Learning how to make Vandyke Brown is one of those skills that every artist eventually wants to master because this specific shade is just so versatile. Whether you're trying to capture the deep shadows in a portrait or the dark, damp earth of a forest floor, this color has a specific "mood" that's hard to replicate with just a standard chocolate brown.
Named after the Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck, the original pigment was actually made from earth—specifically peat or soil with a high organic content. Today, while you can buy it in a tube, most of what we find in stores is a "hue" or a synthetic blend because the original earth-based pigment wasn't always stable over time. But the good news? You can mix a stunning version of it yourself with colors you probably already have on your palette.
Understanding the Vandyke Brown profile
Before you start squishing paint around, it helps to know what we're actually aiming for. Vandyke Brown isn't just "dark brown." It's characterized by its transparency and its slightly cool, almost purplish or grayish undertone. If you look at it closely, it doesn't have that fiery warmth you see in Burnt Sienna, nor is it as "flat" as a Raw Umber.
Historically, this color was beloved because it allowed for deep, rich glazing. It's a very deep, near-black brown that maintains a certain clarity even when applied heavily. When you're figuring out how to make Vandyke Brown, you're looking for that balance between a "deep earth" feel and a "cool shadow" feel.
The basic color theory approach
If you're starting from scratch with primary colors, the process is a bit of a balancing act. Most people know that mixing red, yellow, and blue gives you brown. But to get the right brown, you have to be picky about your ratios.
To get close to a Vandyke Brown, you'll want to lean heavily into your blues and reds while keeping the yellow to a minimum. Start with a deep red (like Alizarin Crimson) and a dark blue (like Ultramarine or even Phthalo Blue). Mix those two first to get a deep violet. Then, slowly introduce a dark yellow or an ochre. The goal is to "muddy" that purple until it turns into a dark, stony brown.
The reason we start with purple is to ensure we capture that cool undertone. If you just mix orange and blue, you might end up with something a bit too "vibrant" or "greenish" depending on the blue you use.
The "shortcut" method using earth tones
Most of us aren't starting with just primaries. If you have a basic set of paints, the easiest way to figure out how to make Vandyke Brown is to start with a dark brown you already own and "correct" it.
Using Burnt Umber as a base
Burnt Umber is the most common starting point. However, Burnt Umber is often a bit too warm and opaque for a true Vandyke look. To fix this: 1. Squeeze out a good amount of Burnt Umber. 2. Add a tiny touch of Ultramarine Blue. This cools it down and deepens the value. 3. Add a minuscule amount of Alizarin Crimson or a similar cool red. This maintains that slight purple-ish lean that Vandyke is famous for. 4. If it looks too thick or opaque, add a bit of your painting medium (oil or acrylic glaze) to bring back that characteristic transparency.
The "Complementary" mix
Another great way to get there is by using a dark blue and a dark orange (or a mix of red and yellow). If you take a very dark blue like Prussian Blue and mix it with Burnt Sienna, you'll get a spectacularly deep brown that is almost indistinguishable from a traditional Vandyke. This mix is particularly great because both of those colors tend to be somewhat transparent, which preserves the "soul" of the original pigment.
Adjusting the temperature and value
One of the biggest mistakes people make when learning how to make Vandyke Brown is making it too light. Vandyke Brown is dark. If it looks like milk chocolate, you haven't gone far enough.
If your mix is looking too "warm" (too much like a brick or rust), you need more blue. If it looks too "green," you need a tiny bit more red to neutralize those green tones. It's a game of inches. You only need a tiny bit of pigment to swing the color in a different direction.
Also, remember that Vandyke Brown is rarely used with white. If you add white to it, it usually turns into a mousy, grayish-lilac color. That's actually a good way to test if your mix is right! If you add a dab of white to your homemade Vandyke and the result is a cool, purplish gray, you've nailed it. If it turns into a tan or a "peach" color, your mix is too warm.
Why transparency matters
In the world of oil painting especially, Vandyke Brown is prized for its glazing capabilities. If you're using acrylics, you might find that your homemade mix feels a bit too "flat" or "plastic." To remedy this, use a glazing liquid.
When you thin out your homemade Vandyke Brown with a medium rather than water, you allow light to pass through the pigment layers and bounce off the canvas. This is what gives those old master paintings that "glow" in the shadows. If you just slap on a thick layer of brown paint, it looks dead. But a thin, transparent layer of Vandyke Brown over a warmer underpainting? That's where the magic happens.
Common pitfalls to avoid
While you're practicing how to make Vandyke Brown, keep an eye out for these common issues:
- Avoid Black: It's tempting to just add black to a brown to make it darker. Don't do it. Adding black usually kills the "chroma" (the richness of the color) and makes it look muddy and lifeless. Use deep blues and purples to darken your browns instead.
- Too Much Yellow: If you use too much yellow or a bright lemon yellow, your brown will quickly turn into an olive green. Always lean toward the "cool" side of the palette.
- Over-mixing: Sometimes, if you stir the paint too much, you lose the subtle variations that make a color look natural. It's often better to leave the mix slightly "streaky" on the palette so that as you brush it onto the canvas, you get those tiny shifts in tone.
Working with different mediums
The "recipe" for how to make Vandyke Brown stays mostly the same regardless of what paint you're using, but the behavior changes.
- Watercolors: Since watercolors are naturally transparent, you'll want to use a lot of water and build up layers. Mix your Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna on the palette and test it on a scrap piece of paper. It will dry lighter than it looks when wet!
- Oils: This is the most traditional way to use the color. Because oils stay wet longer, you can mix your Vandyke right on the canvas if you're brave enough. However, it's usually safer to get the mix right on the palette first.
- Acrylics: Since acrylics dry fast and often dry a bit darker, keep a spray bottle handy to keep your "ingredients" fresh while you're tweaking the color balance.
Wrapping it up
At the end of the day, knowing how to make Vandyke Brown isn't just about saving a few bucks at the art supply store. It's about understanding color harmony. Once you can mix this specific, moody, deep brown on your own, you'll find that your ability to control the shadows and "weight" of your paintings improves drastically.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations. Maybe your version uses a bit more Crimson, or maybe you prefer a version that leans more toward a deep Navy. Every artist has their own "signature" version of these classic colors. Grab your palette, start with those blues and umbers, and see what kind of depth you can create. It takes a little practice to get that "translucent soil" look just right, but once you do, you'll never go back to just squeezing it out of a tube.