Purple and red are two colors that are often associated together. Purple sits between red and blue on the visible spectrum, meaning it shares qualities of both. This leads many to ask: is purple actually a shade of dark red, or is it its own distinct color?
There are a few key factors that contribute to the perception of purple as a dark red:
Color Wheel Proximity
On a basic RYB (red, yellow, blue) color wheel, purple sits right next to red. The two colors naturally blend into one another along the spectrum. This visual relationship leads our eyes and brains to connect them as being closely related.
Shared Wavelengths
The wavelengths of light that make up purple partially overlap with those of red. Red light has wavelengths around 620-780 nanometers. Purple spans shorter wavelengths of around 380-450 nanometers for violet light and 450-520 nanometers for blue light. The overlap in the red range accounts for why purple has some red elements.
Pink is Light Red
Pink is made by lightening red with white. Similarly, purple can be made by darkening pink with the addition of blue hues. Since pink is a light red, this helps reinforce the idea of purple as a dark red.
Cultural Associations
Red and purple are traditionally associated together in culture. This includes things like:
– Red and purple being popular colors to pair together in fashion.
– Red and purple representing unified political parties or movements.
– Red and purple flowers growing together in nature.
These cultural links further solidify the bond between red and purple in people’s minds.
But Is Purple Actually Red?
While purple and red clearly have visual and cultural ties, when examined more closely purple does stand on its own as an independent color different from red. There are a few key reasons why:
Unique Wavelengths
As mentioned earlier, purple light is made up of wavelengths from around 380-520 nanometers. While purple and red share wavelengths in the lower red range, purple also contains shorter wavelengths from around 380-450 nanometers. This contributes more blue to purple and distinguishes it from red.
Difference on the Color Wheel
On a more detailed 12-part color wheel, red and purple occupy their own distinct positions. Red sits between magenta and orange, while purple sits between magenta and blue. This shows that purple has its own hue that sets it apart from red.
Separate Pigments
Purple and red have their own distinct pigments. Red has primary pigments such as cadmium red and magenta. Purple has primary pigments like manganese violet and cobalt violet that contain more blue. This gives purple its unique appearance.
Distinct Mixing Results
Mixing purple requires combining the primary colors red and blue. Mixing any shade of red just requires different tints of red pigments. This shows purple has its own identity as a secondary color.
| Red Mixed With… | Makes… |
|---|---|
| White | Pink |
| Yellow | Orange |
| Black | Darker red |
| Purple Mixed From… |
|---|
| Red + Blue |
Perception in the Brain
Research shows the brain perceives red and purple as distinct. Color perception occurs in cone cells in the eye that detect different wavelengths of light. Signals from these cone cells are then processed in the visual cortex of the brain. Here, purple activates slightly different areas and response patterns compared to red. This indicates the brain codes these colors as separate mental concepts rather than grouping purple as a variant of red.
Is Purple More Closely Related to Red or Blue?
Given purple’s place between red and blue on the color spectrum, another question is whether it is more closely associated with red or blue?
There are a few factors that give purple a closer kinship with red:
– Purple is positioned next to red on the basic RYB color wheel. Blue sits opposite purple.
– Purple and red blend together. There is more of a stark contrast going from purple to blue.
– As a secondary color, purple is created by mixing the primary colors red and blue. Red contributes to purple’s makeup more directly than blue.
However, there are also factors relating purple more closely to blue:
– Purple gets its name from one of its component colors: purple comes from purpura, which is Latin for the bluish-purple mollusc dye tyrian purple.
– Many shades of purple are closer to blue than red on the color wheel. Violet, in particular, borders blue.
– The shortest wavelengths that make up purple light (380-450nm) lean closer to blue light wavelengths (450-520nm).
– In color theory, purple sits alongside blue as a cool color, in contrast to red’s status as a warm color.
So while purple has ties to both, it may be a matter of perception whether purple seems more closely related to warmer red hues or cooler blue hues. Overall, purple fits neatly as its own distinct color between red and blue.
Is Purple a Tertiary Color?
Some sources describe purple as a tertiary color rather than a secondary color. What’s the difference between secondary and tertiary colors?
Secondary Colors
Secondary colors are made by mixing equal parts of two primary colors:
– Red and yellow make orange
– Yellow and blue make green
– Blue and red make purple
Secondary colors sit squarely between two primary colors on the color wheel.
Tertiary Colors
Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color:
– Red and orange make red-orange
– Orange and yellow make yellow-orange
– Yellow and green make yellow-green
– Green and blue make blue-green
– Blue and purple make blue-purple
– Purple and red make red-purple
Tertiary colors fill in the gaps between the primary and secondary colors on the color wheel. They are less defined as pure colors compared to primary and secondary colors.
| Primary Colors | Secondary Colors | Tertiary Colors |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Purple | Red-purple |
| Blue | Blue-purple |
So is purple correctly categorized as a secondary color or a tertiary color? There are arguments on both sides:
Purple as a Secondary Color
– Purple is clearly made from mixing equal parts red and blue primary pigments.
– Purple sits squarely between red and blue on the color wheel.
– Purple light is a mix of red and blue wavelengths, not shifted toward one.
Purple as a Tertiary Color
– When mixing paints, adding white or black to purple takes it toward red-purple or blue-purple tertiary colors.
– Most purples besides pure purple tend to lean slightly toward red or blue undertones.
– Cultural associations group purple more with red or blue (e.g. purple paired with pink vs periwinkle).
Overall, purple fits the technical criteria for a secondary color between red and blue. But tertiary shades of purple are also common. So purple occupies an intermediate space between secondary and tertiary color categories.
Conclusion
While purple shares similarities and associations with red, it deserves recognition as its own distinct color with a unique place on the color wheel. Purple mixes elements of red and blue light to create a hue independent from either. At the same time, tertiary purples demonstrate the color’s ability to lean toward red or blue through the addition of secondary characteristics. Our brains perceive purple as separate from red, even as the two colors are linked through history, culture, and perception. Purple’s relationship with red and blue gives it a dynamic identity that has long fascinated artists and scientists alike. So in the end, purple stands as so much more than a dark red.
