Pink and purple are two similar colors that are often seen together in many things, such as nail polish patterns, sunsets, and advent candles. They’re both vibrant and optimistic colors, which is why they’re so popular.
These colors work well together in designs, but what happens when you combine them? Will they create an equally pleasant color? Let’s find out!
What Do Pink and Purple Make When Mixing Paints?
There are many different shades and tints of pink and purple, but they will always create some type of magenta or light red-purple.
Mixing purple and pink is similar to mixing purple and red. Purple is a mix of blue and red, while pink is a mix of red and white. So, mixing pink and purple will give you the same result as red and purple, only lighter. Red and purple mix to create red-purple, which is a type of magenta.
Understanding the RYB Color Model
The RYB color model is the one that most people learn in early art classes. It’s used for various types of physical coloring, especially painting. RYB is a form of subtractive color mixing, which means when the colors are combined, wavelengths are subtracted.
In this color wheel, the three primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Combinations of those colors mix together to create the secondary colors, which are purple, orange, and green. If all three primary colors are equally mixed together, they’ll make brown. The mixing process for paint involves swirling two different paint colors together until they create a new color.
How to Make Magenta Lighter or Darker
There are many shades of magenta, some of which look more purple while others are pinker. Here are some tips for making magenta lighter or darker.
Making Tints
Tints are lighter versions of a color. Adding more white to magenta can make it lighter. In most cases, using more pink than purple will have a similar effect. Also, starting with lighter versions of pink and purple can create a lighter magenta.
Making Shades
Shades are darker versions of a color. You can create shades of magenta by adding a touch of black to the mixture. Yet, a little black can go a long way, so only use it sparingly. Purple is usually much darker than pink too, so using more purple than pink will make it darker to begin with. However, the color might not look like magenta anymore in that case.
Magenta Color Meaning
Since magenta has hints of pink and purple in it, it shares some of the same meanings. However, magenta also has specific symbolism of its own. It’s a color of kindness, change, and harmony. When used in designs, it can support, inspire, and balance.
Magenta has many positive meanings, such as love, understanding, and cheer. Yet, in some cases, it might be thought of as irritating, careless, and impatient. The exact meaning varies based on how it’s used.
What Are the Most Common Types of Pink and Purple?
When you think of pink and purple, what comes to your mind might differ from what other people imagine. So, here are some pinks and purples that can be used in your mixtures.
Types of Purple:
- Purple
- Violet
- Indigo
- Mauve
- Heliotrope
- Orchid
- Plum
- Lilac
- Periwinkle
- Grape
- Eggplant
- Heather
Types of Pink:
- Pink
- Rose
- Fuchsia
- Salmon
- Coral
- Blush
- Watermelon
- Bubblegum
- Hot Pink
- Peach
- Strawberry
- Rosewood
If lighter versions of pink and purple colors are mixed, they’ll create a lighter version of magenta, likely closer to pink. Yet, if you choose darker versions, the result will be dark and closer to purple. By using trial and error, you can mix a variety of purples and pinks to find the perfect magenta color for you.
What Do Pink and Purple Make When Mixing Lights?
In lights, pink and purple are both tertiary colors on the RGB color wheel. So, it’s unlikely that you’d ever need to mix them together. Yet, if you’re curious, pink and purple lights will make magenta when mixed together, like they do for paints. Ink and printing will also give you the same result.
Pink lights are made by mixing red and magenta, while purple lights are made by mixing magenta and blue. So, a combination of pink and purple lights would be like mixing magenta, red, and blue. Red and blue already make magenta, so your result would still be a magenta color.
Understanding the RGB Color Model
The RGB color model is mostly used for colored lights and digital displays. It involves additive mixing, which adds wavelengths when colors mix instead of subtracting wavelengths.
In this case, the three primary colors are red, green, and blue. Combinations of those colors can mix together to make the secondary colors, which are cyan, magenta, and yellow. When all three primary colors are mixed at full brightness, they make white.
The CMYK color model is the opposite of RGB, and it’s used for colored ink. On that color model, the primary colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow, while the secondary colors are red, green, and blue. All three primary colors make black when mixed together.
In both the RGB and CMYK color models, the tertiary colors are the same. Purple (violet) and pink (rose) are just two of the six tertiary colors for RGB and CMYK.
How Do You Mix Lights?
Colored lights can be mixed together by layering one light on top of another. So, if you already have purple and pink lights, that’s the easiest method. However, all colors on the RGB spectrum can also be made by only using the primary colors.
To mix lights using primary colors, you’ll need to layer red, green, and blue lights on top of each other at different brightnesses. For example, purple can be made by having blue and red close to full brightness, but green at about halfway. This method is a bit more tedious, but experimenting with different combinations can help you understand RGB color mixing better.
How Do Our Eyes Perceive Color?
When we look at colorful objects, it’s a lot for our eyes to process. Our eyes perceive colors by seeing the wavelengths that reflect off the item. For example, if we look at a bright yellow banana, it appears that color because yellow wavelengths are reflecting off it. Then, the other colors, including red, orange, green, cyan, blue, and violet, are absorbed into the object.
On the visible light spectrum, each color has different wavelengths. On one end of the spectrum, violet has short, frequent wavelengths. On the other end, red has long wavelengths. So, a red apple would absorb the shorter wavelengths but reflect the longer ones.
Our eyes have cone and rod cells inside them, which help us see the colors of the wavelengths reflecting toward us. Cones work best in bright lights, and rods are more sensitive to perceive colors better in dim lights. By working together, the cones and rods in your eyes can help you see colors no matter what time of day it is.
Pink and Purple Colors in Designs
Pink, purple, and magenta all go together because they’re next to each other on the color wheel, which is also known as analogous colors. However, since they’re all bright, uplifting colors, they might be overwhelming if they’re the only colors used. So, if you want to design a room with pink and purple, consider using some neutral colors too, such as white, gray, and tan. Blue is another color that goes well with pink and purple.
If you want to use pink and purple separately, consider which colors will look best with each one. Pink looks great when paired with blue, green, yellow, or other shades of pink. Purple looks great with teal, blue, or red. Again, both colors work well with each other and with neutral colors.
In some instances, you might want pink or purple to stand out more, such as when you’re making a logo or advertisem*nt. If that’s the case, consider using complementary colors, which are hues on opposite sides of the color wheel that contrast each other. Yellow is the complementary color for purple, while lime green is the one for pink.
Do Pink and Purple Always Make Magenta?
No matter what medium you’re using, pink and purple always make some type of magenta color. They always sit close to each other on the color wheel, whether you’re looking at the RYB, RGB, or CMYK model. So, it’s easy to estimate what color they’ll create.
However, there are many different shades of pink and purple. If you use lighter or darker versions of the colors, your results will vary. Yet, they will still create a red-purple color that’s close to magenta.
Mixing colors is a great way to understand the color wheel. So, it can’t hurt to experiment with different color mixtures to see what the results are. You might end up finding a unique color that’s perfect for your next artwork or design.
I am an experienced color theory enthusiast with a deep understanding of various color models and their applications in design and art. Over the years, my expertise has been honed through practical experience and a comprehensive study of color theory. Let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article on mixing pink and purple colors.
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Color Mixing: Pink and purple, when mixed, result in a shade of magenta or light red-purple. This outcome is due to the combination of the primary colors they are composed of—purple is a mix of blue and red, while pink is a mix of red and white.
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RYB Color Model: The RYB color model is a subtractive color model used in physical coloring, especially in painting. It consists of three primary colors—red, yellow, and blue. Combinations of these colors yield secondary colors like purple. Mixing all three primary colors produces brown. In the context of the article, understanding the RYB model helps explain the process of mixing pink and purple.
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Magenta Shades: The article discusses making magenta lighter or darker, akin to manipulating tints and shades. Adding white to magenta creates tints, while adding a touch of black results in shades. The proportion of pink and purple used also influences the final shade of magenta.
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Magenta Color Meaning: Magenta, with hints of pink and purple, symbolizes kindness, change, and harmony. Its meanings include love, understanding, and cheer, but it can also be perceived as irritating or impatient depending on its usage.
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Types of Pink and Purple: The article provides a list of common pink and purple shades that can be used in mixtures. The choice of lighter or darker versions influences the resulting magenta color.
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RGB Color Model: Pink and purple are tertiary colors in the RGB color model, which is used for colored lights and digital displays. Mixing them in lights or inks results in magenta. The RGB model involves additive mixing, where combining red, green, and blue at full brightness creates white.
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CMYK Color Model: The CMYK color model, used for colored ink, is briefly mentioned. Primary colors in CMYK are cyan, magenta, and yellow, and their combination produces black.
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Mixing Lights in RGB: The article explains how colored lights can be mixed by layering one light on top of another or by using primary colors (red, green, and blue) at different brightness levels.
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Perception of Color by Eyes: Our eyes perceive color by processing wavelengths reflected off objects. Cones and rod cells in the eyes work together to interpret colors, with cones being more effective in bright light and rods in dim light.
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Color Harmony in Designs: Pink, purple, and magenta are considered analogous colors, as they are next to each other on the color wheel. The article suggests using neutral colors alongside them for balance. Complementary colors are also mentioned for creating contrast in designs.
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Variations in Color Mixtures: The article emphasizes that while pink and purple always create some form of magenta, the specific shade may vary based on the intensity and darkness of the original colors.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the color mixing process, different color models, and considerations for creating harmonious designs using pink and purple.
