Have you ever wondered what do red and purple make when mixed together?
Understanding color mixing is essential for many creative pursuits. It can help with painting, website design, interior design, and even applying makeup.
So, let’s take a look at the colors red and purple. This article will explore what happens when you mix red and purple together.
Looking for the answer to the question, what color does red and purple make? Then, you’re in the right place.
But first, let’s find out a bit more about the colors red and purple. Then, we’ll move on to color mixing and what you’ll get when you mix purple with red.
The Color Red
The color red is one of the brightest and boldest colors. It’s one of the first colors children learn, and it’s also a primary color.
That means it’s vital for color mixing to create colors such as orange and purple. But you can’t make the color red by mixing other shades – it’s simply not possible.
The color red has many meanings, from love and passion to anger and danger. This color can make a real impact if you know how to use it.
The Color Purple
Just like the color red, purple is a vibrant color that is sure to catch your eye.
In color theory, purple is a secondary color. You’ll get purple when you mix red and blue paint.
But purple also comes in a whole range of shades. They vary from pale lilac to deep, rich aubergine. And purple shades can also be warmer or cooler, which makes a real difference to their appearance.
Purple has powerful connotations of mysteriousness and mysticism. Light purple can also appear whimsical, light-hearted, and playful. In contrast, a very deep purple can convey feelings of sadness and even grief.
As you can see, purple is a very versatile color.
Should You Use Red and Purple Together?
While red and purple are both beautiful colors, should you use them together?
Many people wonder whether red and purple make a good color palette.
And according to the color wheel, the simple answer is no. Red and purple aren’t opposite each other on the color wheel. So, they aren’t complementary colors.
But that doesn’t mean you should rule out using red and purple together. It’s a little bit more complicated than that.
It depends on your style. If you love these colors, there are ways to use them effectively in a color palette.
For example, you could choose red as your main color. Then, you could add little touches of purple as an accent color. And in this way, it will add a pop of color without competing with the red shade.
Red and purple can also work well in paintings. For example, Mark Rothko used these two colors in his famous abstract work. In this case, he used a neutral white between the two shades to help them stand out more.
So, there’s no hard and fast rule on using red and purple together. You can put colors together in a way that appeals to you.
What Color Does Red and Purple Make Mixed Together?
As we’ve seen, red and purple are bold and vibrant colors. But they can work well together in a color palette if done with care.
But what happens when we mix them together? That’s when it’s essential to understand the basics of color theory.
What Happens When You Mix a Primary Color and a Secondary Color?
Red is a primary color, whereas purple is a secondary color. And when you mix a primary color with a secondary color, you’ll create a tertiary color.
You might not be as familiar with this tern, but that’s not a problem. You don’t need to know the technical terms to understand color science.
We make purple by mixing red and blue together. And so, when mixing purple, it’s best to start with a shade with equal amounts of blue and red. We call this color violet or true purple.
Mix violet with red, and you’ll create a shade called red-violet. But if you mix blue with violet, you’ll get blue-violet.
The naming conventions are pretty straightforward. We follow the same pattern for mixing green or orange with other primary colors. So, you could get yellow-green, blue-green, yellow-orange, or red-orange.
Mixing Red and Purple Paint
This color theory applies when mixing true purple, i.e., violet. But as you know, there are countless different shades of purple.
So, the exact color you’ll get will vary a lot. But generally, you’ll make a reddish-purple color with a deep, rich tone.
You could create colors including plum, grape, mauve, and magenta. These tend to be vivid, saturated berry or wine colors.
What they have in common is a rich red undertone. And they will also be on the warm end of the color spectrum.
In comparison, most purple shades will have equal amounts of red and blue. Or they might even lean towards blue on the color wheel.
How to Mix Red and Purple
When you mix red and purple, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Firstly, you’ll need to choose the shades of red and purple you will use. I recommend going for two bright shades (unless you want to make a muted color).
But also consider the undertones in each color. That’s because we make purple by mixing red and blue. So, avoid choosing a red that has yellow undertones.
Remember that when you mix all three primary colors, you’ll make brown or black. So, if you accidentally pick a red with a yellow bias, you might not get the result you had in mind.
You’ll also need to think about the color ratios. As purple already contains some red, you should go easy with your red paint.
So, you only need a small amount to achieve a rich, reddish-purple. Add a drop at a time and mix well until you get the desired result.
If you add more red paint, you’ll create a shade closer to magenta. But if you only use a little red, you’ll get a mauve color. Keep that in mind to help you create the right color for your painting.
Making Your Red-Purple Paint Lighter or Darker
Once you’ve got the right hue, you might still decide that the color isn’t perfect. So, you might want to make it lighter or darker.
If you want to lighten your paint, mixing in a tiny bit of white is the simplest way. Try a little at a time, so you don’t wash the color out and make it look too muted.
In contrast, you might want to make the color darker. In that case, you could use the color black. But mixing black paint is notoriously tricky to get right.
So, instead, I recommend using a dark shade of purple. This way, you’ll make your paint darker without changing the color too much.
Just bear in mind the undertones of your purple paint. If you’re not careful, you could make your mixture warmer or cooler or shift the color bias back toward blue. So, you’ll need to choose the right shade of purple carefully!
Experimenting with colors, shades, and tints can make you more confident as an artist. So, have a play around with red and purple to see what different color mixtures you can create!
The Wrap Up
You might have wondered, what color does red and purple make when mixed together? But by now, you should have a good understanding of what red and purple make.
When you mix red and purple, you will most likely make a rich purple-red color. There are many different names for this, depending on the exact shade. It could be mauve, magenta, or berry, among other shades.
But you could also make brown paint if you’re not careful!
Feel free to drop any questions about mixing red and purple in the comments below. And follow Proactive Creative for the best tips for artists on color mixing and color theory!
