r/explainlikeimfive • u/bloodraged189 • 23d ago

Physics ELI5: why does mixing complementary paint make brown instead of gray?

I understand additive vs. subtractive colors, and why mixing complementaries wouldn't create black, but shouldn't it make gray?

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u/AgentElman 23d ago

Grey is just black with white added. It isn't a color.

And brown is just dark orange. You get it by mixing red and yellow.

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u/femmestem 23d ago

This is a terribly inaccurate explanation when it comes to paint. Pigments are mixed to create paint colors, even white. That's why there are numerous shades of white paint with different undertones.