To mix custom colors with Angelus Paint, start with the closest color you can buy, then shift it in small amounts: yellow and blue make green, red and yellow make orange, red and blue make purple, Angelus White lightens any color, and a touch of black or the color's opposite darkens it. All Angelus paints mix with each other, so you can build almost any shade.
We've mixed leather colors in Los Angeles since 1907, and the best customizers we know follow the same habits: mix more than you need, write the recipe down, and test it dry before it touches the project.
Start here: what color do you need?
Quick answer: mixing paint colors
- Start with the store color closest to what you want.
- Add the second color a little at a time.
- Lighten with white and darken with black, sparingly.
- Mix more than you need for the whole project.
- Test a swatch and let it dry before you commit.
The paint behind this guide
Angelus Paint
Hundreds of flexible acrylic colors that all mix with each other, so you can start close and fine-tune from there.
4.9 stars from 13,900+ reviews
Shop paint colors
The color you'll use most
Angelus White Paint
The base for every tint and pastel. Most custom mixes need more white than you'd expect, so it's worth keeping a bigger bottle on hand.
4.9 stars from 13,900+ reviews of Angelus Paint
Shop White PaintReal reviews from Angelus customers
4.9 stars from 13,900+ reviews of Angelus Paint
★★★★★
"This color paints smooth. The paint is true to color and mixes well too!"
Robert B. · Verified buyer · Angelus Paint
★★★★★
"Used this mixed with chilli red, to make red October color, came out great"
Verified buyer · Angelus Paint
★★★★★
"Can’t go wrong with white paint I bought a bigger size for when I mix colors"
Deysy A. · Verified buyer · White Paint
Read this before you mix
Real paint doesn't mix like a color wheel
Color wheels are a great starting point, but every pigment has its own strength. A drop of a dense color can take over a whole mix, while lighter colors barely move it. The recipes below are starting ratios, not exact formulas, so add the strong color last and in tiny amounts.
Strong colors win
Blue and black are dense. Add them to the lighter color a drop at a time, never the other way around.
Paint dries darker
Wet paint looks a shade lighter than it dries. Brush a swatch on scrap and let it dry before you judge the color.
Mix once, mix enough
Matching a custom color twice is hard. Mix enough for every coat and keep the leftover in a sealed container.
Basic color recipes
These are the three mixes every customizer uses. Start with the lighter color and add the darker one slowly.
Green
About 2 parts yellow to 1 part blue. More yellow for lime, more blue for forest.
Orange
About 2 parts yellow to 1 part red. More red pushes it toward burnt orange.
Purple
About equal parts red and blue. Add white for lavender.
Making a color lighter or darker
Adding white makes a tint, and adding black makes a shade. For lighter colors, start with Angelus White and add the color into it a little at a time, since a small amount of color goes a long way in white. For darker colors, add black sparingly. A tiny bit of the color's opposite on the wheel, like a touch of red in a green, darkens it with a richer result than black alone.
Pastels and tints
Mostly white with a little color. Great for sky blue, blush pink, and mint.
Deep shades
Mostly color with a drop of black. Navy, forest, and burgundy start here.
Browns, tans, and grays
Neutral colors come from mixing all three primaries together, then adjusting with white and black. They're the hardest to get right, so test-dry these every time.
Brown
Equal parts red and yellow with a little blue. Add a touch of black for chocolate.
Tan
Start with white, add yellow and a little red, then a tiny bit of blue to tone it down.
Gray
White with a few drops of black. Add a hint of blue for a cool gray, or brown for warm.
How to match an existing color
Start from the closest bottle in the Angelus Paint range rather than from scratch. With hundreds of colors, you're usually one or two small adjustments away. Hold a dried swatch right next to the item in natural light, compare, and adjust. Is it too warm? Add a touch of blue. Too cool? Add a touch of red or yellow. Too bright? Add a drop of its opposite.
How to mix paint, step by step
Mix on a palette
Use a palette or a small cup, and mix with a separate brush so your painting brush stays clean. Stir until there are no streaks.
Write the recipe down
Count your drops or brush-loads and note them. If you run out halfway, the recipe lets you get close again.
Test it dry, then paint
Brush a swatch on scrap leather or a hidden spot, let it dry fully, and compare. Then paint your project in thin coats. Our leather shoe guide walks through the full process.
You can stop here
That's everything you need to mix your own colors. Ready to use them? See how to paint leather for any leather item.
Mixing mistakes that waste paint
- Adding the light color to the dark one. You'll use half the bottle getting it lighter. Always add dark to light.
- Judging the color while it's wet. It dries darker, so let a swatch dry first.
- Mixing too little. Running out mid-project means re-matching, which rarely comes out exact.
- Using too much black to darken. It can make colors look muddy. Try a touch of the opposite color first.
- Skipping the recipe notes. Write down your ratios so you can mix it again.
Related guides: Paint leather shoes · Paint any leather · Paint canvas shoes · Gradient effects
Paint mixing FAQ
Can you mix Angelus paints together?
Yes. All Angelus Paint colors mix with each other, so you can create custom shades from the existing range.
How do you make brown paint?
Mix equal parts red and yellow with a little blue. Add a touch of black for a darker brown, or white for tan.
How do you lighten paint without changing the color too much?
Add white a little at a time. Start with white and mix the color into it for pastels, since color is much stronger than white.
Why does my mixed color look different when it dries?
Paint dries a shade darker than it looks wet. Always test a swatch and let it dry before you paint the project.
How do I match a color exactly?
Start from the closest Angelus color, then adjust in tiny amounts. Compare a dried swatch next to the item in natural light.
How do I make a color darker without black?
Add a tiny amount of its opposite on the color wheel, like red into green or yellow into purple. It deepens the color without making it muddy.
