What Colors Make Burnt Sienna? What Two Colors Make Burnt Sienna

In this article, we will share what colors make “burnt sienna” when mixed together. Stick around…

The world of colors is vast. As such, you are guaranteed to encounter colors that many are not familiar with.

As artists mix and blend different hues, they create rich and complicated palettes. This complexity is what makes art so dynamic and enthralling.

Whether you are a painter or an artist, you know how important it is to explore your palette.

You may be able to purchase a set of art supplies with a wide variety of colors, but chances are it will not contain every color that you wish to use in your creation.

This is why knowing how to mix hues is important. It can help you get the color you need to achieve lush and compelling art and designs.

One of the lesser-known colors to many, but still widely used by artists and designers, is burnt sienna. If you are interested in creating this hue then this is the article for you.

But first, a brief discussion of what exactly burnt sienna is…

What exactly is Burnt Sienna?

When you first encounter burnt sienna, it will strike you as looking rusty. Its reddish and brownish characteristics make it easy to confuse with other reds or browns.

This impression of rust is not entirely wrong as it is classified in the color index as both a red pigment and a brown one.

However, the main characteristics of this hue are its dark and warm properties when compared with other reds and browns.

Because it has a combination of red and brown attributes, its rust-like feature is what makes it distinguishable.

Its rusty appearance is not a coincidence. Burnt sienna was first created by heating up certain rocks to dry out their iron dioxide content. As you may know, iron oxide is another name for rust.

Burnt sienna was first discovered during the 18^th century in Sienna, Italy. The raw material for this pigment was found in the quarries near Sienna.

Because the pigment itself is made through burning the rocks, the color was given the name burnt sienna.

Now that you know what exactly burnt sienna is, you may be more curious as to how you can recreate this hue.

But before that, let’s have a quick refresher on the basics of color combination. Read on…

Basic Color Combination

The most important thing you should know about mixing hues is that there are colors that you cannot achieve by blending others.

These are called primary hues.

However, you can merge two primaries to form new pigments called secondary colors.

When you combine one primary and one secondary, you will get a tertiary hue.

These pigments make up the color wheel when lined up according to their relation to one another.

Now, take two hues that sit opposite each other on the wheel. These are called complementary colors. When you blend them together, you are bound to get a version of brown.

Another essential thing about the color combination is that you can get different results when mixing two hues by varying the portions.

For example, it is a known fact that red and yellow make orange.

However, you will get a different version of orange depending on how much yellow or how much red you use.

Knowing this, it’s time to reveal how you can create burnt sienna using other hues. Ready? Keep reading.

What Colors Make Burnt Sienna?

As mentioned, this color has reddish and brownish characteristics giving it a rust-like appearance.

Because of this, the easiest way to achieve this mix is to blend red and brown together.

Make sure to add the right amounts of the two hues in order to produce the perfect recreation.

However, if you do not have any brown on-hand, you can simply blend two complementaries.

Then, infuse red as you see fit in order to create the rusty-looking pigment.

You can also simply mix all three primaries in order to create brown.

Just make sure to increase the portion of red to give the mixture that rusty look that is distinctively characteristic of burnt sienna.

Using Burnt Sienna in Art and Design

In art and design, you will observe that this hue is usually used to paint landscapes for a dynamic, earthy palette.

However, it can be used in portraiture which utilizes shades of brown and red. Take for example Rembrandt van Rijn’s Self-Portrait.

It has rich brown colors, giving it a moody and pensive look.

The Bottom Line

Burnt sienna is a versatile color that can give depth to any painting. Now that you what colors make burnt sienna you can recreate it and use it in your work without worries!