ColourMixer

Cyan

Mixed from three paints: Titanium White, Phthalo Blue and Cadmium Yellow.

The recipe

Drag a bar to change how much of that paint goes in, and watch the colour change at the top.

Titanium WhitePW625 parts53%
Phthalo BluePB1521 parts45%
Cadmium YellowPY351 part1%

Parts are a ratio: a drop, a spoonful, whatever suits the amount you need.

Value6 / 10
TemperatureCool
Leans towards blue, so it recedes. Good for shadow and distance.
AcrylicDries a little darker
Mix it a touch lighter than you want it.
Mix tipCadmium Yellow last
Cadmium Yellow is strong. Add it a little at a time.

Printers' cyan is a blue: Phthalo Blue is the paint that matches it. Lighten with white for the familiar bright cyan.

More blues

How to mix blue: the guide to every blue

Similar colours

In these collections

Your paints

The library and every recipe here are mixed from just these.

PY35Cadmium Yellow
PY3Lemon Yellow
PR108Cadmium Red
PR122Quinacridone Magenta
PB29Ultramarine Blue
PB15Phthalo Blue
PW6Titanium White