color guide » color theory » complementary colors » opposite colors » blue-brown

7 Types of Blue-Brown Color Mixes

Paul Davis, updated on June 01, 2023

Blue-brown is an impossible color in the sense that there aren't really any colors perceived as bluish brown or brownish blue. Brown is essentially a reddish grey. Mixing reds and blues produces purples so this is what you might expect from blue+brown. However, this can also produce bluish greens where the brown is orangish. The following are examples of blue+brown color mixes.

Blue + Brown = Purple

Blue
#0000ff

Brown
#964b00

Purple
#4b2680

This is the optical complement calculated as the average of the two hex codes.

Navy Blue + Dark Brown = Abyss Blue

Navy Blue
#000080

Dark Brown
#331800

Abyss Blue
#1a0c40

Abyss blue above does look slightly brownish somehow. This is potentially an impossible color.

Neon Blue + Desert Sand = Aqua Green

Neon Blue
#01d5ff

Desert Sand
#edc9af

Aqua Green
#77cfd7

Dark Blue + Buff = Light Plum

Dark Blue
#00008b

Buff
#daa06d

Light Plum
#6d507c

Cloud Blue + Beige = Light Sand

Cloud Blue
#f7fcff

Beige
#e3dbbc

Light Sand
#edecde

Above the beige kinda dominated because cloud blue is almost white.

Ultramarine + Chocolate = Medium Purple

Ultramarine
#4000ff

Chocolate
#7b3f00

Medium Purple
#5e2080

Very Dark Blue + Wenge = Dull Navy

Very Dark Blue
#002e63

Wenge
#645452

Dull Navy
#32415b

As a general theme, impressive blues mixed with equally impressive browns tend to product uninspiring purples.

In summary: blue+brown produces purple, green, brown or blue and bluish browns don't really exist because blue is essentially the opposite of brown.

Next read: Complementary Colors

More about colors:

Cite »

© 2010-2024 Colorguide.org. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of materials found on this site, in any form, without explicit permission is prohibited.

View credits & copyrights or citation information for this page.