When it comes to mixing colors, the result you get by combining two colors is often intuitive. For example, we know that mixing red and yellow makes orange. However, the results of mixing some colors are less obvious. An interesting color combination is blue and purple. But what color do you actually get when you mix these two shades?
The Color Wheel
To understand what happens when we mix blue and purple, it helps to visualize the relationship between colors on the color wheel. The color wheel arranges colors into a circle based on their hue. Complementary colors are located opposite each other on the wheel.
Blue and purple are adjacent colors on the wheel. Blue sits between green and purple. This proximity indicates that blue and purple have similar hues. When adjacent colors are combined, they create a secondary color that lies between them on the wheel.
Mixing Blue and Purple Pigments
When working with paints, dyes, or other pigments, mixing blue and purple will make a shade of indigo or violet. Indigo is the secondary color between blue and purple on the color wheel. It may appear closer to a dark blue or lean slightly more towards purple depending on the exact pigments used.
The resulting color can also depend on the proportions. Using more blue paint will shift it towards a deeper blue-based indigo. Incorporating more purple will give it a more reddish violet tone. Equal parts should produce a nicely balanced indigo.
Light and Color Perception
Mixing colored lights works a bit differently than mixing pigments. With light, the combination of blue and purple wavelengths produces a shade of blue-violet. This light purple color is similar to indigo but has a stronger blue cast.
The reason for this difference stems from the physics of light. When various wavelengths of light mix, they add together to excite our eye’s color receptors. Shorter blue wavelengths tend to dominate over the longer purple wavelengths.
Our perception can also influence the apparent mix of blue and purple light. In some situations, the color may be perceived as whitish. This effect results from the way our eyes adapt to the complex interactions between different wavelengths.
Mixing Digital Colors
On digital screens, colors are produced using RGB (red, green, blue) combinations. Mixing blue and purple RGB values generates a muted indigo. More blue makes it look like a dark rich blue. More purple gives it a softened violet appearance.
One interesting difference is that digital mixes look slightly more blue compared to pigment mixes. This is because the RGB purple contains a good amount of blue in it already. As a result, mixing RGB blue and purple is somewhat akin to mixing blue with more blue.
The Psychology of Purple-Blues
Why do people find mixes of blue and purple aesthetically pleasing? Psychological research suggests it may have to do with preferences for specific hues.
While personal taste plays a role, studies show people tend to rate pure blue and violet as the most attractive primary and secondary colors. Mixing these two appealing hues often produces a color that maintains that appeal.
There may also be some deeper evolutionary factors at play. Blue shades are associated with openness and spaciousness, while purples tie into spirituality and imagination. Blues and purples combined can evoke a sense of mystical expansiveness.
Uses and Examples
Knowing what you get when you blend blue and purple allows for practical applications:
- Painters can mix custom indigo or violet pigments.
- Digital designers can create branding with blue-purple color schemes.
- Lighting specialists can produce atmospheric violet-blue stage lighting.
- Gardeners can select flowers in harmonious blue-purple hues.
- Fashion stylists can coordinate outfits using shades like indigo denim with violet tops.
Here are some examples of blue-purple mixes:
- Jacaranda flowers
- Grapes
- Eggplant
- Prunes
- Blueberries
The Mixing Process
If you want to mix your own custom blue-purple color, follow these steps:
- Select a medium blue and medium purple pigment, dye, or paint.
- Determine the proportions you want to use.
- Mix the blue and purple together thoroughly.
- Adjust the proportions if needed to fine-tune the hue.
- Test samples until you achieve your desired blue-purple shade.
Making digital colors just requires choosing RGB values. Mix a blue around RGB(30,144,255) with a purple around RGB(160,32,240). Then play with the slider combinations until you get your ideal virtual indigo.
Conclusions
Combining blue and purple produces a range of indigo or violet shades. The specific hue depends on the medium, proportions, and individual color perceptions. While mixes appear more blue with light, pigment blending results in slightly more purple indigos. These rich blue-purples are aesthetically pleasing and find many practical uses.
So next time you’re curious about what mixing two favorite colors produces, give blue and purple a try. The resulting shades can be quite exciting and inspiring.
