How to Mix Gold Color

Co-authored by Veronica Winters

The color gold symbolizes magic, wealth, and glamour, which makes it a popular color for paintings and crafts. Gold is one of the most difficult colors to mix because it has both warm and cool undertones. Luckily, with some knowledge of color mixing, you can combine a variety of paint colors to create the perfect gold shade for your needs. You can even add pigment or glitter to make a sparkly, metallic gold!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Making a Gold Base

1
Mix equal parts of brown and yellow to make a goldenrod shade. If you have a tube of brown paint on hand, this is the easiest way to make gold. Simply stir together equal parts of the yellow and brown to make a more traditional mustard-colored gold.^{[1]
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- If the color looks beige or bland, try adding a drop of red and a drop of blue to bring out the undertones.
2
Stir together red, blue, and yellow to make a brown-based gold. First, mix together equal parts red and blue to create a green shade. Then, mix together an equal amount of the green shade and yellow to make a warm-toned, dark gold. If you want a brighter gold, continue adding yellow until you reach the desired shade.^{[2]
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- If you make the shade too yellow-toned, add a drop of blue and a drop of red to balance it out with purple tones.
- For a more brown-toned shade, add more red than blue to the original mixture.
- All other colors like cadmium yellows or reds could be added depending on the reflections.
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3
Combine equal parts black, red, and yellow to create a deep gold. In a cup or on a palette, start by making a warm maroon for the gold by mixing black and red. Then, add yellow to the mixture to make it lighter and brighter. This will create a shade that closely resembles a true gold.^{[3]
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- For more warmth, mix in a drop of red, magenta, brown, or orange, depending on the tint that you want to achieve.
- To make a cooler shade, add a drop of light blue.
4
Adjust the tone of the color by adding yellow, red, blue, or white. In general, if you’re looking to adjust the gold that you’ve already mixed, stick to primary colors and white. Adding red will make the gold have a warmer tone, and blue will give it a cooler tone. Yellow will help to even out colors that are too warm or cool, and white will make the colors lighter.^{[4]
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Tip: If you want to make gold darker, add brown instead of black to avoid giving it a blue tint. Black should always be used sparingly unless you’re working with gray-based colors.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Adding Sparkle and Shine

1
Add a few drops of white to make the glitter or pigment shine brighter. When you make a sparkly or metallic shade, the shine will be more pronounced on a lighter color. Add 2-3 drops of white into the gold that you mixed, and stir it after each drop. Once you’ve reached a color that’s 1-2 shades lighter than your original color, you can add glitter or pigment.^{[5]
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- If you’re happy with the shade, you don’t have to make it lighter. Most glitter and metallic shades tend to dry brighter than they look when they’re applied.
2
Sprinkle in a pinch of gold iridescent pigment to get a metallic color. Purchase a gold or pearl iridescent pigment, like mica or craft pigment, in a hobby store or online. Add a very small amount at first, and mix it thoroughly. Then, use a brush to paint a test swatch of the color, and hold it under direct light to make sure it’s as shiny as you want it to be.^{[6]
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Using Iridescent Pigments

Wait for the paint to dry to get the full effect. When you first apply the gold paint, it might not look shiny. As the paint dries, it will become more metallic.

Use very small amounts of pigment to keep the shine subtle. Metallic golds are shiny, but you shouldn’t be able to see individual sparkles in the paint. If you want more shine, you can always add another pinch.

Look at the paint from an angle to get the best view. The color of the metallic shimmer will depend on how you look at the paint. Try moving your head around or shining light on the paint from different angles to get the full effect.
3
Mix gold glitter into paint for a bright, sparkly shade. Get a container of gold or translucent craft glitter or micro-glitter from the craft store, and mix a pinch of the glitter into the paint. Use a brush to paint a swatch of the gold and let it dry. Then, hold the swatch under direct light to view the glitter.^{[7]
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- Keep in mind that large pieces of glitter will be less effective since the paint will coat the flecks of plastic. Try to purchase the smallest glitter that you can to get a sparkly, shiny effect.
- This is a great option for painting walls and furniture because the glitter will be visible from all angles.
4
Apply a layer of paint and then coat it with glitter for a textured look. Once you have your gold base, apply the paint to a canvas, jar, or other item. Then, use your hands or a brush to stick gold glitter onto the wet paint for a 3D effect. Let the paint dry and apply a sealant or clear varnish to ensure that the glitter doesn’t fall off.^{[8]
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- This is a great idea for crafts or paintings because it allows you to apply the glitter anywhere you want.

Expert Q&A

Question

What colors make a gold color?

Veronica Winters
Figurative Artist
Veronica Winters is a Figurative Artist who owns an online art gallery and studio in Naples, Florida. With over 20 years of experience, Veronica specializes in surreal figurative oil paintings and colored pencil drawings. In 2022, she won the Award for Distinction at the 30th Annual Colored Pencil Society of America International Exhibition. Veronica is also a published author of two art books: How to Color Like an Artist and The Colored Pencil Manual. She received her BFA in Studio Art at Oklahoma State University and her MFA in Painting at Pennsylvania State University. Veronica also studied classical drawing at the Grand Central Academy of Art and the Art Students League of New York.

Veronica Winters

Figurative Artist

Expert Answer

In general, the color of gold consists of some brown paint—burnt sienna, burnt umber, yellow ochre, and white—, but this question doesn't really have a straight answer, because metals reflect the surrounding colors a lot, which could vary a great deal. For instance if a golden candle holder is placed next to a red wallpaper, the gold will have some red mixed into it. Also, the warm/cool light affects color perception and more colors could be added to the basic mix.
Question

I have mostly chocolate brown, red, and yellow. What color will I end up with?

Community Answer

It depends on the amount of each color you use, it can range from a light brown to a murky orange.
Question

I purchased 2 gal of gold paint and do not like what colors I have. Can I mix them with the gold to make a different color?

Community Answer

Yes, you can mix it with red to make like a cool golden maroon. if you mix it with green, it makes a warm olive color. if you mix it pink, it makes it like a pink-ish maroon. However, do experiment with just small amounts first before mixing the whole lot or you could end up with a pail of bad paint.