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What color do yellow and black make?

Mixed as paint, yellow and black make an olive. Change the ratio, switch to light or CSS mixing, and copy the result.

Colors to mix

1

50%

1

50%

Paint mode simulates real pigments with the Kubelka-Munk model, so blue and yellow make green, just like on a palette.

olive

#99972E · olive

HEX

RGB

HSL

OKLCH

Contrast 3.08:1 with white, 6.82:1 with black

Blend steps

All color 1

Click a step to use its ratio

All color 2

Add white

20%

40%

60%

80%

Add black

20%

40%

60%

80%

Using #99972E in a UI? Atmos builds an accessible shade scale from it.

Generate shades free

Yellow and black make olive

Mixed as paint, yellow and black make an olive (#99972E). As light on a screen, they make a light yellow (#FDD31A), and blended in CSS with OKLCH they give a brown (#816F2C).

olive

#99972E

As paint

Pigments absorb light, so every color you add takes some away. This is what you get on a palette or canvas.

light yellow

#FDD31A

As light

Colored lights add up, as on a screen or stage. Mixes get brighter, not darker.

brown

#816F2C

In CSS (OKLCH)

What color-mix(in oklch, …) returns for an even mix in the browser.

Mixing yellow and black in different ratios

The ratio decides which color leads. These are paint mixes, measured in equal-sized parts.

3:1 · #BDB425

3 yellow : 1 black, yellow

2:1 · #B1AB29

2 yellow : 1 black, yellow

1:1 · #99972E

1 yellow : 1 black, olive

1:2 · #7F8031

1 yellow : 2 black, olive

1:3 · #707231

1 yellow : 3 black, olive

Making the mix lighter or darker

Add white for tints and black for shades. Each step adds 20% more of it to the even yellow and black mix.

With white

#AEAD43

20%

#BEBF58

40%

#CDCF72

60%

#DDDF94

80%

With black

#888731

20%

#757632

40%

#606131

60%

#44452C

80%

Need a full scale for a UI instead? The shade generator builds evenly spaced, accessible shades from any color.

Mixing yellow and black FAQ

Mixed as paint, yellow and black make an olive (#99972E). As light on a screen, they make a light yellow (#FDD31A), and blended in CSS with OKLCH they give a brown (#816F2C).

Light adds up instead of absorbing, so yellow and black light make a light yellow (#FDD31A). That is why screens can show bright yellows from red and green light, while the same paints would turn brown.

Change the ratio. Three parts yellow to one part black gives a yellow (#BDB425), while one part yellow to three parts black gives an olive (#707231). To lighten the result add white, and to darken it add a little black.

Use color-mix(in oklch, #FCD200 50%, #1A1A1A 50%), which gives #816F2C. OKLCH keeps the middle of the mix bright, while mixing in sRGB tends to turn it gray.