How do I prevent muddy brown paint?

Adding too much Titanium White right away turns brown chalky grey-pink; dial in darkness and warmth first, then lighten.

What Colors Make Brown? Paint Mixing Chart & Exact Tube Ratios

Red + Yellow + Blue (or Orange + Blue) make brown. Start by mixing 2 parts Cadmium Red + 2 parts Cadmium Yellow into bright orange, then add 1 small part U

Primary Paint Formula for Brown

Red + Yellow + Blue (or Orange + Blue) make brown. Start by mixing 2 parts Cadmium Red + 2 parts Cadmium Yellow into bright orange, then add 1 small part Ultramarine Blue until it turns rich chocolate brown.

3 Studio Shade Recipes

Warm Chocolate Brown (#8B5646): 3 parts Warm Red + 2 parts Warm Yellow + 1 part Ultramarine Blue
Golden Tan / Caramel Brown (#8C6959): 2 parts Warm Yellow + 1 part Warm Red + 0.5 part Blue + 2 parts White
Dark Espresso Umber (#6F5251): 2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 2 parts Burnt Sienna

Artist Mixing Tips

Any complementary pair on the color wheel (Orange + Blue, Red + Green, or Purple + Yellow) mixes brown.
Add blue slowly on the tip of your palette knife — blue has high tinting strength and can turn brown into greenish slate quickly.
To warm up a flat brown, glaze in a pinch of Cadmium Red or Yellow Ochre rather than white.

Active Color Swatches & Shades

#6F4E37 — HEX, RGB, HSL & Shade Scale
#8B5646 — HEX, RGB, HSL & Shade Scale
#8C6959 — HEX, RGB, HSL & Shade Scale
#6F5251 — HEX, RGB, HSL & Shade Scale