After investigating what colors make orange, I became fascinated by the many different shades of orange color that could be made. All you need to do is tweak the ingredients a little bit, and suddenly there’s a whole new vibe!
My name is Lillie, and I’m artist and teacher who adores hand-drawing such lessons as “Shades of Blue.” Let’s see the numerous options that exist for varieties of orange…
Shades of Orange
There are so many different shades of orange color, when you play with adding black, white, and other colors! Here are some of the possibilities from mixing others together.
Amber Orange
Want a really bright yellowish-orange? The intermediate color called "amber" is perfect for you. Make this shade by combining pure orange with the primary color, yellow, which is next to it on the color wheel. I love using amber yellow to draw golden rays coming out of my art to make it look like it's shining.
Classic Orange
The official secondary color called orange is created by mixing red and yellow together. Add in some white to make a lighter "creamsicle" pastel orange perfect for spring decorations.
Vermilion Orange
Looking for something more fiery? The tertiary color called vermilion is a blazing orange-red color created by combining the secondary color, orange, with the primary color, red. Wear this shade in your fashion and watch people's jaws drop. This is a traffic-stopping color!
Peach Orange
You know that light pinkish-orange that's the color of a ripe peach's furry exterior? That's called peach color, and is created by adding pink to orange. This hue creates a warm, nurturing, relaxing vibe, and is part of the pastel palette.
Terracotta Orange
Seeking an earthy orange-brown shade? Terracotta color is ideal! Just mix some brown with orange and get that rich, darker color that is used so often in the American Southwest. I find it pairs particularly well with teal color for Bohemian flair.
Salmon Orange
I drool over the vibrant magenta-tinged pink that's called salmon color! It's made by combining pink with orange. The more reddish pink you pick as the ingredient, the bolder your fish shade will be. Yum! Opt for this hue when you want to make a flashy statement.
Dark Orange
Yes, if you mix black with orange you'll get brown, but if you just put a tiny dash of black in, you can get a nice deep burnt orange or sienna color -- or even a delicious cinnamon shade if you insert a little red into the combination.
Different Shades of Orange
Just as there is an endless amount of different colors of citrus fruits in nature, we can play with creating varied shades in art and light. At the most basic, add white to create a lighter hue, while black or brown makes it darker.
There’s so much more to orange beyond the simple version found in the classic secondary colors! In its more muted versions like peach, it’s far more versatile than one usually thinks, and can be used in a wide range of design and decorating scenarios.
Clear vs. Muddy Versions
Now, you may have noticed that some of the shades here are clear, while others look muddier. To understand this, it’s helpful to remember the color wheel theory that the opposite of orange is blue.
What this means is that the tertiary colors like amber and vermilion that are created without any blue at all will look bright and bold. In contrast, terracotta looks muddy because there is blue in the brown that you mix to get it.
Shades of Orange, in Sum
I hope you’ve enjoyed this investigation of the many different shades of orange! Which is your favorite? I confess that I’m partial to salmon — but probably because I’m hungry. What new art lesson should I illustrate and explain after “What Colors Make Black?” Do share!
Want more? Enjoy my exploration of different shades of purple: names and uses.
The author and artist, Lillie Marshall, is a National Board Certified Teacher of English who has been a public school educator since 2003, and an experienced Reiki practitioner since 2018. All art on this site is original and hand-drawn by Lillie. She launched DrawingsOf.com Educational Cartoons in 2020, building upon the success of her other sites, AroundTheWorldL.com (established 2009), TeachingTraveling.com (founded 2010), and ReikiColors.com. Subscribe to Lillie’s monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media to stay connected!
