Mixing colors together can create new and interesting shades. Specifically, many wonder if mixing the colors purple and orange will make the color red. While mixing paints or pigments can physically blend colors together, mixing light combines colors in a different way through addition of wavelengths. Looking closely at the properties of purple and orange light can help reveal what color would result when they are mixed.
The Properties of Purple Light
To understand what happens when we mix purple and orange light, we first need to consider the properties of purple light itself. Purple is a secondary color, meaning it can be made by mixing two primary colors of light. In the case of purple, the primary colors are red and blue.
Red, blue, and green are the primary colors in the RGB (red, green, blue) color model used for light. This means they correspond to specific wavelengths of visible light:
| Color | Wavelength (nm) |
| Red | ~700 |
| Green | ~546 |
| Blue | ~435 |
When red light and blue light mix together and overlap, they produce the color we see as purple. So purple light is a combination of wavelengths around 700 nm and 435 nm.
The exact shade of purple depends on the proportions of red and blue light. More red produces a redder purple, while more blue makes a bluer purple. But any purple shade contains a mix of red and blue wavelengths.
The Properties of Orange Light
Just like purple light contains a mixture of red and blue wavelengths, orange light also has its own set of properties.
Orange is a secondary color made by mixing the primary colors red and green. So orange light contains wavelengths around 700 nm (red) and 546 nm (green).
By changing the proportions of red and green, different shades of orange can be made. More red produces a redder, darker orange, while more green makes a yellowish orange. But they all contain those two key wavelengths.
Mixing Purple and Orange Light
Now that we know purple light contains red and blue wavelengths, while orange light contains red and green wavelengths, we can predict what might happen when we mix them together.
Specifically, we can expect three wavelengths to be present:
| Wavelength | Color |
| ~700 nm | Red |
| ~546 nm | Green |
| ~435 nm | Blue |
When combining colors of light, the wavelengths do not blend together or mix to produce new wavelengths. Instead, they add together to create an combined light containing those distinct colors.
This is different than mixing pigments or paints, where the pigments blend physically to create new blended colors. Light mixes through addition, not blending.
So mixing any shades of purple light and orange light will result in red, green, and blue wavelengths being present. Our eyes would perceive this combined light as white light.
Why Mixing Purple and Orange Light Makes White
The reason that combining purple and orange light results in white light has to do with the way our eyes detect colors.
The human eye has three types of color receptors, called cone cells. There are cone cells that respond to red light, green light, and blue light. These line up with the three primary colors of light.
When all three types of cone cells are stimulated about equally, our brain interprets this as white light. This is why mixing wavelengths across the visible light spectrum results in white.
In the case of mixing purple and orange, the red cones, green cones, and blue cones would all be stimulated fairly evenly. The red wavelength is common to both purple and orange. The green wavelength is unique to orange. And the blue wavelength is unique to purple.
This combination of wavelengths hits a balance point where the cone cells are activated across the board, resulting in the perception of white rather than any one color dominating.
Mixing Pigments vs. Light
It is important to understand the difference between mixing colored light, as we have discussed, and mixing colored pigments or paints.
When working with paints, dyes, inks and other pigments, the mixing process is different. Here, the pigment particles blend together to create a new physical color.
For example, mixing red and blue paint makes the color purple. The pigment molecules mix together to form a new blended pigment that absorbs and reflects light in a way our eyes see as purple.
This is why mixing paint colors behaves in an intuitive way, while mixing light colors follows different rules through combining wavelengths. So don’t expect to get the same results mixing colored flashlights as you would mixing paints!
Does Mixing Purple and Orange Paint Make Red?
Because mixing pigments follows different rules than mixing light, the result of blending purple and orange paint is different than blending the equivalent colors of light.
In paints, purple contains red and blue pigments, while orange contains red and yellow pigments. When blended, the red wavelengths are reinforced while the blue and yellow mix to make green.
The resulting color therefore ends up reducing the purple and orange elements, increasing the red, and adding in some green. The overall perceived color is a warm, muddy red.
So while mixing purple and orange light makes white, mixing purple and orange paint or pigments will produce a dull reddish color instead. Following the additive rules for light versus the blending rules for pigments leads to very different outcomes.
Examples of Paint Color Mixing
To help visualize the different color mixing rules for light versus paints, here are some examples of mixing paint colors:
| Colors Mixed | Resulting Color |
| Red + Blue | Purple |
| Red + Yellow | Orange |
| Purple + Orange | Reddish brown |
And for comparison, here are some examples of mixing light colors:
| Colors Mixed | Resulting Color |
| Red + Blue | Magenta (purplish pink) |
| Red + Green | Yellow |
| Purple + Orange | White |
These help illustrate the very different results when blending pigments vs. combining wavelengths of light. Keep these principles in mind no matter what type of color mixing you’re working with.
The Role of Purple and Orange in Art
Now that we understand what happens when we mix purple and orange, we can also consider why an artist may choose to pair these colors together.
In art, purple and orange are considered complementary colors. This means they are opposite each other on the color wheel, creating high visual contrast when paired.
Using complementary colors together can help certain elements stand out in a painting, add visual interest, and create color harmony. Mixing complements results in a grayish or brownish tone, which can also be useful for shading or neutral backgrounds.
Some famous artists who used purple and orange to great effect include Vincent van Gogh, who paired them in his painting Vase with Irises Against a Yellow Background. Paul Gauguin also combined purple and orange in many of his post-Impressionist paintings like Arearea no varua ino (Words of the Devil).
Overall, combining complements creates vibrant, lively contrast and color combinations. This makes purple and orange appealing choices for capturing attention and adding drama in a work of art.
Physics of Purple and Orange Light
On a deeper physics level, we can gain some additional insights about purple and orange light:
– Purple light has wavelengths around 380-450 nm, falling near the short wavelength end of the visible light spectrum. This means it has higher frequency and energy than longer wavelength colors.
– Orange light has wavelengths around 585-650 nm, sitting in the middle of the visible spectrum. It has lower frequency and energy than violet and blue light.
– When purple and orange light mix, their wavelengths do not blend together. Instead, they combine through addition to stimulate red, green, and blue color receptors.
– White light contains roughly equal power across the full visible spectrum. Mixing colors that span the spectrum, like purple and orange, will produce white through additive color mixing.
– Purple paint absorbs wavelengths other than blue and red, while orange paint absorbs wavelengths other than red and green. Combining these pigments produces a muddy reddish color by removing some hues and boosting red wavelengths.
So the physics of light and color perception reinforce why combining purple and orange light makes white, while mixing the equivalent pigments produces a different color.
Uses of Purple and Orange Light
Understanding the mixing of purple and orange light also relates to many practical uses of these color wavelengths:
| Purple Light | Orange Light |
| – Plant growth for flowering | – Safety warnings and signals |
| – Black lights/UV inspection | – Sodium vapor lamps for street lighting |
| – Phototherapy for newborn jaundice | – Color TV and computer displays |
| – Lasers for dermatologic treatments | – Photobiomodulation andCircadian rhythms |
| – Photography filters | – Fog penetration for driving |
Many technologies take advantage of purple’s higher energy light for biological effects, while orange’s lower frequency makes it ideal for lighting and displays. Knowing how these two colors of light mix and interact is key for properly using and controlling them.
History and Culture of Purple and Orange
In history and culture, the colors purple and orange have carried many associations:
| Purple | Orange |
| – Royalty, wealth, prestige | – Enthusiasm, creativity, success |
| – Spirituality, mysticism, magic | – Tropics, warmth, vibrant |
| – Feminity, delicacy, charm | – Autumn, harvest, plenty |
| – Uniqueness, nonconformity | – Health, strength, endurance |
These varied cultural meanings show how purple has been linked with extravagance and the mystical, while orange evokes energy and the bounty of nature. Knowing these color symbolisms helps artists and designers choose palettes tailored to desired themes and moods.
In Conclusion
When mixed together, purple light and orange light combine to make white light. This results from the red, blue, and green wavelengths adding together to stimulate all three types of cone cells in the human eye. Mixing paints, on the other hand, causes the two colors to blend into a muddy reddish tone.
The mixing principles for light versus pigments follow very different rules. Understanding this helps explain counterintuitive color combinations and predict the results of mixing colors in different media. This knowledge supports fields from physics to engineering to the visual arts in effectively manipulating color.
So while purple and orange may appear strikingly different, their synergistic harmony is revealed in the white light their union creates. Complementary colors are able to accentuate each other’s finest qualities when placed side-by-side in the spirit of creative cooperation.
