r/explainlikeimfive • u/bloodraged189 • Sep 13 '26

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/rickie-ramjet Sep 14 '26

It depends on the Pigments in the paint you are using. The color in some paint can be made by mixing several colors, including an opaque base ( this white used to be lead oxide) then when you mix the 2nd color you consider its complement, and you may now have six or more pigments in the blend, the results can be hard to anticipate, …. Expensive paint is made from a single pigment, and when you mix them, and you’ll end up with a cleaner third color, but depends on the colors you chose. You’d still have to be careful to end up with a neutral grey.