How to Create Brick Red Acrylic Paint Colors

Acrylic paints are an effective medium for mixing a brick color. The colors blend well and they are user-friendly in terms of ease of mixing and clean up. You can use the color in an art painting, but acrylics, because of their unique qualities, have other applications. The brick red color can be used as a quick touch up of a small stain or imperfection on a brick wall if you are not ready for a full-blown repair. Using special acrylic mediums, acrylic colors can be safely applied to textiles for decorative or clothing use. Work in front of the brick color you are emulating with the paint, that way you can adjust properly as you mix.

Lay out 1 tbsp. each of the red oxide, black, burnt sienna, cadmium red and white on your mixing surface or palette.

Mix about 1 tsp. of the black into the white. Smear it about with the palette knife. The flexible blade of the knife makes it easier to blend acrylic colors than if you employed regular knife or spatula. Mix until you have an even gray.

Mix 1 tsp. of your gray hue into the red oxide. Again, blend well.

Review your color. If you have the brick color desired, stop. If not, you must adjust it.

Add 1 tsp. of cadmium red for a more brilliant red brick. Add 1 tsp. of burnt sienna for an earthier color. Add more gray for a neutral red, one that looks less colorful. Add a tiny speck of black to darken the brick hue.

Continue reviewing your brick color, measuring it against your brick subject. Use smaller amounts of color as you approach your target. Sticking the end of the palette knife into the dab of acrylic paint on your palette, then quickly removing it, will leave a trace of color on the palette knife that is just right for small adjustments.