Purple is a popular and versatile color that comes in many different shades and hues. From light lavenders to deep violets, the diversity of purple colors is astounding. But just how many different shades of purple are there? As a secondary color made by combining red and blue, the possibilities for variations of purple are nearly endless. In this article, we’ll explore the wide range of purple shades and the factors that affect how we perceive this colorful part of the spectrum. By examining the technical definitions, historical meanings, and current cultural associations of different purples, we can better appreciate the true diversity found in this regal color.
The Technical Spectrum of Purple
In technical terms, purple sits between red and blue on the visible light spectrum. Violet light has the shortest wavelength within the visible range at around 380-450 nanometers, while purples blend the wavelengths of red and blue light together. This results in an extremely wide range of potential shades of purple. In fact, some experts estimate that the human eye can distinguish roughly 2.3 million discernible shades of the color purple due to the subtle gradations in hue, chroma, and value.
While there are no definitive boundaries, purple colors typically span wavelengths of around 380 to 500 nanometers. Within this range, common shades of purple include:
| Violet | 380-450 nm |
| Purple | 450-475 nm |
| Royal purple | 465-485 nm |
| Blue-violet | 470-490 nm |
| Red-violet | 490-500 nm |
The diversity arises because any combination of red and blue can make purple. As the proportion of blue vs. red shifts, the exact shade will vary along the spectrum. Adding white to lighten or black to darken produces millions of possible purple tones.
The History and Meaning of Purple
Beyond the technical spectrum, purple has a long cultural history that lends more meaning to its different shades. In ancient times, Tyrian purple was the rarest and most prized purple dye. It was made from the secretions of sea snails found in the Mediterranean and required thousands of snails to produce just a few grams of rich, reddish-purple colored dye. As a result, Tyrian purple was reserved for royalty and the elites of society.
Later, during the 19th century reign of Queen Victoria, a pale purple called lavender became popular. It was seen as feminine, graceful, and evocative of the Victorian era. In the 1960s, psychedelic rock musicians like Jimi Hendrix popularized a bright purple hue that came to symbolize counterculture movements and psychedelic drugs.
More recently, brands have used shades like orchid purple or wisteria to convey luxury. Bright purples represent creativity and imagination in children’s media. Dark or muted purples can symbolize mystery, spirituality, or moodiness. The wide spectrum of purple allows it to take on many nuanced cultural meanings.
Popular Variations of Purple
From the deepest plums to the lightest lilacs, it’s helpful to understand some of the most popular purple shades and how they’re defined. Here’s an overview of some common purple color varieties:
Violet – As the spectral extreme of purple closest to blue, violet appears in crayons, rainbows, and visible light. It has a hue code of 300 and hex code #8F00FF.
Purple Heart – Named after the Purple Heart military medal, this rich purple has a hue of 260, saturation of 100%, and brightness of 50%. Its hex code is #69359C.
Royal Purple – Historically used for crowns and robes, this shade has a regal red-purple hue. It’s defined as Pantone 19-3536 or hex #7851A9.
Electric Purple – This vivid, anti-traditional purple was popularized in the 1980s. It has a hue of 275 and strong saturation for a neon effect.
Pale Purple – Sometimes called lavender, mauve or lilac, these light or muted purples have soft appeal. Pale purple has a hue of 260 and low saturation.
Thistle – A medium purple with gray undertones, its hex code is #D8BFD8. Thistle has a CMYK ratio of 30% cyan, 23% magenta, 0% yellow, 20% black.
Orchid – Orchid purple is a lightened violet, associated with decadence and wisdom. It has hex #DA70D6.
Wisteria – Named after the flower, this light purple has a pink tinge and hex #C9A0DC.
Plum – As a reddish-purple, plum sits between violet and burgundy. It has hex #DDA0DD.
Eggplant – This dark, grayish purple inspired the name of the eggplant emoji. Its hex is #614051.
So in summary, some of the most common purple varieties include violet, royal purple, electric purple, pale purples, thistle, orchid, wisteria, plum, and eggplant shades. But many more exist along the spectrum too.
Factors that Create Purple Variations
What accounts for the incredible diversity among purple hues? Several key factors come into play:
Hue – Hue refers to where a color falls along the visible spectrum. Purple’s hue can shift from the red-violet to blue-violet end depending on the light wavelength.
Chroma – Also called saturation or intensity, chroma defines how vivid or dull a color appears. Lower chroma purples look more washed out.
Value – The lightness or brightness of a color is its value. Light purples have higher value than deeper eggplant shades.
Temperature – Color temperature describes warm or cool undertones. Some purples lean slightly red (warm) or blue (cool).
Tinge – Adding a complementary color like yellow or grey creates tinged variations like thistle.
Shade – Darkened with black or lightened with white, purple’s shade gradients are endless.
So in summary, hue, chroma, value, temperature, tinges, and shades all interact to produce every possible purple under the sun. With millions of discernible combinations, it’s a color with kaleidoscopic variety.
The Psychological Effects of Different Purples
In color psychology, purple hues can evoke an array of moods and emotional states. Here’s an overview of how some common purple shades tend to affect us psychologically:
Violet – As the most energetic shade, violet promotes creativity and imagination. It boosts nonconformity.
Lavender – Soothing and peaceful, lavender purples reduce anxiety and create a sense of harmony.
Orchid – Associated with wealth and luxury, orchid purples convey a sense of splendor.
Plum – Sophisticated yet moody, plum evokes introspection and spirituality.
Eggplant – With darker eggplant purples, people often feel more introspective and intuitive.
Wisteria – Romantic and feminine, wisteria purples create soft, nostalgic feelings.
Thistle – The grayness of thistle purples elicits formality and traditionalism.
So in many ways, the specific shade of purple determines its psychological effects. Lighter purples tend to be more delicate and relaxing, while darker purples evoke introspection and nostalgia. Vibrant purples like violet and orchid are the most energetic.
Purples Found in Nature
In the natural world, purple hues arise in plants, animals, minerals, and more. Here are some of the places purples appear in nature:
Plants – Lavender, wisteria, thistle, lilac, violets, eggplants, purple cabbage, figs, plums
Flowers – Orchids, purple roses, hyacinth, petunia, pansy, iris, allium, foxglove
Gemstones – Amethyst, sugilite, charoite, lepidolite, jasper, agate
Fruits – Grapes, figs, plums, passionfruit, rambutan, purple carrots
Animals – Purple emperor butterflies, violet sabrewing hummingbirds, purple finches
Landscapes – Lavender fields, jacaranda trees, wisteria, purple mountains
As you can see, purples make frequent appearances in the natural environment, from regal butterflies to serene lavender sprigs. These provide soothing, vibrant, and inspiring shades of purple.
Creating Shades of Purple
To make customized purple shades, you need to blend together red and blue pigments or light. Here are some mixing tips:
– Use more red or magenta to make reddish purples like plum.
– Use more blue or violet to create cooler purples.
– Add white to lighten the shade into lilacs and lavenders.
– Mix in black to produce deeper eggplant or royal purples.
– Combine with yellows for green-tinged purples like thistle.
– Adding grey will mute the chroma into softer, more subtle purples.
– Use glossy vs. matte paints to shift the finish and appearance.
So in practice, adjust the proportion of red, blue, white, black, and other colors to mix an endless array of purple tones. Get creative exploring the possibilities!
Conclusion
In the end, how many shades of purple are there? While there’s no definitive answer, color theory suggests millions of discernible purple shades exist. From the light purple hues to the darkest violets, slight variations in the base color produce nuanced effects. Cultural meanings, psychological associations, and similarities to nature all deepen and contextualize the sense of purple’s diversity. So embrace the near-infinite spectrum and find your perfect purple hue.
