A student wants to mute bright orange without making it too brown. What is the most suitable method?

Correct answer: Add a very small amount of blue

The governing concept is complementary colour neutralisation. Blue is opposite orange on the colour wheel, so a very small amount of blue reduces orange’s saturation and brightness. Option A is correct because gradual addition controls the result and avoids excessive browning. A large amount of black mainly creates a dark shade, white creates a lighter tint, and more yellow makes the orange warmer rather than muted.