Did you know that it is entirely possible to make gold color by using the primary colors that you have in your arsenal right now? Yes, you will not need any complicated shade of any color.
But the thing is, not everyone can adequately make gold using the shades of primary colors. As a result, the artwork does not correctly portray the wealth and glamor that the painters were trying to express.
However, you need not worry one bit because if you were trying to learn how to make gold paint properly, you just stumbled upon the right place.
We know which colors to mix first and which the last to get the proper shade of gold. And we will go through the whole process in this article. So, read till the very end.
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What Colors Make Gold Paint?
It would be a good idea to know about the colors that we are going to use for the process. And the colors that we will be relying on to get the gold paint are brown, yellow, red, blue, and black.
However, we will be going through three different shades of gold. Each of them will have a different complexity.
So, if you were to make the primary shade of gold, which is the goldenrod shade, you would only require brown and yellow. In other words, if you were to ask us what two colors make gold, our answers would be yellow and brown.
But the thing is, different paintings require different shades of gold. For that reason, we are going to go through four different shades, which should be enough to create a glamorous look in your artwork.
How to Make Gold Paint with Acrylic Paint
Before we get started, we would like to assure you that the process is pretty straightforward. To make things easier for you, we have come up with a making gold paint step-by-step process that should be easy to follow. So, let us get started, shall we?
For Goldenrod Shade
These are the steps that you need to follow to make a basic shade of gold, which is the goldenrod shade:
Step 1: Drop a Good Amount of Yellow on the Palette
First of all, you need to pour a fair amount of yellow on the mixing palette. Use a brush to spread it around a bit on the surface. The more you spread it around, the better the mix is going to look.
Step 2: Pour an Equal Amount of Brown into the Yellow
Now, you need to pour an equal amount of brown on the palette. Use the same brush to mix both the paints together. After a good mix, you should end up with the primary shade of the golden color.
Step 3: Make Adjustments if Necessary
If the shades of yellow and brown were a bit different, then your mix can look a bit like beige. In that case, you need to drop a bit of red into the mixture. Mix the whole thing together properly, and the color should not have any undertone to it.
To make the mixture look less bland, you can also add a touch of blue. That will bring out the undertones properly, and the golden color will not look beige or bland.
For a Little Dark Shade of Gold
To get a bit of complex gold color, you need to work with three different colors. The steps are as follows:
Step 1: Pour a Fair Amount of Yellow on the Mixing Palette
Like the previous process, you need to start with yellow. It would be best to consider how much yellow you are adding because that quantity will come in handy in the following steps. Spread the color around properly to make the mixing process a bit easier.
Step 2: Drop an Equal Amount of Red and Blue
After pouring yellow on the palette, you need to pour an equal amount of red and blue into it.
The red and blue might look like it is going to offer green, but when you mix the whole thing, you should end up with warm-toned gold. This shade of gold will lean more towards a darker color, unlike the goldenrod shade.
Step 3: Adjust and Tweak if Necessary
If you are not satisfied with the mixture’s shade, you need to make a few adjustments. To make the shade a bit brighter, add a brush worth of yellow into the blend.
To lower the purple tones of the blend, you need to add a drop of red color. That will balance out the purple tones and make the mixture look like gold.
But if you want to make this mixture have a brown tone, add less blue and more red while blending the original mix.
Read Next: How to make homemade tan color paint
For Deep Gold
The deep golden color is one of the most versatile golden shades. Are you wondering why it is that? Well, unlike the other mixtures, this one will let you achieve a cooler shade easily. That being said, let us go through the steps:
Step 1: Combine Equal Amounts of Red and Black
To start with, you need to mix an equal amount of blue and red on the palette. Mix both of the colors adequately, and you should end up with something that will have a brownish shade to it.
Step 2: Add Yellow
Now, you need to add a yellow color to the mixture. The amount of yellow color will be the same as the red and black. Mix the whole thing with the brush, and the shade should achieve a lighter and brighter look.
This shade can closely resemble true gold, which is why you will be able to use it in most of your artwork.
Step 3: Tweak and Adjust as Necessary
To make the mixture achieve a warm tone, drop a bit of red, brown, orange, and magenta. Depending on the tint you already have, the whole shade should have a good amount of warmth.
For a lighter or cooler tone, you would need to add a brush worth of light blue to the mixture. Mix the colors together, and you should end up with a golden hue that has a lighter and cooler tone to it.
Read Next: Making peach color paint at home
How to Make Rose Gold Paint: Step-by-Step
The process of making rose gold is a bit different. Instead of starting from scratch, you need to take any of the shades of gold as a base.
However, while selecting the golden base, consider the tone of the color that you are looking to achieve. After that, follow these steps:
Step 1: Mix Gold with Red
First of all, you need to mix the golden base with red. So, take the palette out and pour or blend a good amount of gold first. Spread it around with the knife and then move along to the next step.
Step 2: Drop a Bit of Silver into the Mixture
Now, it would be time to add a silver color to the blend. Here, the quantity of silver will depend on the shade of the mixture.
If the mixture is a bit dark, then you need to pour a good amount of silver. However, if the shade has a cooler tone, add a small amount of silver.
Step 3: Add Glitters for a Glamorous Look
If you are shooting for a dazzling and glamorous look, you need to add a bit of silver glitter to the mixture. You can also mix gold glitter with silver glitter to obtain a complex blend of dazzling rose gold.
Which Colors Should I Stick with to Adjust the Tone of Gold?
If you already have the golden color paint with you and want to adjust it, it would be a wise idea to stick with primary colors.
By primary colors, we are referring to yellow, blue, red, and white here. Add a little bit of any of these colors and analyze the shade.
The white will generally make the golden color light, while the red might make the paint achieve a bit of depth. However, if you were opting to make the gold a bit dark, you need to mix a fair amount of brown into the mixture.
Avoid using black to tweak and adjust color because they usually leave a blue tint to the paint.
Usually, you would need to use the black color when you are working with grey-based colors. And the gold color is pretty far from the grey hue. So, instead of using black, use brown to add depth and a darker shade to the gold.
Final Words
As you can see, learning the best way to make gold paint is not that much of a difficult task. All you need to know is about the colors you need to work with.
And after mixing the appropriate amount of those colors, you should end up with your desired shade of gold.