradually adding the brown color.

Step 3: Adding Finishing Touches

You can add some final touches to your color by simply adding water. You don’t need additional paints to adjust the tone. If you want a lighter color, try using a little bit more water here. To make a deep color, use less water compared to the amount you used for lightening the color.

How to Make Silver with Acrylic Paint?

The process of making silver paint with acrylics is identical to making silver with oil paints. But let’s remind you of the process again.

  • You need to begin by mixing an equal amount of blue and black. Then add a little amount of white. Mix them well.
  • Next, you need to use some brown color to adjust the warmth of the previously made mixture.
  • You can make brown by mixing all the primary colors. And you can adjust the value of the brown by changing the amount of the colors.
  • Finally, you can do further adjustments to the silver color by adding more white or black to the mixture.

Check the Video:

How to Make Silver Paint Shine?

If you want to make a silver paint that shines or more like, reflects like a mirror, you need to use some silver metallic powder. The powder will make the color look shiny. And if you were to ask how to use metallic powder on a painting or how to make metallic silver paint, the procedure is given below.

First, take some metallic powder. You need to prepare the powder in such a way that you can use it with liquid paint. That’s why you need to mix it with a liquid medium.

To give you a clear suggestion, I would say you can use walnut oil to mix the powder if you are working with oil paints. And for acrylics, you can use an acrylic gel medium. Using the powder for watercolors is not recommended.

How to Make Silver Paint Look Tarnished?

The process may slightly vary from surface to surface. But if you were to give an aged look to a surface like a photo frame, you need to do the following:

  • Clean the surface to get rid of dust and dirt. Make sure no oil and grease are remaining. You may need to wash the surface if possible. But if dry cleaning is enough, don’t go for wet cleaning.
  • Take a metallic silver spray paint, it will allow you to spray evenly. Spray the paint on the surface.
  • Mix some black paint with a little bit of water. Dip a paper towel on the mixture and wipe the surface gently.
  • Now, take a clean rag and wipe the excess mixture of water and black paint. Most of the mixture might get removed. Don’t worry, the remaining black paint on the surface is enough to make an aged look. However, if you think that most black paint has been removed and it looks bad, you can wipe over specifically your desired areas only.
  • You can finish the process by applying a coat of clear polyurethane.

Silver in Design and Decoration

Silver is a nice metallic color. It adds a premium look to surfaces. It can be used for different surfaces. Here are some of the common usages of silver color:

  • Antiques: If you are an antique lover, probably your house is stuffed with silver color. Many antiques are made of silver, so here you will find the color very common.
  • Arts and Crafts: Artists use silver color for still life paintings and to give their artwork an aged look. The same goes for crafts, if you want to give a fake silvery look to your craft, you need to use silver color.
  • Home Decorations: Silver is a standard color for home decorations. You can paint your walls with a smooth silver color or give a silvery touch to your home decors.
  • Automobiles: Automobile industries use silver color a lot. You will find lots of cars and bikes painted with shiny silver color.
  • Gadgets and Accessories: Silver-colored gadgets and accessories are getting popular day by day. You will find lots of laptops, computers, Smartphone, and other gadgets painted with shiny silver color.

These are just a few examples of the usage of silver color. There are more uses of the silver color than you can even think of.

Final Thoughts

Silver has been a part of human life for a long time. Its beautiful color, metallic shine, and rarity are what make it stand out in the crowd. You will find this amazing color connected to our life one way or the other. From automobiles to digital gadgets, it’s everywhere.

In this article, we talked about the procedure to make silver color using various mediums. So, no matter which medium you are working on, if you get short on silver paint, you can always make your own silver color with your existing paints.

Can You Paint Over Clear Coat?

can you paint over clear coat

If you have a door, a kitchen cabinet, or other stuff previously sealed with a clear coat and you want to repaint it, which question will come to mind first? Can you paint over clear coat? This is normal because who would love to scrape all the previous paint and start over?

can you paint over clear coat
Image via pxhere

The good thing is that you don’t need to spend all day scraping the old paint. Following the proper techniques, you can paint over a clear coat. All you need to know is the method to paint over a clear coat, and that’s what we are going to discuss in this article. So, let’s begin.

What Is Clear Coat?

Generally speaking, it’s a transparent layer of paint and it is used to cover the paint coat underneath. Usually, it is used as the last coat of paint on a painted surface and as it is clear, it is used over colored paint coats. A clear coat may come in a solvent-based or water-based form.

If you apply a clear coat on a surface, it does not just make it shiny, it has more benefits. It prevents harmful UV rays from damaging your paint. Plus, it acts as a protective barrier against weather damages. It prevents scratches and protects everything underneath.

You can call the clear coat a real money saver. It withstands all that tough weather conditions and scratches. So, ultimately it saves your pretty penny on restoring the paint every often.

Can You Paint over Clear Coat?

If you are thinking of applying paint directly over a glossy clear coat, it’s not a good idea. You are more likely to end up with a bad result.

You see, a Polyurethane clear coat is used to protect the underlying surface from grease, water, and dirt. It makes your cleaning process easier because you can get rid of dirt by simply wiping off the surface with a damp cloth and a cleaning spray.

So, the slick clear coat surface will be easy to clean, but if you were to apply paint over it, you will not get satisfactory results. The paint will not adhere well. That’s why you need to either sand the surface or use a special type of bonding product to make it suitable for paint application.

Can You Paint over Faded Clear Coat?

When we are talking about faded paint and a clear coat on a surface like the body of an automobile, it’s best to avoid painting over the faded, ugly clear coat. You need to go through a hard preparation phase which may include sanding. Even after all that hard work, you may not get satisfactory results.

And if you were planning for direct paint application over a clear coat, without any preparation, I’ve said earlier that it’s not a good idea to use paint over a slick clear coat surface. Instead, you can put aside all that hassle and go for a nice base coat. After applying a base coat, you can apply your desired clear coat.

So, to sum up everything, painting over a faded clear coat is not recommended. All your hard work can get wasted.

Do You Need to Apply Primer?

If you had a question like: can you prime over a clear coat? The first thing I would say about primers is that special types of primers help better paint adhesion. Bonding primer is a primer that helps better paint adhesion on a glossy, slick surface. If you are thinking of applying a primer, yes, go for a bonding primer.

But you need to make sure you give the bonding primer coat enough time to dry. It may take up to two hours. After that, you can use it as an undercoat for your paint knowing that the undercoat will help your paint sit on it properly.

How Do You Remove Clear Coat without Damaging Paint?

To remove a clear coat from a surface like the body of an automobile, you need to follow multiple steps. But first, you need to gather these supplies to get started.

  • Sandpaper (400, 800, 1000, 1,200 grit)
  • Electric polisher or Wool pad
  • Water

Step 1: Clean the Surface

First, thoroughly wash off the entire surface. Make sure there is no dust, dirt, and grease remaining. After washing, you can use a clean, soft towel to remove the excess moisture and leave it for drying.

Step 2: Preparing the Sandpaper

In the case of sanding a clear coat to repaint a car body, you need to use the wet sanding technique.So, you need to soak 400-grit sandpaper first. Simply dip the sandpaper in water for some time which may take 10 to 60 minutes.

Step 3: Sanding with Wet Sandpaper

Take out the sandpaper from the water. Gently sand the surface using wet sandpaper. Make sure you don’t apply too much pressure which may damage the underlying paint. Try to maintain a 1-inch distance from scratch while using the sandpaper.

Step 4: Using Finer Grit Sandpaper

Now, you need to use finer grit sandpapers like 800, 1000, and 1,200 grit. You need to gradually switch to finer grit sandpaper. And you need to sand like half an inch outside the area you sanded with 400 grit sandpaper. Additionally, you can tape off all the fragile parts of your car like headlights, tail lights, etc to protect them from getting damaged.

Step 5: Dry Sanding

After wet sanding with 400-grit and continuing with higher grits, you need to allow the surface to dry. When the surface is completely dry, you need to start sanding with a fine 600 to 800-grit sandpaper to achieve a smooth surface.

After a while, you can pour some water to determine when you need to stop sanding. If you find the water milky, don’t sand anymore. Wipe it and allow it to dry.

Step 6: Polishing and Perfecting

Now, you can polish the sanded area using an electric polisher or a wool pad. Additionally, you can use a spray detailer to make the surface look perfect.

How to Paint over Clear Coat: Step by Step

Step 1: Cleaning the Surface

First, thoroughly clean the entire surface to remove dust, dirt, and grease.

Step 2: Sanding

You can’t apply the paint directly, so you need to remove the clear coat. Begin the process by gently sanding with 1000-grit wet sandpaper. Applying pressure may damage the underlying paint coat or leave scratches. You can switch to a 2000-grit sandpaper to achieve smoother results.

If the area is large, you may try 400-grit as well. Here, you can use dry or wet sandpaper. See which one works the best.

Step 3: Further Preparation

If you see the clear coat peeling off or huge scratches, you need to remove the entire coat from the surface. You can use 320-grit sandpaper or the likes to get rid of everything. You can apply a little bit of pressure here, still, stay careful.

But if the scratches are not too big, you may need to apply a coat of paint to balance everything after sanding. I’m not talking about a clear coat here, but rather a color coat.

Step 4: Cleaning the Surface

Clean off the entire sanding residue to ensure better paint adhesion. You can also use some polishing products for finer results.

Step 5: Priming

Applying a primer is a great way to ensure a stronger paint adhesion on the surface. Apply the primer evenly. After you are done, allow it to dry for a few hours.

Step 6: Applying the Paint

Start applying your desired color using a paintbrush or a sprayer. Make sure you apply thin and even coats. Depending on your work, you may need to apply three to five layers of paint. Always give enough time to dry in between coats.

Step 7: Applying the Clear Coat

Finish your work by sealing the paint with a clear coat. Apply the coat evenly and allow it to dry properly before touching.

Conclusion

Yes, you can paint over a clear coat while maintaining some conditions. In this article, I’ve discussed some useful topics and answered some important questions about painting over a clear coat so that you can deal with this situation easily.

So, if you are stuck with painting over a clear coat, follow our instructions and you will be saved from scraping all the paint.

How to Make Teal Paint – A Guide to Mixing Teal Shades

how to make teal paint

When you think of teal, probably the first thing that would come to mind is gentle tropical seawater, sun, and a sandy beach. Imagine bringing a touch of that amazing teal seawater to your home decorations!

You don’t need to buy a can of teal paint separately. You can make teal paint with your existing paints. All you need to know is how to make teal paint. To make things easier, in this article, we are going to discuss the ways you can make teal paint.

how to make teal paint

But to give you a little idea about the colors you will need, I will say that you can make the teal color using a combination of blue, green, yellow, and white. You can also use a combination of cyan blue, cadmium yellow, and white. There are more of them, so, let’s take a deeper look at more teal facts.

What Color Is Teal – A Brief History of It

Teal can be of different shades. Some may consider teal to be a darker shade of cyan. While others may find it close to aqua or colors alike. It may also be considered a bluish-greenish color. No matter what people consider it, we all need to agree that the base colors of teal are blue and green.

Now, let’s talk about the history of teal. The first thing that needs to be mentioned is that the name Teal came from a cheeky duck species called Eurasian Teal. You call it Common Teal as well. Anyway, there is a stripe on their head that looks similar to the color, teal. In English, the first recorded use of Teal blue as a color name was done in 1927.

Teal was widely used in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Subsequently in the ‘90s, it became popular again, thanks to sports team uniforms. Nowadays, teal is a very popular color for designing homes.

What Two Colors Make Teal?

When you think of the color teal in general, which color comes to mind first? Does that seem like a bluish-greenish color? If so, you almost got it right. Firstly, teal is neither a primary nor a secondary color. It can be considered a tertiary color. So, we need to make it by mixing other colors.

Teal is one of the few colors that appear with a bluish-greenish look. Though there are various shades of teal, the common base colors of teal are blue and green. So, to make teal with two colors, you need blue and green.

The combination of blue and green can be a little bit dark. So, using a bright green will be a better idea. However, this depends on your preferences. If you like a darker shade of teal, you may try regular blue and green first.

But that’s not all, these were just the base, to achieve a standard and even better shade of teal, you need to add a little bit white.

If you are not feeling satisfied with the teal that you got with mixing two colors only; no worries, there are more ways to make teal. So, now let’s check out how you can make teal paint in different ways, step by step.

How to Make Teal Paint: A Step by Step Guide

We have spoken earlier that teal can have a wide range of shades. So, the perfect shade will vary from person to person and so will the process of making. Here, we will discuss two step-by-step processes to make teal paint.

1. Using Blue, Green, Yellow, and White

Step 1: Choosing the Blue Color

Different shades of blue will help make different shades of teal. You need to select the blue depending on the shade of teal you are looking for. So, depending on your work, you can choose a dark and deep shade of blue or you may go with a light and bright shade of blue.

But know that blue is one of the base colors of teal. Therefore, you can’t skip it by any means.

Step 2: Choosing the Green Color

When you are picking green, keep in mind that if you mix blue and dark green, you will get a darker looking color as a result. But that darker color may affect the resultant teal color pretty badly and we don’t want that to happen.

So, to avoid that situation, you can choose bright green paint which will ultimately add vibrance to your resultant color. However, don’t go too extreme; don’t pick a too vibrant green color. You can go with a nice, medium-shaded green color. If you want a specific suggestion, using kelly green or emerald green is recommended.

Step 3: Choosing the Yellow Color

Your basic color selection is complete, now you need to select some extra colors that will make your resultant teal color more attractive. This yellow color will help you achieve different shades of teal. If you want a deep and bold shade of teal, you can choose burnt yellow or amber color.

But if your goal is to achieve a fresh, bright shaded teal, you need to use a bright yellow color. Additionally, you can take some plain white paint for further adjustments to the final color.

Step 4: Mixing the Colors

First, take two parts blue and one part green paint in a container or a mixing tray. Mix them well. Now, you need to take some yellow paint. Take something between approximately half a parts to one part. Mix them well using a paintbrush or a palette knife.

Step 5: Adjusting the Tone

If you are not satisfied with the color, no worries, you can adjust the color to get your desired shade. If the teal color looks a little darker, you can take the white paint and adjust the color by adding a small amount of it at a time.

To darken the teal color, you can add a darker shade of one of the paints that you used to make the teal color. Keep adding in smaller amounts and mixing the colors well until you get your desired shade of teal.

2. Using Cyan Blue, Cadmium Yellow, and White

Step 1: Choosing the Colors

First, you need to take the cyan blue color. You also need to take some white and cadmium yellow paint. Additionally, you can take some burnt umber paint for further adjustments to the final color.

Step 2: Mixing the Colors

  • Firstly, take a painter’s palette and take the cyan blue color. It should be three parts.
  • Now, add some white paint to it and mix them well.
  • After that, add one part cadmium yellow to the mixture. Now, mix everything again.
  • If you want a darker shade of teal color, add a small amount of burnt umber at a time. Mix all the colors well until no streaks remain.

How to Make Teal with Acrylic Paint?

To make teal with acrylic paint, first –

  • You need to take a small container and place a little amount of white color.
  • Now add two parts blue and one part green color. Mix them well.

If you think the color needs a little bit of adjustment, you can play with the green and blue.

  • Just add a little amount from both colors at a time until you are satisfied with the color. You can also add some cadmium yellow to make the color more intense. And if you prefer brighter teal, add a little bit of white.

You can also try a fifty-fifty mixture of Phthalo Green and Phthalo Blue. The overall amount will be very little.

  • Now, add this mixture to a large amount of white. You will get a nice teal color. If the mixture seems lighter, add a little more blue-green mixture and if the mixture seems darker, increase the amount of white.

Different Shades of Teal Color

Teal has a wide range of shades. You can get easily confused by its close relatives. Though there are many shades of teal available, here are some shades of Teal that are worth mentioning.

Teal Blue, Dark Teal, Deep Teal, Bright Teal, Aquamarine Light Teal, Tea Green Teal, Dull Teal, Traditional Teal, Common Teal, Crystal Teal, Tropical Teal, Egyptian Teal, Teal Green, etc.

Dark cyan, Skobeloff, and Myrtle Green are very close to Teal color, hence you can easily get confused while identifying these colors. Sometimes, you may find some shades of Turquoise to be close to Teal color as well.

How to Make Teal Paint Darker?

There are multiple ways of making teal paint darker. For example, if you are working with a combination of cyan blue, cadmium yellow, and white to make a teal color, you can use black to deepen the tone. But black will not be a top choice for every scenario.

Sometimes, depending on your work, you may need to use orange or burnt umber to darken the teal color.

How to Make Teal Color Brighter?

When it comes to brightening shades, white comes to mind first. Here, adding a little bit of white will be effective. But the problem with white is that it will make the brightness look somewhat dull as well.

Another solution to brighten up teal color would be to use a yellow color. To be more specific, using a cool shade of yellow will do a good job here.

How to Make Teal Blue?

The name is quite self-explanatory. The color leans a little bit towards blue. It’s a deep and cool color. To make a teal blue color, first, you need to make teal. After that, you can make the color look a little bluish.

Here is how to do it:

  • Take a small amount of white paint.
  • Now take three parts cyan blue paint and mix them well.
  • Next, add one and a half parts cadmium yellow to the previous mixture and mix them well.
  • To make the color with a deeper tone, add half a part black to the mixture and mix everything using a stirring stick. Make sure no streaks remain.
  • Finally, you need to add the blue paint again to make the color lean towards blue. The amount should be a quarter parts only.

If you are not satisfied with the color, you can change the amount of paints to see how it works.

Teal Color Code – RGB and CMYK

The true shade of teal may vary from person to person. From a wide range of shades, we are going to discuss the RGB and CMYK value of the shade of teal which has the hex value of #008080.

Probably you already know that the RGB color space works depending on red, green, blue colored lights. The RGB value for our teal color will be (0%, 50.2%, and 50.2%) red, green, and blue respectively. The RGB percentage is rgb(0%, 50.2%, 50.2%). And the RGB decimal value is rgb(0,128,128).

As for CMYK color space, it has four colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Here, the CMYK value will be (100%, 0%, 0%, and 50%) cyan, magenta, yellow, and black respectively. So, the CMYK value is CMYK (100, 0, 0, and 50).

Decorating Your Home with Teal Colors

Teal is a great color for decorating homes. The color is smooth and gentle and makes a rich, calming environment. It suits interiors very well. If you want to highlight teal color in your room, you can use it with brown, cream, or pink colors. You can also give it a try with gold and silver colors; they work great with teal.

For example, if you were to put a landscape painting that highlights metallic colors or has a gold-plated frame; it will bring a rich look to your teal wall. Another excellent combination of teal and other colors would be to use white paints on walls with teal. This combination will bring an amazing look to your walls.

Frequently Asked Questions about Teal Paint (FAQs)

Is the color Teal a primary color?

Primary colors cannot be made by mixing colors, where we need to make teal using a combination of blue, green, yellow, sometimes white. There are other combinations as well. Hence, teal is not a primary color. It’s not even a secondary color.

As we need to make the teal color using a primary color – blue, and a secondary color – green, you can consider teal to be a tertiary color.

Is Teal considered a cool or warm color?

One of the base colors of teal is blue and green. Both colors are considered cool colors. So, the resultant color, teal is also considered a cool, soothing color.

Are Teal and Turquoise colors the same?

No, teal and turquoise colors are not the same. Though teal is quite a unique color, you can get easily confused with turquoise and some shades of teal.

What is the base color of teal?

When you look at the teal color, you will find that it’s a bluish-greenish color. So, the base colors will be blue and green in general. However, there are other ways of making the teal color, so the base color might change in those cases.

Are Teal and Jade similar colors?

Jade and teal are quite the same colors. But depending on the light, the subject, and other objects around, you may find significant differences between the colors.

Final Thoughts

Teal is a cool, soothing color. It has a significant impact on the cosmetics, fashion, and paint industries. It adds a rich tone to home decors and interior walls, that’s why it can be a great choice for homeowners.

From this article, now you know how to make teal with different color combinations, and colors that go well with teal. So, you don’t need to spend some pretty penny on teal paint cans. You can start making teal with the colors that are available to you right now.

8 Best Matte Black Spray Paint Reviews for 2022

best matte black spray paint

Some people love to do painting stuff in the house on their own. Perhaps you are one of them, or maybe you want to do it for yourself this time. Whatever the reason is, there is no fun way of painting than using spray paints. The traditional paintbrush method is too time-consuming and tedious work. Moreover, it can often dishearten amateurs like you and me. But in the spray paint method, all you need is to press the button and direct the mist to the object! That’s all!

best matte black spray paint

Top spray paints also produce excellent and uniform paint coats even in a newbie’s hand. In addition, they allow you to finish painting much faster and easier. Today, we will discuss about the best matte black spray paint you can find in the market. We will also specify appropriate paints for different surfaces so that you don’t put wood paint on a metal surface just because you heard it’s the best. 

8 Best Matte Black Spray Paint Reviews

Selecting one from lots of options is not easier. We have made ‘choosing matte black spray paint’ much easier and fun in this guide. Read the reviews below.

1. Best Overall – Krylon K05592007 COLORmaxx Spray Paint and Primer

You can call it an all-rounder. It suits a lot of surfaces like wood, glass, metal, most plastics, ceramics, plasters, and so on. You can expect brilliant paint coating and a premium look from this. Krylon K05592007 has a comfortable button on top of it, providing you with greater control in the painting work. You can spray paint from any angle, even by keeping the can upside down! 

The adhesion ability of this product is another thing you would appreciate. It takes less than 20 minutes to dry up, while it lasts exceptionally longer. Furthermore, this paint uses a rustproof solution to protect the surface to make it more durable. You can use it for both inside and outside applications. One single can of this paint contains 12 oz. of liquid spray that will cover approximately 25 square feet. 

Pros:

  • Works on a lot of surfaces
  • Smooth finish with a great look
  • Fine adhesion and durability
  • Offers rust protection
  • Easily usable from any angle
  • Dries quickly

Cons:

  • The spray might feel a bit narrow

2. Best Matte Black Paint for Metal – Rust-Oleum 331182-6PK Painter’s Touch 2X Cover

Rust-Oleum 331182-6PK Painter’s Touch is a combination of rich color and a beautiful finish. You have to be impressed with the quality of the paint layer it produces. It is ideal for most surfaces like wood, metal, plastic, and ceramic. You can use it for both interior and exterior applications.

This paint gives off a classy look that can truly breathe a new life into your furniture. It produces just a slight odor, thanks to its oil-based formula. You don’t have to stand any uncomfortable smell if you use it inside your house. 

It takes roughly 20 minutes to be completely dry. A broader space on top of its button comforts your finger when you press it for a long while. You can quickly cover up the surfaces by painting from different angles. The paint lasts longer on all surfaces while providing dust and rust protection. You can consider this one of the ideal matte black spray paints for metal.

Pros:

  • Produces stunning look
  • Deep color with a smooth texture
  • Dries quickly enough 
  • Easy to apply
  • Perfect for interior and exterior use

Cons:

  • One can cover only about 12 square feet
  • The nozzle tends to clog up if left unused for some time

3. Best Matte Black for Wood – Krylon K02732007 Fusion All-In-One Spray Paint

It is a ready-to-action paint. You don’t have to sand or prime a surface before applying this. It has a strong adhesion that allows the paint layer to stick with various tough surfaces. It is friendly with wood, tile, plastic, PVC, and metal surfaces.

You would love its matte black color that will suit all DIY, indoor or outdoor projects. The paint dries after around 15 minutes and doesn’t stick to your finger if you touch it. 

The Krylon K02732007 will prove itself convenient the moment you start applying it. It produces a fine quality mist that quickly creates a uniform coat of paint. You can use this on your furniture, door, antiques, or vehicles without fearing making any mess.

Like most Krylon products, this also comes with excellent coverage. So, if you are looking for perfect black spray paint for metal, you should definitely check this out. 

Pros:

  • Perfect finish, perfect Color
  • An excellent solution for tough and rusty surfaces
  • Suitable with all kinds of projects
  • Fine adhesion and durability
  • Dries quickly
  • Great coverage 

Cons:

  • It might be a bit runny

4. Rust-Oleum 330505 Universal Enamel Spray Paint

You will love its modern look on any surface. It is a perfect solution for painting on metal, wood, masonry, and plastic surfaces. It offers a strong adhesion accompanied by rustproof and chipping proof solution, producing a pretty durable paint surface. It even resists color fading to keep your projects beautiful for years. 

Another exciting thing about this product is its stylish cap. It will allow you to paint for long hours without any pain in the fingers. Deep and lovely color, smooth paint coating, long-lasting finish, attractive look – that’s what you can expect from this pack of spray paint. 

Pros:

  • Attractive matte finish
  • Perfect for interior and exterior uses
  • Strong adhesion
  • Resists color fading
  • Long-lasting

Cons:

  • It is not recommended for painting small things with fine details

5. Best Matte Black Spray for Metal – Rust-Oleum 332289-6PK Automotive Premium Custom Lacquer Spray

It is one of the perfect matte black spray paints for metal out there. This spray paint is specifically made for applying on vehicles. So, if you are looking for paint to customize your car, this item will be a good choice for you.

You will get its full potential by applying it to metal, chrome, or wood. You don’t have to be a professional painter to use it. You will figure out how to handle it pretty quickly. It also offers a durable lacquer solution to keep the color alive on your vehicle even after facing rough weather. You will surely be amazed by the smoothness it gives after you finish. 

Pros:

  • Smooth and brilliant finish
  • Paint dries pretty fast
  • Worth the price
  • As good as advertised 
  • Long-lasting

Cons:

  • It doesn’t have an impressive coverage
  • May spray unevenly when the liquid reaches the bottom of the can

6. Best Black Spray Paint for Plastic – Rust-Oleum 263422 Automotive Matte Finish Spray Paint

If you want a smooth matte finish without any reflection, go for this item. It will also prove itself worthy for painting vehicles and automotive parts. You will find it most useful for metal surfaces.

It provides rust and corrosion protection with a uniform finish. Therefore, you can expect a long-lasting and premium-looking paint surface on your vehicle. This can of black spray paint also offers a decent coverage of around 15 sq. ft. Painting stripes or coloring a broad section of the vehicle, this spray paint is suitable for most jobs. 

Pros:

  • The comfortable tip allows for painting at any angle
  • Rust and corrosion resistance
  • 15 square feet coverage
  • Premium looking matte finish 
  • Suitable for interior and exterior

Cons:

  • It may take a little while to dry
  • Not applicable on a surface that reaches a high temperature

7. Best Matte Black for Cars – Rust-Oleum 272741-6PK Automotive Spray Paint

This item deserves to be on your checklist if you are on a mission to find the top matte black spray paint for cars. It produces high-performance rubberized coatings that can have firm adhesion. This paint coating can protect a metal surface from all sorts of damage.

It is even suitable for a truck bed where the metal often faces rough frictions. It is a package of 2-in-1 paint and primer. It is very easy to apply that you can do it without any helping hands. Even newbie can paint an even coat with this. 

Pros:

  • Best for metal surface
  • Strong rubberized coating
  • Protection against all sorts of damages
  • Easy to use
  • Maximum adhesion and durability

Cons:

  • It takes a while to dry

8. Best Matte Black Paint for Rims – Rust-Oleum 248928A2 High Performance Wheel Spray Paint

Wouldn’t it be a nice thing if you find dedicated spray paint just for the wheel of your vehicle? This product is precisely that thing. Rust-Oleum 248928A2 spray paint is an impeccable paint for aluminum, steel, or plastic hubcaps of wheels.

It guarantees robust adhesion and no peel. In addition, this paint can provide extra protection against rust and related damages to the metal surface of your wheel rim. It is a clean and non-reflective paint, perfect for enhancing the look of wheels.

The finish resembles the eggshell. The spray can offer a convenient nozzle that can help you paint hard-to-reach areas easily. Although this spray can is focused on the wheels, it still has nice coverage. 

Pros:

  • Perfect eggshell finish
  • Protects the wheel rim from rust and other damages
  • Easy to use
  • Robust adhesion
  • Weather-resistant

Cons:

  • No significant disadvantages were found

How to Choose the Matte Black Spray Paint?

If you are someone like me, you would probably like to skip the part of choosing something from dozens of options. Choosing means going through many options, comparing them, and fearing if you are making the wrong choice! However, we will give you a concrete idea about choosing matte black spray paint in simple terms. 

1. Understanding Paint Types

Sometimes you need to assess several circumstances to know which paint to choose. Understanding the characteristics of different paints will help you determine the perfect paint for yourself.

General-purpose spray paint: It means that the paint applies to common types of surfaces like woods, metals, plastics, ceramics, masons, etc. You can use general-purpose paint for both interior and exterior applications. 

Lacquer spray paint: This type of spray paint creates a solid and durable finish when it dries. It is intended to be chip-resistant, smooth, and waterproof. You can use them on wood, metal, or plastics. Lacquer spray paints are harder than oil-based paints but thinner than other paints. 

Rust-preventative paint: Metals often get damaged by oxidation, especially iron and steel. Rust-preventative spray paints protect from oxidation by being an intact layer in between air and the metal. You should use this type of paint outside. 

Heat-resistant paints: They are also called high-temperature paints. As the name suggests, this type of paint can endure high temperatures without melting. You should choose high-temperature paints for painting the oven, fireplace, etc. 

Automotive paints: Automotive sector is one of the major painting applications. Automotive paints are designed especially for automotive. They are water-based paints that serve aesthetic purposes while protecting the surface from environmental damages. 

2. Selecting the Paint 

Determine the surface: Are you painting on wood or glass? Is it near a place where the paint can withstand temperature or rough weather? Determine necessary facts like these to make the process of paint choosing easier. This step will also eliminate the risk of choosing the wrong paint since you will have a decent idea of what you need. You can also consider the object you want to paint onto. Because often different paints are available for specific objects. 

Indoor or outdoor: Although most of the paints are suitable in both sectors, some are not. The paint that will remain outside will face sunlight and rain. Paints that are intended to inside use will not last long there. On the other hand, outdoor paints can be odorous or toxic for use in the interior. So, choose the right paint for the right application. 

Look at reviews: Nowadays, you can check reviews of anything online. First, find some best options of spray paints available for the specific job or surface you have. Then check other users’ ratings and reviews to filter out the best ones from them. 

Final Thoughts

Spray paint is an easy and fun method of painting. But if you get paint that doesn’t meet the quality or the type you need, this can spoil all the fun. In addition, this can create a mess that you may not be able to undo later.

We hope after reading this article, you are now familiar with some best black matte spray paints along with their types and function. Now choose one of them and roll up your sleeve for work! 

How to Make Lime Green Paint (A Complete Guide)

how to make lime green paint

The primary colors are responsible for secondary and tertiary colors. You may need to recall the processes of making lime green to accomplish your project, or you may need to help your children with their artwork. But your brain is not helping in recalling the elementary school color theory. 

Don’t worry. You are about to learn the secrets of mixing colors to get amazing secondary shades. Here, you will learn about how to make lime green paint at ease.

how to make lime green paint

When you want to create different hues, you need to know about the primary colors. We don’t always have every color available on hand. But one can make the desired color by mixing the right primary colors with an accurate proportionality.

Lime green paint has the resemblances of yellow and green. Close by these two tones, you can likewise add various levels of white and black to get the best result. Go through this article to master the techniques for creating different shades.

What Colors Make Lime Green?

Color, color, and color! Color is everywhere, and color means life. An artist expresses his emotion using different shades of colors. The primary colors do not always produce the shades that we see in nature. Some colors you will see are the basic ones. And some are complicated and produced by mixing up different raw colors.

However, you need to follow specific rules to make the desired color by combining two or more colors. Blending yellow and blue will yield green. But what you need to maintain in this process is the right amount of colors to get the lime green hue.

What Two Colors Make Lime Green?

Making lime green paint, you need to mix up a definite quantity of green and yellow colors. You can get unique lime-green colors by combining these two colors. But if you do not have this color on hand, don’t worry, there is a solution for that too.

You can mix yellow and blue to achieve the lime green color. When you combine yellow and green that will initially produce green. But adding more yellow will turn the mixture more vibrant. Thus, you can create different shades of lime green to add depth to your painting.

Likewise, you can add white to make the lime green color, which is the lighter end of the range. And adding black will make it darker. However, remind that the amount of color you will put will determine the result. So, start slow and steady to get the coveted outcome.

How to Make Lime Green Paint – Step by Step

You can make different shades of green by mixing various amounts of yellow and blue. Green lime is also remembered for this kind. However, you can use lemon yellow and ultramarine blue to do the task. But the fact is mixing the color properly.

And people fail to use the correct amount of color to create desired shades. You have to maintain a particular ratio to get the outcome. Otherwise, the effort will go in vain. Here, you will get a step-by-step guide to making lime green paint. So grab your equipment, and let’s start the journey in the realm of color.

Step 1: Collecting the Equipment

First, you need to find all the equipment to start the main task. Here, equipment plays a vital part, so choose wisely for the best outcome. I have listed some of the things that you need in this tutorial.

  • Spatula or spoon
  • Color mixing tray
  • Paints: yellow, blue, white, black
  • Paintbrush

Step 2: Measuring the paint

When your instruments are ready, it is time to start experimenting with the colors. Think about how much amount of hue you want in the paint. Pour the required amount of yellow into the color mixing tray. However, make sure that the ratio of yellow is a bit higher than the blue.

Yellow paint is going to determine the intensity of the lime green color. Now pour some blue in that paint, but remember to take it less than the yellow paint. Thus, you will achieve the lime green color.

However, if you want the green color first then the lime color, you have to take the same yellow and blue. It will give you an unlimited green color. Then you can add white paint to get lighter shades, providing the desired lime green. Using this process, you can create different shades of lime green.

Step 3: Mix the Colors

At this step, take a utensil like a woody spoon or turner and mix the paints. Keep mixing the colors until you get an even green color. Try to move the mixture in a cyclic motion and ensure no streaks remain. After completing, you will get an elegant green color.

Step 4: Making the Lime Green

Now, it is the ideal opportunity for making the lime green. Add more yellow primary to the green color you made in the 3rd step. You will get a lighter shade of green or lime green color. Make sure you’re adding yellow paints at a steady hand, as you can’t get back what you have already added.

In the event that you want a lighter shade, add more yellow in a controlled way. Again, if the paint becomes more delicate than your expectations, add a bit of blue to get a darker shade. Then stir the mixture properly until reaching the desired color.

How to Make Lime Green without Yellow?

Now, you can make the perfect lime green color by following the above-mentioned steps. But, what if the paint is missing? How will you manage at that time? No worries. I will have you a secret to make lime green even without yellow or blue.

Yellow is necessary to bring a green hue in color. And lime green is unimaginable without the green tint. You can still make a green hue even if you run out of yellow. You can pick a mixture of ultramarine blue and orange to get green. After achieving green, utilize the previous techniques to get a lime green color.

How to Make Lime Green without Blue?

You can also create lime green if you run out blue. Use the mixture of burnt umber and cadmium yellow light instead of blue. Moreover, you can apply the combination of Payne’s gray and cadmium yellow light. Now you can create a lime green color by adding a lighter hue.

How to Make Lime Green with Primary Colors?

Primary colors are single monochromatic colors. The secondary and the tertiary color combine two or more colors. To create lime green with basic colors, you may need the following equipment.

  • Blue paint
  • Yellow paint
  • Stirrer
  • White paint
  • Bowl or paint tray
  • Spoons

Now, following the basic rules, get an equal yellow and blue. Then mix them perfectly to get green. Adding a little yellow in the green will give you lime green.

How to Make Lime Green Acrylic Paint?

Acrylic paint is water-soluble, and you can use it on cards, canvas, paper even on plastic and metal. You can clean up and brushes with a cleanser and water in the wake of utilizing acrylic paint.

The lime green acrylic paint preparation is the same as the previously mentioned steps. First, you have to measure the same amount of yellow and blue acrylic paint. Mixing them properly, you will get the green color. Then adding a bit of yellow, you will get a lime green color. Thus, you can make lime green acrylic paint.

How to Make Lime Green with Food Coloring?

You can easily use the food coloring to make lime green. You can use that color in a variety of recipes or crafts. Before starting, you will need the following ingredients.

  • Bowl
  • Yellow food coloring
  • Blue food coloring
  • Rubber spatula for mixing
  • Drop stopper

First, you have to make the primary green color. Take 30 drops of blue food coloring and 75 drops of yellow food coloring and mix them properly. Then you can add more yellow to the mixture to get lime green. Also, you can take nine drops of blue food coloring with 300 drops of yellow food coloring to achieve a lime green color.

Final Thoughts

Lime green is an eye-catching hue. However, it doesn’t matter the purpose of using lime green. If you know how to mix up the colors to get different shades of green, you give your projects a new dimension. In this article, I have surfaced the easiest but most effective methods for creating lime green color.

All you need to do is be more careful when combining the colors. Learning how to make lime green is a supers’ skill to have on hand. If you know the perfect mixing ratio, you can get your desired color quickly. So, practice more and more to master this handy skill.

How to Make Metallic Paint: A Complete Guide

how to make metallic paint

Paint has always been this charming substance with lots of benefits. Its use is now increasing to such an extent that everything needs to be covered up with paint. However, because it enhances the beauty of the whole material, people are discovering several ways to use it. And one of them is how to make metallic paint.

how to make metallic paint

DIYers are interested in doing this modification not only because metallic paint provides immense beauty to a solid object but also protects it against unnecessary heat of the sun, rainfall, and moisture. Also, metallic paint lasts for a long time and fight against rust, corrosion by preventing them to attract metal-based objects. Metallic paint has this shiny glaring look that catches the eye of a person easily.

Therefore, we thought of giving you a full process of making metallic paint for your own advantage. So, let’s get started.

What Is Metallic Paint?

Metallic paint, mostly seen on vehicles, is used for giving a sharp look. It reveals the bodywork of any object and that’s why it is popular worldwide. People also recognized this paint as polychromatic and metal flake. Apart from automobiles, DIYers use metallic paint with a base coat on objects or materials that need to be contoured to expose the fine bodywork.

This paint can resist small damages and hide excessive gauges or pores underneath the metal. Then again, to protect this paint, a clear topcoat is needed. It is to protect the metallic paint and give it a more transparent or glossy look. An acrylic polyurethane topcoat embodies the enhancement besides providing a shield to metallic paint.

How to Make Metallic Paint (Step by Step)

As we have already mentioned the purpose of metallic paint and its advantageous characteristics, you might want to learn more about it. You can get ready-made metallic paint from any hardware store. But if you are a DIYer, why would you miss the chance of learning the process of making metallic paint, right? That’s why it’s our pleasure to introduce you to the step-by-step process of making metallic paint in this segment.

Step 1: Things You Need

Before jumping into the main job of making metallic paint, you need to know and collect the materials that the job requires. We always insist on preparation first because it hastens your job and lessens trouble during the whole process. However, to fulfill the whole process, the materials you need are below written.

  • Quality paint
  • Mixing brush
  • Metallic mineral powder
  • Water
  • A round spacious bucket
  • A measurement imprinted cup

Step 2: Determine the Color

If you want a metallic sheen, you got to know which color you want to come up with. There are several colors of metallic paints including gold, copper, bronze, and so on.

If you want to color an object that will expose to sun and moisture outside, then choosing aluminum oxide or silver sparkle is the best option for you.

It is because the other colors oxidize with time if remain outside for a long time. And they eventually turn into a dark or greenish color. However, you can restore those colors by adding the anti-oxidizing mineral powder to them. After you decide what color metallic paint you want to make, you can jump into the next step.

Step 3: Add the Necessaries Together

In this step, you need to determine the quantity of metallic paint you want to make. If you want to make a full gallon of this, then you need to add metallic mineral powder measuring a certain amount. Four ounces of the powder will fit in the mixture properly.

Choose a gallon of quality paint and add those two primal elements in a round-shaped bucket. Now you need to mix those two elements together properly. Use a mixing brush or tool for the whole job. After that, add a cup of water to the mixture.

Step 4: Give Them a Great Mixture

Now you need to mix paint, metallic mineral powder, and water properly in that bucket until getting an expected consistency. During the whole mixing process, you need to continue pouring a cup of water after every five minutes.

Otherwise, the mixture will get clogged with the mixture tool and stick to it stubbornly. You need to give your 100 percent attention to this job. A lot depends on your assumptions in this process. However, don’t over-pour water because that will ruin the consistency we are trying to get here.

Step 5: Let the Mixture Settle

After the mixing of water, check the consistency again. Then wrap the bucket with its cover and shake it with real effort. Show some vigor while shaking it for about 2 minutes. After this hard work, let the bucket sit for 20 minutes maximum. Then, unwrap the bucket and check-out the consistency.

The three elements in the bucket should mix so conspicuously that there should not be any components left in the bottom. If the expected metallic color is yet to come, then add more metallic mineral powder and water until it reaches the goal. Then you are done with the whole procedure of making metallic paint.

Can You Add Metallic to Any Paint?

Some people don’t even know and some people fear thinking that metallic paint can be added to any ordinary paint. Rather the mixture of metallic and oil or water-based paint ends up giving a new color and texture together.

It is absolutely okay to experience metallic paint by mixing it with any other paints. But one thing that you should keep in mind is that you need to maintain consistency as well. Once you learn the accurate proportion of mixing these two elements, you are good to go.

In fact, it’s a fun process because you can discover a new color scheme with it. But as different types of paints come with different qualities, you need to be careful and skilled for the job.

How to Make Metallic Acrylic Paint?

Acrylic paints are water-based and their primal vehicle is water. But that does not lower its quality. Whereas oil-based paint ensures more durability and stands harsh weather more vividly, water-based acrylic paints provide no less service. On the other hand, being water-based it can go along with other paints including metallic paint.

However, to make metallic acrylic paint, you can simply follow the conventional or the most followed process. Just take a gallon of acrylic paint and add four ounces of metallic mineral powder with it. Add water assuming an ideal measurement and mix them together till the mixture reaches the expected consistency. Once you get the texture out of the mixture, you are good to apply it to an object.

How to Make Metallic Gold Paint?

Once you learn how to make metallic paint, things get easier while making metallic gold paint. But you need some certain knowledge of color and scheme to do the process. A metallic gold paint offers this shiny metallic look to an object. And to get that shiny look you need to understand color temperature at first. Still, there are chances that you get a satisfying result following our instructions of making metallic gold paint.

  • First, take two colors of paint – brown and yellow. These two colors provide a golden color. You might get confused about the shades of both brown and yellow. But as gold gives a warm tint, you also need to pick up warm brown and warm yellow shades of the two colors.
  • Then, take an equal amount of these two colored paints and mix them together in a container. Use a mixing tool and give them a rough mixing so that all the components of these paints get along with each other.
  • For a vibrant golden color, pour the yellow one a little more than the brown one. Using the brown color will make the mixture dark. Therefore, mix the two colors carefully and in right proportion. You can keep adding the yellow one until you are getting the expected golden color.
  • For the next step, you need to add some metallic mineral powder and anti-oxidizing mineral to the mixture. As the powder comes in a different color, you need to be picky here. Choose the gold metallic powder and add four once of it to one gallon of yellow-brown mixture.
  • Also, add water gradually while mixing the whole elements. You need to keep the texture of the elements and maintain consistency at the same time while mixing it. Then shake the whole mixture wrap the container and let it sit for almost 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Then check the paint unwrapping the container. Check out the consistency, temperature, texture, and color scheme of the newly formed metallic gold paint. If it seems less metallic then add some more gold metallic powder to it and end the process in the same manner.

How to Make Metallic Silver Paint?

You need to follow the same ways we have implied to make metallic gold paint but of course, with some certain changes. Here, to create silver paint, you need to take two colors – black and blue. When you mix these two colors taking a single part of them, they almost result in silver color.

Adding a little bit of white color will provide the perfect silver color. After getting silver-colored paint, you need to apply a small amount of silver metallic powder and anti-oxidizing mineral to the mixture. Also, add some water and give a vigorous mixture as we said before. Then when it reaches the texture and consistency, you are done with the making process of metallic silver paint.

How to Make Metallic Paint Shiny?

Metallic paints are already shiny and provide a glaring sheen finish on an automobile or object. But if you want a vivid shiny look on a metallic painted vehicle then you can do it by adding some commercial polishing product to it. Then use a polishing tool and polish the surface of the vehicle. It will then give shiny flickers from the spaces where you have applied the polishing product. Thus, you can make metallic paint shiny.

How to Make Metallic Bronze Paint?

For making metallic bronze paint, you need to mix two different colors – copper and tin. They provide the perfect shade of bronze once you mix them properly. Adding the bronze metallic powder and anti-oxidizing mineral to the mixture following our preceding instructions will help you to get the shade of metallic bronze paint.

Final Thoughts

As people have an obsession with colors, they search for different colors and schemes. In the cases of paint, metallic paint has great use globally. And as many DIYers are keen to know how to make metallic paint because of its amazing color consistency, the use of the color is only increasing.

Therefore, you should also experience this metallic paint and invent different color temperatures using the instructions that we’ve provided here. And let us know your wonderful experiences later on.

How to Make Magenta Paint [A Complete Guide]

how to make magenta paint

Magenta is a smooth, luxurious, and somewhat mysterious color. It brings such beauty to interior designs that you may often find people asking: “how to make magenta paint”.

First of all, magenta can be a tricky-to-make color, and some may say that you cannot make the perfect shade of magenta at all by mixing colors. We can’t just laugh off their theory because, in color printing, magenta is considered a primary color.

how to make magenta paint

You can achieve a shade of magenta by mixing a certain amount of Red and Blue or mixing a little bit of Alizarin Crimson or Crimson Lake with Purple in acrylic color mixing.

In this article, we are going to discuss more magenta facts and learn how to create magenta in different mediums. So, let’s dive into our main topic.

What Is Magenta – Some Closer Colors to Magenta

The color magenta can be described in many ways, some may define it to be a purplish-red color while others may consider it to be a mauvish-crimson color. But no matter what people call it, we all have to admit that it’s a real luxurious color.

The word magenta came from an aniline dye that dates back to 1859 when a French chemist named François-Emmanuel Verguin first made and patented it. One amazing fact about magenta is that at first, he named it fuchsine. It was later renamed magenta to celebrate the victory of the Italian-French side at the battle of Magenta which was fought between the Austrians and French.

The shades that are close to magenta may vary from person to person. Some would say that it is close to purple and some may say that it has a pinkish purple look. The fun fact is that in both additive and subtractive color models, you will find magenta sitting exactly in the middle of blue and red.

Also Read: Using Water Based Paint Over Oil Based Primer

What Colors Make Magenta?

Before answering this question, let’s revise some chapters from elementary school color theory. Can you remember that the primary colors were Red, Yellow, and Blue and secondary colors were Purple, Orange, and Green? Did you notice magenta anywhere?

No, right? That’s because what you learned in elementary school was based on the RYB color model which comes from the traditional Red, Yellow, and Blue based painting. However, there are other color models like CMYK or RGB where magenta has a significant impact. Let’s discuss them briefly.

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

The name of this model is self-explanatory, you can see that magenta is one of the base colors of this model. And the CMYK color model is widely used in the printing industry like printing newspapers, magazines, etc. The same model is used in your office printers. So, if you are working with a CMYK model, you don’t need to mix any additional colors to make the magenta color.

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

This color model is widely used to visualize things in the screens that we use daily, like TVs, Smartphone, computer monitors, etc. In this model, we can make a magenta color by mixing two colors and the colors are red and blue.

But when we are talking about traditional paint mixing, you may try to mix red and blue to get the magenta color, but I think you will end up with something violet, not magenta. That’s why we said that it’s a tricky-to-make color in the beginning.

However, you can achieve a nice-looking shade of magenta if you do acrylic color mixing and use Purple with Alizarin Crimson or Crimson Lake. And you may use blue and red to make magenta but the shade may not be an accurate one which we said earlier.

What Two Colors Make Magenta?

Probably you have already got some ideas about the two colors that make magenta. When we are talking about the RGB color model, you can mix red and blue to make the magenta color.

In acrylic paint mixing, you can use purple with alizarin crimson or crimson lake to achieve a nice shade of magenta color.

However, also in acrylic paint mixing, you can achieve a nice fuchsia color using red and blue but you need to add some other colors as well. Fuchsia is the identical twin of magenta. But the problem is that the rule for making magenta with two colors will be omitted then.

How to Make Magenta Paint – Step by Step

Using acrylic color mixing techniques, you can make magenta color in several ways. The shades may not be 100% accurate but they are worth giving a try. And probably the easiest way to make magenta would be using two primary colors: red and blue. And there are more methods as well. So, let’s take a look.

Red and Blue:

  • Step 1: Taking the Paint

Take some red paint in a container. Add the same amount of blue. The overall amount of the colors will depend on the amount of magenta you want, but make sure you take 50-50 of each color while mixing.

Using cobalt blue and cadmium red is recommended but any red and blue that isn’t extremely dark or extremely light should do the job.

  • Step 2: Mixing

Mix the colors using a brush or a stirring stick. Keep mixing until you see no streaks remaining.

  • Step 3: Adjusting the Color

You may not feel satisfied with the color you got in the first shot. No worries. You can always adjust the shade of the color by adding a little bit of color from the red or the blue to get your desired shade.

If you feel you’ve added too much red, you can use blue to fix everything, and if the blue seems to be the dominating color, use red to bring back the balance.

Purple with Alizarin Crimson or Crimson Lake:

  • Step 1: Taking The Paint

Take some purple paint in a container. Next, add a little amount of alizarin crimson or crimson lake color.

  • Step 2: Mixing

Mix the colors well using a brush or a stirring stick. You will get your desired magenta shade.

  • Step 3: Adjusting the Color

If the resultant color needs a little bit of adjustment and you feel like you’ve added too much purple you can use a slight amount of alizarin crimson or crimson lake color to fix everything and if the crimson color seems dominating, use purple to bring back the balance.

Remember, you need to use more purple than crimson color to achieve a nice shade of magenta.

How to Make Magenta with Acrylic Paint

Making magenta with acrylic paint is quite simple, you don’t need to go through tricky color mixing theories here. All you need is some clear acrylic gesso and some magenta pigment.

  • First, take some clear gesso in a container and add magenta pigment to it. Now mix them using a stirring stick or a paintbrush. Keep mixing until no streaks remain and you will see your desired magenta color.
  • If you don’t have clear gesso, you may use white gesso however, sticking to clear gesso is always recommended. Though it will be okay to make magenta paint with white gesso, it will cost you more magenta pigment and more mixing time to achieve your desired magenta shade.

How to Make Magenta with Oil Paint

This one is as simple as working with acrylic paint. You can make magenta with oil paint using some magenta pigment and a good oil medium. For an oil medium, linseed oil is always recommended. It works great with pigments.

So, to begin making magenta paint, first take some linseed oil. You can take a small amount first to check how it works and then make larger batches according to your need. Okay, add some magenta pigment to the linseed oil now. Finally, mix them well and you should get your desired magenta paint.

If you don’t find the exact color you are looking for, try changing the amount of the pigment or the oil medium depending on the condition of the shade. Additionally, if you find oil paint mixing a little tricky, there are magenta oil paint tubes available in the market, you can check them out.

How to Make Magenta with Watercolor Paint

To make the magenta color with watercolor, you need to use some magenta pigment and a proper medium. When we are talking about the medium, using gum arabic is recommended. But if you find other mediums suitable, you may give them a try as well.

To begin the magenta-making process, take some gum arabic and add some magenta pigments to it. Mix them well and your magenta paint will be ready.

How to Make Magenta without Red?

Making magenta without a red color may be a difficult thing unless you consider crimson to be a true red color! If you use a little amount of alizarin crimson or crimson lake color with purple color and mix them, you will find a nice shade of magenta.

How to Make Bright Magenta Paint?

If you make magenta paint brighter, the resultant color will look something like a red-heavy purple color or purplish-pink color.

Anyway, to brighten magenta paint, you need to mix some bright shaded cool red color with a little bit of white. You will get bright pink as a result. Now, add a little amount of blue or purple paint to achieve your desired bright magenta color.

If you don’t find the shade to be satisfactory, try experimenting with the shade of the red color and other colors as well.

How to Make Darken Magenta Paint?

You can make magenta paint look darker in multiple ways. You can choose black or green to easily darken magenta paint.

You may wonder how green works to darken magenta paint! Well, it works because if you look at the color wheel, you will find that green sits opposite to the magenta color. So, being an opposite color of magenta, it darkens the magenta color as a result.

An important point to notice while working with black or green color is that you may mess up the whole magenta color if the amount of black or green is used more than needed.

So, to successfully darken the magenta paint, always add the black or green color in a small amount at a time. Gradually changing the amount will allow you to achieve a nice, dark-looking magenta color.

Magenta in Design

Magenta has various uses. Besides regular home designs or upholstery designs, it can be used on instances such as:

  • Printing: You can’t even think of printing without the CMYK color model. So, magenta plays a very important role here.
  • Home décor: Magenta is a great color for home decor and interior designs.
  • DIY projects: Magenta can be an excellent choice for certain DIY projects like fabric dying or upholstery fabric designs.
  • Car painting: You can make your car look dashing by covering it with a nice magenta shade.
  • Graphic design: Magenta can be a top choice for graphic designers.
  • Beauty industry: The beauty industry uses magenta in a huge amount.

Magenta is a luxurious and smooth color that adds richness to any surface. Using a nice shade of magenta can instantly make a dull surface look gorgeous.

Final Thoughts

Magenta is such an amazing color that suits almost everything, from interior walls to automobiles. Besides being an amazing color, it can be considered as a mysterious color because some may consider it to be a primary color thus it can’t be made by mixing other colors, while others believe that making magenta by mixing colors is possible.

We respect both opinions but in our article, we’ve shown that it’s possible to make magenta color in various mediums. Though you may not get the 100% accurate shade of magenta, using these techniques to make magenta is worth it. So, don’t stop your creative hands if you need a little bit of magenta to make your work look perfect.