What Color Does Red and Green Make?

Quick Answer: It Depends on the Color Model

The result of mixing red and green depends on the color model you're working with. In digital screens (RGB), red and green make yellow. In paint (RYB), red and green often create a brown or gray tone.

Red and Green in the RGB Color Model

RGB is an additive color model used for screens and digital displays. When you mix red and green light, you get:
Red (255, 0, 0) + Green (0, 255, 0) = Yellow (255, 255, 0)

This is because red and green are two of the three primary lights, and their combination yields bright yellow.

Red and Green in the RYB Color Model (Traditional Paint)

In the traditional RYB (Red, Yellow, Blue) color model used for mixing paints, red and green are complementary colors. When combined, they often create:
Brown or Gray

The exact shade depends on the proportions and specific pigment hues. The more balanced the mix, the more neutral the result.

Red and Green in CMYK Printing

In CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black), red and green are complex to mix directly, but you can simulate their combination by layering magenta and yellow (for red) and cyan and yellow (for green). The overlap tends to produce darker, duller colors.

Shades You Can Get by Mixing Red and Green

• RGB Model: Bright Yellow
• Paint Mixing: Brown, Olive, or Muddy Gray
• Low Saturation: Desaturated neutral tones

Try Mixing Red and Green Yourself

Use our interactive Color Mixer tool to blend red and green and see how the outcome changes with different models and intensities. It's a perfect tool for artists, designers, and anyone exploring color theory.