Introduction
Purple and teal are both popular colors that look great together. But what happens when you actually mix together purple and teal paint? What new shade is created from this color combination?
The resulting color when you mix purple and teal is a rich, dark, bluish-purple. The specific hue can vary slightly depending on the original shades of purple and teal used and the ratios mixed. But in general, combining these two colors results in a beautiful, deep, cool-toned purple with strong blue undertones.
Breaking Down the Color Mix
To understand what color purple and teal make, it helps to break down these colors into their basic pigments.
Purple is made from combining red and blue pigment. Red and blue are considered primary colors. When mixed together in equal parts, they make the secondary color purple.
Teal is made from mixing blue and green pigments. It sits between green and blue on the color wheel.
So purple contains red and blue, while teal contains green and blue. When you mix these two colors, the red pigment in the purple combines with the green pigment in the teal. This makes a new shade that contains all three pigments – red, blue, and green.
The Resulting Color Explained
The reason mixing purple and teal creates a dark bluish-purple color is because both original colors contain a strong blue pigment. Blue is the dominant hue in this color mix.
The red and green pigments neutralize and deepen each other into a very dark shade. Red pigment is much stronger and darker than green. So when mixing a red-based purple with a green-based teal, the small amount of green gets overpowered by the red.
This gives us a dark, bluish-purple that has a sense of richness and depth. It’s like combining navy blue with a hint of jewel tones. This resulting color has an elegant, sophisticated feel.
What the Experts Say
Color experts agree that mixing most shades of purple and teal will result in a new saturated, blue-based purple.
According to color theory, secondary colors like purple are made by mixing two primary colors. Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. This makes teal a tertiary color since it combines the primary blue with the secondary green.
When you mix a secondary color (purple) with a tertiary color (teal), the secondary color typically overpowers the tertiary color. So the red pigment in purple dominates the green teal pigment, leaving blue as the prominent shade.
Trying the Mix at Home
You can easily try mixing purple and teal paints or inks at home to see the resulting color. Try starting with equal parts of the two colors and adjust the ratios as needed to achieve your desired hue.
Here are some examples of popular purple and teal shades to mix:
- Royal purple + teal blue
- Lavender purple + sea green teal
- Dark orchid purple + peacock teal
- Plum purple + light teal
Make sure to thoroughly mix the two paints so the pigments fully combine. Test strips of paper are ideal for color mixing experiments so you can save the results.
How Lighting Affects the Mixed Color
Something important to keep in mind is that lighting conditions can alter how the mixed purple-teal color appears.
Different light wavelengths highlight different pigments in a color. So the purple-teal mix may look more blue, red, or greenish based on the light source.
For example, in warm, incandescent lighting, the red undertones may come through more strongly. Meanwhile, under cool, blue-toned fluorescent lighting, the color may take on a deeper blue-purple appearance.
Trying Different Color Ratios
You can play around with the purple-to-teal ratio to achieve different hues.
Adding more teal will tint the color mix with a stronger green bias. The result will be a more vibrant, jewel-toned purple.
Conversely, increasing the amount of purple will amplify the red tones. This gives a moodier, cooler purple that almost starts nearing on a grape color.
Generally, keeping the ratios within 60% purple/40% teal to 40% purple/60% teal provides the most pleasing blend. But have fun testing out different combinations!
Potential Uses for the Mixed Color
Once you’ve created your ideal purple-teal color, there are endless ways to utilize this beautiful, rich shade:
- Paint accent walls or furniture
- Use in graphic design projects
- Add to website color palettes
- Incorporate into logos or branding
- Dye fabric this color
- Add to presentations or documents
This color also works well paired with neutral shades like white, black, gray, beige, or wood tones. The pop of color can really stand out against these backgrounds.
Color Palettes with Purple-Teal Mix
To use your custom purple-teal color in the most visually appealing way, it helps to build a full color palette around it.
Here are some examples of color schemes where this purple-teal mix fits nicely:
Monochromatic – Different tints and shades of the purple-teal color:
- Deep purple-teal
- Medium purple-teal
- Light purple-teal
- Pale purple-teal
Complementary – Purple-teal paired with its complement yellow-orange:
- Purple-teal
- Yellow-orange
- Off-white
- Gray
Split Complementary – Purple-teal with nearby complements yellow and red-violet:
- Purple-teal
- Yellow
- Red-violet
- Dark charcoal
Triadic – Purple-teal with triad colors red-orange and yellow-green:
- Purple-teal
- Red-orange
- Yellow-green
- Black
- White
These types of harmonious color schemes keep everything looking cohesive while adding visual interest.
Conclusion
When mixed together, purple and teal make a rich, deep purple with strong blue undertones. The resulting color is a beautiful tertiary shade that works well in many creative projects.
Experiment with combining different purple and teal hues to find your perfect color mix. And incorporate complementary shades to build a complete palette around this new purple-teal color.
So grab some paints or colored pencils and explore the gorgeous possibilities available when blending purple and teal!
