Teal is a fascinating color that seems to straddle the line between blue and green. Many people assume that teal is created by mixing equal parts blue and green, but is this really the case? In this article, we will examine the technical definition of teal, look at how it is created, and determine whether it truly contains equal parts blue and green.
Defining Teal
Before we can determine if teal contains equal parts blue and green, we first need to define what we mean by “teal.” Teal is generally considered to be a bluish-green color that is somewhat darker than turquoise. It sits between green and blue on the color wheel and has a hue angle of between 160-180 degrees.
The exact specifications for teal have changed over time and can vary slightly depending on the color system being used. For example:
| Color System | Teal Specifications |
| RGB | R: 0, G: 128, B: 128 |
| CMYK | C: 100, M: 25, Y: 25, K: 50 |
| HSV | H: 180°, S: 100%, V: 50% |
| Pantone | Pantone 3125 C |
As you can see, teal occupies a middle ground between green and blue, but its exact definition depends on the specific color system being referenced.
How is Teal Created?
Now that we know what teal is, how is this color actually created? There are a few different ways that teal can be made:
Mixing Blue and Green Pigments
One of the most straightforward ways to create teal is by physically mixing blue and green pigments together. This could involve mixing green and blue paints, inks, dyes, or other colored pigments until the right shade of teal is achieved. Generally more blue pigment is used than green when creating teal this way.
Combining Light Waves
Teal can also be created by combining different wavelengths of light. Computer and TV screens create color by emitting red, green, and blue light. Teal is made by combining more green light than red or blue light. A ratio of approximately 1 part blue, 2 parts green creates a nice teal shade.
Using Process Printing
In process printing using CMYK colors, teal can be created by layering cyan and green inks, with a smaller amount of yellow ink. Thissubtractive color mixing allows printers to create the shade of teal they need.
Using Dyes and Pigments
In industry, specific dyes and pigments are formulated to create consistent shades of teal. These complex organic compounds absorb and reflect light in ways that reliably generate the desired teal color.
Does Teal Contain Equal Parts Blue and Green?
Based on the technical ways that teal is created, it does not appear that teal is made from exactly equal parts blue and green. Here are some key points indicating teal has more green than blue:
- On the color wheel, teal is closer to green than blue
- RGB, CMYK, and HSV values all show teal containing more green
- Mixing paints requires more blue than green pigments
- Combining light uses a higher proportion of green wavelengths
- Process printing relies more on the green ink than cyan ink
While the percentages vary across different color systems and applications, in general teal seems to be formulated using something along the lines of 1 part blue and 2 parts green. The amount of blue versus green can be adjusted to create different hues of teal, but pure teal is definitely not an even 50/50 split.
Why Does Teal Appear Bluer Than Its Formulation?
This raises an interesting question – if teal contains more green than blue, why does it appear to our eyes as a distinctly bluish-green color? The answer has to do with how our eyes perceive color.
The human eye contains cells called cone photoreceptors that detect different wavelengths of light. There are cones that respond to short (blue), medium (green), and long (red) wavelengths. We perceive color based on the relative stimulation of our cone cells.
It turns out our green cones are a bit less sensitive than our blue cones. It takes more green wavelength light to trigger our green color perception than blue. So even though teal has a higher percentage of green pigment or light, the weaker green cone stimulation makes it appear more blue-ish to our eyes.
Our color vision evolved this way because blue light tends to be scattered more in the atmosphere, so de-emphasizing blues allows us to better perceive detail. This quirk in our visual system explains why teal looks blue even with more green ingredient.
Examples of Teal Pigment Mixing Ratios
To give more concrete examples of teal mixing ratios, here are some approximate formulations used to create different shades of teal:
| Teal Shade | Blue Pigment | Green Pigment |
| Bright Teal | 1 part | 2 parts |
| Sea Teal | 1 part | 3 parts |
| Peacock Teal | 2 parts | 3 parts |
| Dark Teal | 3 parts | 1 part |
As you can see, green pigment predominates in most types of teal. Only for a darker, blue-heavy teal does the amount of blue pigment exceed the amount of green. This table demonstrates that equal blue and green pigments only occur in very rare, specially formulated shades of teal.
Conclusion
Based on our technical investigation, we can conclude that pure teal does not contain exactly equal parts blue and green pigments. While the ratio varies depending on the specific hue, teal generally contains more green than blue. However, due to the quirks of human color perception, teal appears slightly bluer than its actual formulation. So the next time you come across teal in nature or design, you can appreciate just how unique this cool, aquatic color really is.
