Purple is a secondary color that is made by mixing two primary colors – red and blue. So to understand how to make the color purple, we first need to look at what primary colors can be mixed to create the secondary colors red and blue.
Primary Colors
The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These are called primary colors because they cannot be created by mixing other colors. All other colors are derived from some combination of these 3 primary colors.
Red, yellow and blue are considered the primary triad. When mixed together in different combinations and ratios, they create all the other colors on the color wheel.
Making Red
The primary color red can be made by mixing:
- Magenta + Yellow
- Orange + Purple
- Pink + Orange
So red can be made by mixing the colors found on either side of it on the color wheel. The most common combination is magenta and yellow.
Making Blue
The primary color blue can be made by mixing:
- Cyan + Magenta
- Blue-green + Violet
- Teal + Indigo
So like red, blue can be made by mixing the colors found on either side of it on the color wheel. The most common combination is cyan and magenta.
Making Purple
Now that we know how to make the primary colors red and blue, we can look at how to mix them to create the secondary color purple.
The basic combinations to make purple are:
- Red + Blue
- Magenta + Blue
- Red + Violet
However, to make the truest purple, you want to mix a red with a blue that leans slightly towards magenta and cyan respectively. This makes the perfect secondary purple right between red and blue on the color wheel.
So the best combination is:
- Magenta-red + Cyan-blue
Mixing these two primary colors produces a nice rich purple. The more red (magenta) you add, the more raspberry or pink the purple becomes. The more blue (cyan) you add, the more violet or indigo the purple becomes. Finding the right balance is the key to the perfect purple.
Tertiary Colors
In addition to the primary (red, yellow, blue) and secondary colors (orange, green, purple), there are also tertiary colors. These are made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color next to it on the color wheel. For example:
- Red + Purple = Red-Purple
- Yellow + Green = Yellow-Green
- Blue + Green = Blue-Green
These tertiary colors have very descriptive names like red-violet, yellow-orange, and blue-green that denote their position between the two colors. All these subtle variations help artists and designers expertly mix the perfect shades.
Using Paint to Make Purple
When physically mixing paint colors to make purple, you’ll want to use paints with a cool magenta-red tone and a cool cyan-blue tone. Here are some good options:
| Magenta-Red Paint | Cyan-Blue Paint |
|---|---|
| Alizarin Crimson | Cerulean Blue |
| Quinacridone Magenta | Phthalo Blue |
| Rose Madder | Cobalt Blue |
Mixing any combo of these magenta reds and cyan blues will give you a vibrant purple. Start with small amounts of paint and add more as needed to dial in the perfect purple tone you want.
Using Light to Make Purple
When working with light such as theater lighting or photography, you make purple by mixing red and blue light sources. This could involve:
- Shining a red and blue spotlight on the same area
- Using a red gel and blue gel over stage lights
- Setting your white balance cooler on a camera to accentuate blues in the image and warmer to accentuate reds.
In lighting, purple can also be made by shining a single violet light source since violet contains both red and blue wavelengths. Most purple stage gels are designed this way with a translucent film that filters out all colors except shades in the violet range.
Using Dye to Make Purple
When dyeing fabric or other materials, purple can be made by mixing:
- A magenta red dye + blue dye
- A violet dye that contains both red and blue pigments
The advantage of mixing two separate dyes is that you can better control the red/blue ratio to get slightly different purple shades. Violet dyes offer deep purple tones but less flexibility.
Some good purple dye options include:
| Magenta Dye | Blue Dye | Violet Dye |
|---|---|---|
| Fuchsine | Indigo | Mauve |
| Crimson | Navy Blue | Purple |
| Ruby Red | Royal Blue | Violet |
Using Food to Make Purple
Believe it or not, you can make natural purple food dye using red and blue foods. Some healthy options include:
- Blueberries + Strawberries
- Purple Cabbage + Raspberries
- Blackberries + Red Beets
Blend or juice them together and strain out the solids. You’ll be left with a vivid purple liquid. A few drops can elegantly color frostings, cake batters, homemade candies, and more.
For fuller-bodied purple food and drinks, blend both ingredients instead of straining them. Items like smoothies, popsicles, and jello take on a rich jewel tone when you mix magenta and cyan foods.
Using Natural Pigments to Make Purple
Long before synthetic dyes, artists would create purple pigments using natural materials with red and blue colorations. Some options they would forage and extract pigments from include:
- Madder Root – Orangey-red pigment
- Woad Leaves – Blue pigment
- Elderberries – Reddish-purple juice
- Jacobinia Flowers – Bluish-purple petals
By grinding and mixing different ratios of these plants, rich purples could be produced. And since these pigments were all natural materials, they were safe to use on fabrics, paints, cosmetics, food, and more.
Properties of Purple
Now that we understand how to make purple, let’s examine some key properties that define this fascinating secondary color:
- Wavelength range – between 380-450 nanometers
- Complementary color – Yellow
- Tertiary colors – Red-purple and blue-purple
- Shades – Violet, mauve, lilac, lavender
- Tones – Pinkish, bluish, muted, grayish
- Mood – Creative, mystical, wise, royal
These qualities begin to describe the diverse nature of purple. With the right ratios of red and blue mixed together, all these hues, tints, and tones can be formed.
Uses of Purple
Understanding how to make purple is important because of its many uses and associations, including:
- Art – In painting, dyeing, photography, lighting
- Fashion – For fabrics, cosmetics, hair coloring
- Food – As natural and artificial coloring
- Design – Web sites, logos, marketing materials
- Royalty – Associated with kings, queens, and luxury
- Spirituality – Connected to mysticism, magic, and ritual
Purple has a rare cache and cultural status unmatched by other colors. Unlocking its secrets through the primary hues of red and blue gives us access to this versatile and valuable secondary shade.
Conclusion
When it comes to mixing colors, secondary purples offer a window into the unlocking the potential of the primary palette. By bringing red and blue together in their numerous brilliant incarnations, we can paint, dye, and create every imaginable purple tone our creative hearts desire. So embrace the magic that happens when you blend two essential primary colors into one regal secondary – purple.
