Red is a primary color that sits at one end of the visible color spectrum. When mixed with white, which contains all wavelengths of visible light, red becomes lighter and shifts towards pink. The specific ratio of red to white determines how light or dark the resulting pink will be. Generally speaking, adding more white makes the pink lighter, while adding less white creates a darker pink. There are a few key factors that impact the red to pink color transformation:
The Red Pigment
Not all reds are created equal when it comes to mixing with white. The chemical composition of the pigment or dye determines its exact shade of red. A bluer red with more magenta tones will turn into a cooler toned pink, while an orangey red will mix into a warmer pink. The intensity of the red also matters. A vivid, saturated red will need more white added to achieve a light pink than a dull or muted red. Most bright reds found in paints, dyes, and other coloring agents lean towards the blue side of the red spectrum. Vermillion, a common natural red pigment, has an orangey bias.
Amount of White Pigment
The most straightforward way to control how light or dark the pink becomes is by adding more or less white pigment. White is needed in some amount to shift red towards pink. With only a small amount of white, the red remains quite saturated and dark, resulting in a vivid fuchsia or ruby shade of pink. As more white is added in equal amounts, the pink becomes increasingly lighter and desaturated, eventually blending into a pale blush pink. Near equal parts red and white make a peachy pink. Ultimately, white must overpower the red to reach the lightest possible pink.
| Amount of White Added | Resulting Pink Shade |
| Trace amount | Fuchsia |
| Less than red | Raspberry |
| Equal to red | Peach |
| More than red | Salmon |
| Much more than red | Blush |
The Type of White Pigment
Most white pigments lean slightly cool or warm rather than being pure white. Titanium white is very neutral and ideal for mixing clean pinks. Zinc white is slightly bluer and will yield cooler pinks. Lead white has a warm yellowish tinge, resulting in warmer pink shades. The warmth or coolness of the white used impacts the temperature of the final pink.
Other Factors
A few other minor aspects can alter red to pink mixing:
-Opacity vs. Transparency – Opaque reds like cadmium red produce more saturated pinks than transparent reds like alizarin crimson when mixed with white.
-Paint Medium – Heavy bodied paints allow colors to blend physically, while thinner watercolors mix optically on the paper. Different mediums can affect how the red and white merge.
-Surface Color – If painting on a white ground, the resulting pink will be lighter than painting on a dark or neutral ground. The surface color impacts the perception of the mixed color.
-Lighting – Colors appear cooler in shade and warmer in sunlight. The lighting conditions alter how the eye perceives the mixed red and white into shades of pink.
Mixing Technique
The actual process of blending the red and white matters too. Mixing thoroughly creates an even pink, while incomplete blending or layering preserves more texture and visual interest. Different ratios of red to white can be tested on a palette to observe the range of possible pinks before applying to a painting surface. Moving the brush in different directions, such as cross-hatching vs. circular scraping, impacts the blending. The artist’s goals and preferences guide the mixing technique.
Mixing Pure Red and White Pigments
Starting with pure tube red like cadmium red light and titanium white pigment provides the maximum range of pink shades. Squeezing out small amounts of each color onto a palette allows the artist to add increasing amounts of white to the red puddle and watch it steadily lighten from dusky pink to pure pink. This also prevents contamination from other pigments that might skew the color. However, most artists use premixed paint colors, so exact mixing ratios require testing. As long as sufficiently light whites and clean reds are used though, vibrant light pinks can be mixed consistently.
Tinting White Paint with Red Pigment
Another approach is to add drops of pure red pigment or paint into white paint. This sequentially tints the white towards light pink shades. Cadmium red drops make the cleanest clear pinks, though other reds work too. The artist can control how saturated the resulting pink is by adding more or fewer drops of red into a puddle of white paint. This technique involves less blending and preserves the white paint consistency.
Softening Bright Reds with White
Intense reds used straight from the tube can overpower a painting. Adding small amounts of white is an easy way to soften bright reds into more subtle hues. Mixing white into cadmium red light produces a pastel pink that is still vibrant but less harsh. Even a little white breaks up the solid red into a more nuanced blend of highlights and shadows for dimensional form. This is an excellent technique for rendering skin tones, flowers, fruit, clothing, and other subjects where pure red would be overwhelming.
Making Opaque Reds Transparent
Many artists add white to opaque reds to sheer them out into transparent glazes and washes. This dilutes the concentrated color so it stains the surface rather than covering it. Glazing over underlayers pulls the tones together into a cohesive painting. Building up successive glazes of pinky reds helps develop rich depth and radiance. Allowing undertones to show through the diluted color creates beautiful luminosity.
Lightening Dark Reds
Darker shades like maroon, burgundy, oxblood, and rust can also be lightened towards pink by adding white. However, their inherent darkness usually allows less vibrancy than starting with a pure primary red. Still, adding white provides useful hues for rendering deep shadows with a red tint. These muted earthy pinks play well against brighter versions in a painting. As with other techniques, the amount of white determines how far to push the shade from red towards true pink.
Color Theory Context
Within the color wheel, red sits between magenta and orange. When red moves towards white, it shifts away from its warm orange side and cooler pinks result. Adding white also reduces the chroma, or intensity, of the red. Less color saturation lets the red visually advance towards white. Pink is actually a tint of red, not a distinct hue on the color wheel. Red simply needs enough white added to cross the threshold into pink territory. All the intermediate pink shades lie along this gradient between pure red and white.
Historical Use of Red to Pink Pigments
Throughout history, artists have sought to brighten, soften, and delicately tint red pigments with white to produce various hues of pink. In Medieval and Renaissance eras, crushed red insects, mercury, and rare plant extracts provided red coloring agents. Mixing these with lead white and chalk produced soft pinks ideal for painting skin and drapery. Later periods saw introductions of synthetic reds that made clear pinks more achievable. Modern cadmium reds are perfectly poised to mix into clean, opaque pinks. Artists still creatively use white to dilute and leverage the intensity of reds into pinks though.
Matching Pink Colors
With so many variables affecting the red to pink shift, artists use several techniques to match desired pink shades:
– Mixing – Blend different ratios of red and white paints
– Color Charts – Match pink swatches to commercial paint colors
– Digital Tools – Use apps to sample and match real life pinks
– Experience – Gain intuition for how pigments interact with white over time
– Test Patches – Mix sample pink patches and observe after drying
A discerning artistic eye helps refine and nail down specific shades of pink straight from the mixing palette. But tools and references aid accuracy when painting objects where color fidelity is critical.
Conclusion
While red and white pigments seem simple, their blending possibilities are complex. The resulting pinks range from bold fuchsias to pale blossom tints. By controlling the red pigment source, white type and amount, mixing technique, and other factors, artists learn to mix any pink they envision. Painting practise develops an intuition for coaxing reds into pinks. From flashy neons to subtle neutrals, the red-to-pink gradient offers unlimited versatility to artists in blending beautiful colors. Through creativity and experience, they master moving fluidly across this spectrum.