We’re back with another tutorial in our Colour Mixing 101 series, and this time we’re turning up the heat with one of the strongest secondary colours: bright orange!
Mixing orange might seem straightforward, just combine red and yellow, right? But as you’ll see in this new video with Stephen, it’s not quite that simple. Getting that rich, punchy, saturated orange takes a bit more thought and understanding of colour mixing.
Why Does Orange Go Wrong So Easily?
Orange is a bold, cheerful colour but it’s easy to end up with a dull or muddy version, if you’re not using the right red and yellow. In this tutorial, Stephen walks you through key questions to ask yourself before mixing:
Which red and yellow should I use?
Learn how to identify warm/cool colours.Why doesn’t my mix look like the sample?
Discover the underlying tones inside paint, whether they are warm/cool.What do I do if I mess it up?
Stephen shows you how to bring a mix back when it veers off course.
What You’ll Learn in This Video:
✔️ How to mix a bright, vibrant orange using primaries
✔️ How colour temperature affects your mixes
✔️ Step-by-step guidance on adjusting tone, saturation and intensity
✔️ How to avoid muddy or brownish oranges
Stephen uses Art Spectrum oil paints in this demo — our go to choice for quality and consistency (and proudly made in Australia). But you can follow along using whatever oil paints you have.
Bright orange can bring incredible life and contrast to your artwork. Knowing how to mix a vibrant orange properly makes your work more dynamic and gives you confidence to explore colour boldly.
Stay tuned for more colour mixing tips and tricks with our Colour Mixing 101 series!
Happy painting!