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.
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.
