Purple is a secondary color made by mixing red and blue. It sits between red and blue on the color wheel. This means purple can be mixed with colors on either side of it to create new shades. Mixing purple with another color produces different results depending on which color you choose. Understanding color theory helps explain how and why combining purple with other colors creates new hues. This article will examine what happens when you mix purple with red, blue, yellow, orange, green, pink, brown, black, and white.
Mixing Purple with Red
Red and purple are complementary colors, meaning they are opposite each other on the color wheel. When complementary colors are mixed, they neutralize each other. Adding red to purple makes the purple less saturated and more muted. As more red is added, the mix becomes closer to red-violet, a tertiary blend of the two parent colors. With enough red, the mix eventually becomes pure red.
The exact shade that results from mixing purple and red depends on the ratios used. Mixing equal parts red and purple produces a bright raspberry hue. Using more purple yields red-violet, while more red gives red-purple. Darker shades of purple mixed with red make burgundy and maroon tones. Lighter purples with red make pinkish lavender colors. Overall, mixing red with purple brings the purple closer to a red tone.
Mixing Purple with Blue
Purple sits next to blue on the color wheel. Since these colors are so closely related, mixing them creates shades that are similar to purple and blue. Adding blue to purple makes the purple cooler, brighter, and more saturated. As more blue is mixed in, the color becomes closer to a blue-violet. With a lot of blue, the mix eventually turns fully blue.
Varying the proportions of purple and blue produces different shades. Equal parts blue and purple makes a bright royal purple. More purple gives pure purple tones, while extra blue yields blue-violet. Dark blues mixed with purple create deep indigo hues. Light blues with purple make lilac and lavender colors. Overall, adding blue emphasizes the blue undertones in purple.
Mixing Purple with Yellow
Purple and yellow are opposite each other on the color wheel. Mixing opposite colors together creates intermediate tertiary colors. Adding yellow to purple makes the purple less saturated while pulling it towards red-violet. With enough yellow, the mix becomes a brownish tone.
The exact brown shade depends on how much of each color is used. Mixing a lot of purple with a small amount of yellow makes plum and taupe colors. Using more yellow gives earthy olive and mocha browns. Equal parts purple and yellow creates a medium mushroom brown. Dark purples with yellow produce deep coffee colors. Light purples make beige when blended with yellow. Overall, yellow neutralizes and dulls the brightness of purple.
Mixing Purple with Orange
Orange and purple are next to each other on the color wheel, 60 degrees apart. Mixing adjacent colors causes one color to dominate over the other. When orange is added to purple, the orange overpowers the purple, making it less bright. Adding more orange brings the mix closer to red-orange.
The specific orange-brown hue depends on the purple and orange shades used. Mixing bright orange with light purple makes peach tones. Dark purples with orange create burnt umber colors. Equal parts purple and orange makes a brown with subtle purple undertones. Too much orange can make the purple disappear into an orangey-brown. Overall, the strong orange pigments overwhelm the delicate purple.
Mixing Purple with Green
Green and purple are opposite each other on the color wheel. Mixing small amounts of green with purple creates dull, muted shades. Adding more green eventually turns the mix into an olive green.
The exact olive shade depends on how much green is added. Using a tiny bit of green with lots of purple makes grayish lavender. Equal parts green and purple creates a balanced olive green. Adding extra green produces brighter lime green olives. Dark greens with purple make deep forest hues. Light greens and purples blend into seafoam tones. In general, the strong yellow-green pigments of green overtake the purple.
Mixing Purple with Pink
Purple and pink are closely related colors, since pink contains hints of purple. Mixing them together creates various shades of pinkish-purple. Adding a small amount of pink to purple makes the purple slightly less saturated. Increasing the pink brings the mix closer to a light purple-pink.
Using pale pinks with purple creates pastel lavenders and lilacs. Vibrant hot pinks with purple make fuchsia tones. Equal parts pink and purple produces a balanced, bright orchid hue. Too much pink overwhelms the purple, eventually making the mix fully pink. Overall, the bright pink pigments brighten up the purple.
Mixing Purple with Brown
Brown is made by mixing all the primary colors, while purple contains only blue and red pigments. Mixing brown with purple creates dark, muted shades. A touch of brown makes purple slightly duller. Adding more brown brings the mix towards a brownish plum.
Deep browns with purple create chocolate hues. Medium browns and purples blend into chestnut tones. Using a lot of brown washes out the purple into pure brown. Varying the brown shade and amount controls how strong the purple tint remains. Overall, brown’s complexity overpowers and dulls the brightness of purple.
Mixing Purple with Black
Black is the absence of color, while purple contains a combination of blue and red pigments. Mixing black with purple creates extremely dark shades. Adding a tiny amount of black darkens the purple slightly. Increasing the black makes the purple fade towards a very deep eggplant or plum.
Using equal parts black and purple produces a balanced dark purple close to midnight blue. With too much black, the mix eventually becomes pure black with just a subtle purple tint. Darker purples maintain their color more when mixed with black. Lighter purples fade out quickly into dark gray. Overall, black dominates by obscuring the lightness and brightness of purple.
Mixing Purple with White
White contains all wavelengths of visible light. Mixing white with any color lightens and desaturates the color. Adding white to purple makes it softer, lighter and less intense. Just a touch of white gives a pale lavender. More white brings the mix towards a light lilac.
Using equal white and purple makes a perfectly balanced, light purple. Too much white eventually washes out all the color into pure white. Darker purples retain more saturation with white. Light purples fade into white fastest. Overall, white lightens purple and reveals its delicate pastel side.
Conclusion
Mixing purple with other colors produces a wide spectrum of shades. Red makes purplish reds, blue creates blue-tinted purples, and yellow makes brown tones. Orange and green yield olive and brown shades. Pink mixes to pinky purples while brown and black make deep plums. White lightens purples to pastels. The resulting colors depend on the purple and mix ratios. Understanding color theory helps explain how purple interacts with other pigments. Experimenting with mixing paints or digital swatches lets you explore the possibilities. Combining purple with a complementary color is a great way to create new, complex hues.
