Isn’t it true that a brushstroke of yellow paint seems to glow from within? Or that looking into the eye of an animal painted in shades of yellow is like looking into the sun?
Yellow is the color of happiness, joyfulness, sunshine, hope… It’s also seen as a symbol of energy – something vital, shimmering with life. But there are many other reasons why yellow makes us feel better too. It stimulates mental activity and can help you feel more optimistic and energized.
It’s also very hard not to feel cheerful when you’re wearing a yellow sweater, looking at a lemon tree in springtime, or driving through a field of daffodils.
This article will show you how to make yellow paint using common household items. So please put on your artist’s hat, and let’s get started!
The color yellow is also associated with the element of air – transmitting light rays that stimulate our minds. It’s why there are so many yellow flowers in springtime! And all things flamboyant are connected to yellow, including the sunflower, daffodil, and tulip.
Disease
But did you know that the color yellow is also considered a symbol of disease and poison? It’s why many hospitals and clinics use it in their decor to inspire confidence and make people feel better. You’ll also see it used in front of houses where someone has recently passed away to indicate there’s been a tragedy in the home.
Royalty and Positive Outlook
In Asian countries, yellow is traditionally the color of royalty. Parents around the world often paint their children’s rooms bright yellow. The idea is that a child will have a positive outlook on life if they have a sunny color in their bedroom.
Sun, Gold, and Bright Lights
Yellow is the color of the sun, gold, and bright lights. It’s associated with happiness, sunshine, hope, and knowledge.
Overcome Fears
Yellow symbolizes courage to go on even though it sometimes looks like nothing will work out. Courage is important because you sometimes need it to overcome your fears or other obstacles. On other occasions, people are forced to be courageous when faced with more serious problems.
Metro Stations in Paris
If you take a trip to Paris, you’ll notice that many metro stations are painted yellow. This is something they’ve done since the 1800s, when the city was first electrified. It’s because electric light produces a bright yellow glow – something that made sense in an era before color photography and television!
Canaries
yellow is also known as “canary” in some languages, which makes sense when you consider that both birds and reptiles turn yellow when they’re sick or dying
So there are many different ways to interpret the symbolism of the color yellow. Of all other colors, it has the widest range of interpretation.
And finally, let’s not forget about lemons and bananas!
The Practical Properties of Yellow
Now that you’ve read about yellow’s symbolism let’s get back to more practical matters. Here are some of the properties that make it so important – in all different walks of life!
Achievement and Optimism
Yellow is associated with achievement. Think about gold medals at sporting events or trophies in other competitions. They’re always a bright, shining yellow! It’s also a popular color for trophies because it’s associated with optimism and positive thinking. Without those two qualities under your belt, you’re going to have a tough time achieving success in any area of life.
And don’t forget about dandelions!
Courage and Energy
Did you know that the first traffic lights were yellow?! When the color first appeared, it was a signal to start driving. Nowadays, though, the color has almost disappeared from traffic lights – except in Japan, where they still use them as a warning that you should be careful and drive slowly!
Yellow represents courage and energy. That’s why many athletes wear yellow clothing when competing or training. All the positive associations with the color help give them an extra boost of energy and determination to win!
Yellow is also associated with a sunny outlook on life. While there are different ways to interpret this, it’s one reason why so many parents paint their children’s rooms yellow in the hopes that it will make them happy and encourage a positive outlook.
If you want something to help give you energy, look no further than the color yellow! It’s also associated with learning, so many classrooms are painted this bright color. Without a good-quality education, it can be difficult to achieve success in any area of life.
The Negatives Feelings of Yellow
Of course, the color yellow isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. There are also some negative qualities associated with it!
Jealousy and Envy
Yellow is often considered the most ‘jealous’ of all colors. When you see a friend or loved one wearing new clothes that they love, you might see their eyes wander over to your clothes. It’s a subtle way of saying, “Wow, I like that – what was it? Where did you get it from?”
This is the color of envy. It’s not just limited to action, though! You might feel jealous when someone talks about a new movie they watched, the restaurant they went to, or the place they visited. They’re showing off, reminding you that they’ve done something you haven’t!
Nervousness and Anxiety
People who are nervous or anxious often wring their hands together – particularly if it’s out of sight of others. As some people put it, this is the equivalent of “wringing away your anxieties.” It’s a way of unconsciously dealing with stress, and it can help reduce anxiety levels.
This is what people do when they’re nervous or anxious, and that’s why yellow is considered such a negative color. When you see someone wearing bright yellow clothing, it usually means they’re feeling nervous about something! And you probably don’t want to be around them in that case.
Negativity and Sadness
Of course, there’s a reason why someone might feel anxious! If something bad has happened, you’ll see people wearing yellow when they’re feeling particularly negative. They might also start crying when they look at the color because it reminds them of just how bad they feel.
So it’s important to be careful when using the color yellow to cheer yourself up! If you know someone is feeling negative, try hugging them or listening to what they have to say – that should help them calm down after a while. And if you’re the one who’s upset, try wearing something different.
Creating Yellow With Basic Color Theory
When you mix other colors, you get different shades of the original color.
Yellow is created when you mix red and green light. The resulting color is orange, but because our eyes are more sensitive to yellow than orange, it’s considered a shade of yellow instead!
Mixing black with any color will create a darker version of that color. Using this basic color theory, you can make a lot of different shades of yellow, depending on how much black you add. The more black you add, the darker it becomes!
If you’re struggling to find a shade that would work in your design, try creating a shade that’s close but not quite perfect. For example, if you want a lighter yellow, you could use something like #e3d0c5, and if you want a darker yellow, you could try #a87317!
Colour temperature is also extremely important when choosing a shade of yellow. As you can see from the picture above, if your yellow is too ‘warm’ (on the left), then it will start to look orange. And if your yellow is too ‘cool’ (right), it will look green!
Try making sure your yellow has a low value, high saturation, and high temperature to avoid this. That should help you create the perfect shade for your design!
There are some other unique shades of yellow that are considered ‘fancy’ or ‘formal.’ You might see these colors on things like wedding invitations, business cards, or formal events. Because they’re used so sparingly, they’re also particularly effective.
These yellow shades are known as chromatic grays or ‘shades.’ They’re all pretty similar to each other, and you would use them if you wanted a dark (but still yellow) color for your design. You can try things like #737373, #8d8d8d, or #bdbdbd if you want to experiment with this shade!
How to Make Yellow paint?
Yellow is a secondary color which means you mix blue and green paints.
You’ll need:
Water (1/2 cup)
Baking Soda (4 tbsp)
Vinegar (2 cups)
Paint trays or buckets (one for each color of paint). Paper plates, paper towels, or old rags to clean up.
Gold glitter paint, if you want to have sparkles on your carpet.
Step 1: Gather supplies
You only need one mixing bowl big enough to contain the quantity of paint being made at once – no need for several small bowls. Use the water, baking soda, and vinegar as listed above. You’ll also need a tablespoon and some type of paintbrush to apply the paint.
I had a large empty tub which I used as my mixing bowl – about 20 cups in size. Add 1/2 cup of water and 4 tbsp (tablespoon) baking soda. Then stir until the two ingredients are well mixed and the baking soda is dissolved.
Step 3: Add vinegar mix thoroughly.
Next, add 2 cups of white distilled vinegar (you can use regular white distilled vinegar). Stir until the ingredients are well mixed. Many chemical reactions take place in this bowl which will create heat and gas – it’s important to let the solution sit for at least several hours before using it.
Step 4: Prepare paint trays or buckets with warm water.
In my case, I used several small paint trays for different colors. In addition to the yellow, I decided to make blue and green paints myself. You need a separate paint tray or bucket with warm water in each of these. To make the blue paint, you use 1/2 cup of warm water and 1 tbsp dish soap. For the green paint, use 2 cups warm water and 1/4 cup liquid ammonia (found in the hardware section of most stores) or vinegar (if you can’t find liquid ammonia at your local store).
Step 5: Add yellow solution to paint tray or bucket
Once the yellow solution has been left to sit for several hours, add a small amount of it to your warm water in the paint tray. Mix thoroughly using a spoon or putty knife to mix in completely with the water. Repeat this step until you have a dark yellow color in your paint tray. You can always add a little more yellow to darken the paint. Test it on a paper or cloth surface before starting to paint, as you can always add more water if needed, but once the paint is dry, you cannot make it lighter.
Two Ways to see Color
This is a really important skill to have if you want to be a designer! There are two main ways that your brain processes color, and it’s up to you to choose which one you prefer.
Designers who use ‘subtractive’ or ‘RGB’ color generally work with darker colors. Usually, they’ll stick to colors in the same color family for their main palette. So if they wanted to create a lighter shade of yellow, they might use something like #fefefe or #ffffff.
Designers use ‘additive’ or ‘CMYK’colorwork with lighter shades. So if they wanted to create a dark shade of yellow, they might use something like #f6f6f6 or #eeeeee.
They will also usually mix many different colors to create their main palette! So if you were designing a poster with a dark background, you could try something like #191612 and #040808, for example. That would create a dark and moody feel!
Think About Which One You Prefer
If you prefer working with lighter colors, try working with subtractive or CMYK colors. This will give you more range in your designs, so it might be easier for beginners to get started this way. You can also use things like #ffffff or #fefefe as your main background color. If you’re feeling adventurous, try using the shade of yellow that you’d like to use as your main palette!
If you prefer darker colors, try working with additive or RGB color. This will make it easier for you to create mood and atmosphere, and it can also give a more ‘gloomy’ feel to your designs. This method would also be great if you’re trying to design something about Halloween, Christmas, or winter!
Making Yellow Cooler
If you’re looking to make your yellow a bit more ‘cool,’ then try using either blue or green colors. So if you wanted to create a colder shade of yellow, you might use something like #0074d7, for example. Another effective alternative is using black because it creates an even darker version of your yellow!
Designers who tend to use subtractive or CMYK colors will generally avoid using white because they don’t want to risk making their colors look dirty. If you’re looking for a brighter shade of yellow, then try something like #ffd300 instead! And if you do decide to use black as your main palette, make sure you use it in small amounts. Otherwise, things might start to look really ‘heavy’ or difficult to read!
Making Yellow Warmer
If you’re looking to make your yellow a bit more ‘warm,’ then try using either red or orange colors. The best way of doing this is by adding the color (red + yellow = orange, and orange + yellow = red) or adding a small amount of white to your color (red + white = pink). Another effective alternative is using white because it makes stuff look ‘lighter’ and more ‘refreshing.’
Designers who tend to use an additive or RGB colors will generally avoid using black because they don’t want to risk making their colors look dirty. If you’re looking for a brighter shade of yellow, then try something like #ffd300 instead! And if you do decide to use black as your main palette, make sure you use it in small amounts. Otherwise, things might start to look really ‘heavy’ or difficult to read!
If you want to make your yellow paint lighter, try mixing it with white! So if you wanted to make a light shade of yellow, you might use something like #e6f2fd or #ffffaf. You can also experiment with other colors in the same color family.
Designers who tend to use subtractive or CMYK colors will generally avoid using yellow because it can be too bright and overpowering. If you’re looking for a shade that’s more on the ‘pastel’ end of the spectrum, try something like #e0ffe4 or #ccffff instead! And make sure you use a light color as your main palette!
Making Yellow Darker
If you’re looking to make your yellow darker, try mixing it with black! So if you wanted to create a richer shade of yellow, you might use something like #404552 or #47483f. You can also experiment with different colors in the same color family.
Designers who tend to use an additive or RGB colors will generally avoid using black because it can be too dark and overpowering. If you’re looking for a shade that’s more on the ‘dark’ end of the spectrum, try something like #404552 or #47483f instead! And make sure you use a darker color as your main palette.
What Two Colors Make Yellow?
You can make shades of yellow by mixing red and green.
What Two Colors Make Yellow technical table!
Type of Yellow
HEX #
RBG Code
CMYK Code
Saffron Yellow
#f4c430
(244,196,48)
0%, 19.7%, 80.3%, 4.3%
Yellow Ochre
#cc7722
(204,119,34)
20%, 45%, 100%, 0%
Canary Yellow
#ffef00
(255,239,0)
0%, 6%, 100%, 0%
Lemon Yellow
#fff44f
(255,244,79)
0%, 4.3%, 69%, 0%
Apricot Yellow
#fbceb1
(251,206,177)
0%, 17.9%, 29.5%, 1.6%
School Bus Yellow
#ffd800
(255,216,0)
0%, 15.3%, 100%, 0%
Descriptions of the Yellow Colors
Yellow is a pure color, just like any other primary color. It’s an extroverted color that evokes positive emotions in most people. Yellow has a very ‘bright’ or ‘intense’ energy that makes people feel happy and cheerful.
Saffron Yellow
Saffron Yellow is a very warm and bright shade of yellow that evokes feelings of warmth and happiness. It’s a very passionate color that can give off a sense of energy.
Gold Yellow
Gold Yellow is a very warm and bright shade of yellow that evokes feelings of warmth, happiness, and enthusiasm. It’s a color that brings out the positive qualities in most people.
Light Yellow
Light Yellow is a light shade of yellow that evokes openness, optimism, and freshness. It’s a color associated with joyfulness, good health, and understanding.
Muted Yellow
Muted Yellow is a very muted shade of yellow which can evoke various meanings depending on the color next to it. For example, using muted yellow with red can evoke a sense of warmth and coziness.
It’s a color that has both warm and cool properties, making it feel ‘fuzzy’ or ‘warm’ in one instance and ‘cold’ in another instance. This means it’s often used as a neutralizing color and can be used to cancel out any colors that feel too ‘intense’ or ‘heavy.’
Lemon Yellow
Lemon Yellow is a bright yellow shade that evokes feelings of cheerfulness happiness and has an energetic quality. It’s also associated with curiosity, attention, and vitality.
It’s a color that makes people feel happy when they see it. Children’s toys are often painted in lemon yellow because young kids respond well to the color.
Canary Yellow
Canary Yellow is a bright and vibrant shade of yellow which evokes feelings of energy, cheerfulness, and lightheartedness. It’s a color that can help you attract people to your space and give off an energized vibe.
Light Yellow
Light Yellow is a light shade of yellow that evokes feelings of openness, optimism, freshness, and freedom.
Honey Yellow
Honey Yellow is a yellow shade that evokes warmth, cheerfulness, and inviting energy. It’s a color that can make people feel comfortable and drawn to your space.
Glaze Technique to create yellow shades
The glaze technique is a great way to create a more muted yellow color. It uses transparent paint so that the original color comes through, but it gives it a very soft and subtle appearance. For this type of coloring, use something like Golden Acrylic Glazing Liquid.
Titanium White + Cadmium Yellow Medium
Titanium White + Lemon Yellow
Conclusion
Are you painting your walls yellow? Or maybe you want to use yellow as an accent color. Whatever it is, be sure to try out different hues instead of just using the same shade over and over again!
Thank you so much for reading this post today. If you want to see more paint colors, please let me know in the comments section below!
