What Colors Make Teal?
Blue and green make teal. Add a touch of white to brighten it, or a speck of black for a deep petrol teal.
Blue + Green = Teal
Blue
1 part
Green
1 part
Teal
Equal parts give true teal. More blue moves it to petrol; more green moves it to sea green.
Blue + Yellow + White = Teal
Blue
3 parts
Yellow
1 part
White
a touch
Teal
Make green from blue and yellow first, then pull it back toward blue.
Adjusting your teal
To lighten: Add white for turquoise and aqua.
To darken: Add a little black for deep petrol and pine teal.
To mute or soften: Add a touch of red-orange (its complement) for a muted, earthy teal.
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), teal is made from equal green and blue light with no red, e.g. #12787F.
Frequently asked about making teal
What colors make teal?
Blue and green make teal. Add a touch of white to brighten it, or a speck of black for a deep petrol teal.
What two colors make teal?
Blue + Green makes teal. Equal parts give true teal. More blue moves it to petrol; more green moves it to sea green.
How do you make teal lighter or darker?
Add white for turquoise and aqua. Add a little black for deep petrol and pine teal.
Is mixing teal paint the same as mixing teal light?
No. Paint mixes subtractively while light mixes additively. With light (RGB), teal is made from equal green and blue light with no red, e.g. #12787F.