What Colors Make Black?

In paint, mixing all three primary colors (red, blue, yellow) creates near-black. In digital, black is the absence of all light: RGB(0, 0, 0).

The Answer: What Makes Black

Red
+
Blue
+
Yellow
=
Black
#000000View full color details →

Paint & Pigment Mixing (RYB)

Mix all three primary pigment colors (red, blue, yellow) together. In practice this produces a very dark muddy brown — true black is best achieved using black pigment. Complementary color pairs like orange + blue also make near-black.

Digital Color (RGB)

In digital, black is the complete absence of light — all RGB channels at zero: rgb(0, 0, 0) / #000000.

RGB
rgb(0, 0, 0)

Frequently Asked Questions

What colors make black?

Mix all three primary paint colors — red, blue, and yellow — together to get a near-black. In digital, black = rgb(0,0,0).

What two colors make black?

No two colors reliably make pure black, but complementary pairs (orange + blue, red + green) create very dark near-black tones.

What color to mix to make black?

Mix red, blue, and yellow together. Adjust ratios until you reach the darkest shade.

In acrylic painting, what colors make black?

Mix complementary colors like orange and blue, or combine all three primaries (red, yellow, blue).