What Colors Make Maroon?
Red and black make maroon. A touch of blue or brown instead of black gives a richer, less flat result.
Red + Black = Maroon
Red
6 parts
Black
a touch
Maroon
Add black in very small amounts — it darkens red extremely fast and can turn it muddy.
Red + Blue + Brown = Maroon
Red
5 parts
Blue
a touch
Brown
1 part
Maroon
Gives a deeper, warmer maroon with more life than black alone.
Adjusting your maroon
To lighten: Add white for dusty rose, or red for a brighter wine.
To darken: Add a little more black or blue for oxblood.
To mute or soften: Add a speck of green (its complement) for a muted brick maroon.
Mixing paint vs. mixing light
The recipes above describe subtractive mixing — how paint, ink and pigment behave. Each pigment absorbs part of the spectrum, so the more you add, the darker the mixture gets.
Screens work the opposite way, using additive mixing with red, green and blue light: the more you add, the brighter it gets. With light (RGB), maroon is simply a dark red — low-brightness red light with very little green or blue, e.g. #7B1E28.
Frequently asked about making maroon
What colors make maroon?
Red and black make maroon. A touch of blue or brown instead of black gives a richer, less flat result.
What two colors make maroon?
Red + Black makes maroon. Add black in very small amounts — it darkens red extremely fast and can turn it muddy.
How do you make maroon lighter or darker?
Add white for dusty rose, or red for a brighter wine. Add a little more black or blue for oxblood.
Is mixing maroon paint the same as mixing maroon light?
No. Paint mixes subtractively while light mixes additively. With light (RGB), maroon is simply a dark red — low-brightness red light with very little green or blue, e.g. #7B1E28.