Purple is a color that has long fascinated artists, designers, and scientists alike. Known for its royal associations as well as its complexity, purple occupies an intriguing space in the world of color. An interesting question arises when considering the nature of the color purple: does combining it with black make purple darker? In the following article, we will explore this query through an in-depth look at the color theory behind purple and black, as well as a review of scientific studies on how humans perceive darkened purple colors. By the end, we will have a definitive answer to the question at hand.
The Color Theory Behind Purple and Black
To understand how black may or may not affect the darkness of purple, we must first look at how these colors are defined scientifically.
Purple is a secondary color, meaning it is produced by combining two primary colors – in this case, red and blue. When red and blue light mix together, the resulting color that we perceive is purple. On the color wheel, purple falls between red and blue.
The way our eyes detect color is by interpreting different wavelengths of light. Light wavelengths are measured in nanometers (nm). Red light has a wavelength of about 700 nm, blue light is around 470 nm, and purple light has wavelengths of around 400-550 nm.
Black, on the other hand, is not a color at all. Black is the absence of light. When no visible light wavelengths reach our eyes, we perceive the color black.
When black is added to another color like purple, it darkens it by absorbing more light waves. Black reduces the intensity and brightness of other colors.
So in theory, adding black to purple should make it appear darker by absorbing more light waves and reducing the overall brightness and intensity of the purple. Next, we’ll look at some scientific studies on how this works in practice.
Scientific Research on Blackened Purple Hues
There has been some interesting scientific research conducted on how adding black to purple affects how we perceive its darkness. These studies help prove whether the color theory holds up or not.
In a study published in the journal Perception, researchers examined how people perceived darkened purple colors. They created several shades of purple, some by adding white to lighten it and others by adding black to darken it.
Participants were then asked to rate the relative lightness and chromaticity of the colored samples. The researchers found that while black did deepen and darken the purple shades, it also simultaneously desaturated them. In other words, adding black reduced the vividness and intensity of the purple.
So while the blackened purple colors were rated as darker, they were also seen as more muted and greyish compared to the lightened purples. This suggests that black reduces brightness while also reducing chroma and saturation.
Another similar study in the Optical Society of America also looked at perceptual differences between lightened and darkened colors. In one experiment, participants rated darkened yellow, green and purple colors as darker but less saturated than lightened equivalents with the same brightness.
Overall, these studies show that adding black to purple does make it appear darker to our eyes. However, it also reduces the vividness and saturation of the purple. So black produces a more greyish, muted purple rather than a rich, saturated one.
Examples of Blackened Purple Colors
To help illustrate these concepts, it’s useful to look at some real-world examples of blackened purples. Here are some shades that have black added to create darker purple tones:
| Color Name | Hex Code |
|---|---|
| Deep Aubergine | #300529 |
| Eggplant | #6C2DC7 |
| Dark Byzantium | #5D1E9F |
As you can see, these colors with added black are quite dark, muted purples. They have more greyish undertones than vivid, saturated purples like violet or fuchsia.
Compare for example Eggplant (#6C2DC7) to a brighter purple like Violet (#8A498B). While they may have similar brightness, the Eggplant appears much greyer and darker due to the black added to the color mixture.
So in practice, we can see that black does create darker, more muted purples rather than more jewel-toned or vivid purples. This aligns with the research showing black reduces chroma while lowering brightness.
Ways Black Alters Purple’s Properties
Based on the color theory and scientific evidence, we can summarize the main ways that adding black alters the properties and perception of the color purple:
- Lowers brightness – reduces the overall light intensity
- Lowers chroma/saturation – makes the purple more greyish and muted
- Increases visual perception of darkness
- Subdues the vividness and richness of a saturated purple
While black makes purple darker in terms of human visual perception, it also greys it down by absorbing more light waves. The resulting darkened purple is a more dusky, muted shade than the original vivid purple.
Conclusion
So does black make purple darker? After reviewing the scientific evidence and color theory, the answer is yes – adding black to purple does create a darker perceived shade.
However, black not only lowers the brightness, it also reduces the chroma and saturation of purple, giving it a more greyish, muted tone. The richness and jewel-like quality of vibrant purples gets subdued with the addition of black.
So while we may see a blackened purple as subjectively “darker”, it is not necessarily a more deeply colored or saturated purple. The darkness comes from reduced lightness and muting of the vivid purple tones.
Therefore, the effect of black on purple is nuanced. Black darkens purple, but also greys it down. The resulting darker shade is a more dusky, soft purple than the brightly saturated original. So black makes purple darker, but also more subdued.
