Mint Green Color: What it is, and its Uses

Curious about mint green color? What is it, how do you mix colors to make it, and what are its best uses? You’ve come to the right place to learn all this — and more!

As background, my name is Lillie, and I’m an artist and teacher who loves hand-creating illustrations and lessons about fabulous shades such as terracotta color. As you’ll see, I always add in an unexpected creative twist or two, as well…

Mint Green Color

So, what is mint? Mint color is an icy version of light green. It usually has a slightly blue and gray tinge to it, and is classified as a “cool color” (unlike the complicated answer to “is pink a warm color?”).

How do you make mint green color? First, let’s review what colors make green. Green is one of the three secondary colors in the RYB color system (along with orange and purple), and is created by combining the primary colors, yellow and blue.

Once you form the green that blue and yellow make, you can turn it into a mint hue by adding white to lighten it, then a dash of blue, and an even smaller dash of gray or black. The result should look refreshing and vibrant… like an actual mint plant!

(Adding white to a color creates a lighter version or “hue” — but what about adding black? That’s called a “shade,” as we learned in “What Do Black and Green Make?” Mint color is the hue of green created by adding white, whereas dark or forest green is the shade resulting in adding black.)

Different Types of this Light Green

Interestingly, the color of real-life mint plants or mint leaves is in fact a brighter and darker green than the classic paint or pigment hue of green known as “mint color.” If anything, the color (or colour, if you’re British) called “mint” more closely resembles the icy shade of mint ice cream or a “Shamrock Shake” than it does the plant!

HTML Hex Codes for Mint

Just as there are many different types of mint plants and flavors in the real world, there are a ton of varieties of mint colors for your artistic enjoyment. To help identify some of them, I’ve added their HTML Hex Codes in my first illustration in this article, and will discuss some of them here.

First, the classic mint green color is usually created in HTML by using the Hex Code #3EB489. Other varieties include #A2E4BA (a more white and grayish version than the first, almost viridian color one), and #98ff98 (a brighter, more lime-tinged hue).

Beyond that, you can make “mint blue” by adding — you guessed it — more blue to the mix, and can also create other varieties like “Spearmint, “Irish Mint,” and “Frosty Mint” by tinkering with the ingredient colors. Most shades of green that are light green with a slightly blue and gray tint are categorized under the “mint” umbrella.

Just be careful not to veer into chartreuse territory, which is the loud neon that green and yellow make. That doesn’t have enough white, green, or blue to be minty enough.

Uses for Mint Color

Mint is inherently calming and refreshing, so use it in places you want that aura — like spring clothes (it goes well with a pastel palette), or home decor, or easter egg drawing. Just be mindful that its fresh brightness make it a bit more “out there” than a dark, subtle shade like midnight purple, so it may not be the best choice for a formal job interview outfit.

What about art uses? As you may have noticed in my drawing prompts, I use mint color all the time to add freshness to my canvas. Just recently it was featured in my tutorial on how to make an easy snail drawing — for the snail’s shell!

What is its Complementary Color?

As we learned in “What is the Opposite of Pink?” light red (aka pink) is the complement of light green (aka mint)! For a vibrant and eye-popping contrast, use these two colors next to each other.

Mint Green Color, in Sum

I hope this exploration of mint color has given you a bright, tingly feeling and a zesty green aura — like chewing some spearmint gum! Is mint green color a hue YOU enjoy wearing, decorating with, or using to paint? Why or why not? Do share…

Want more? Check out shamrock drawing for St. Patrick’s Day — or any time!