Purple is a popular and colorful hue that can take on different shades and tones depending on how it is mixed. When looking at the color wheel, purple sits between red and blue. By mixing different amounts of red and blue, various shades of purple can be achieved. So what colors can be mixed to create different purples? Let’s take a closer look at the color combinations that correspond to purple.
Primary Colors Red, Blue, and Yellow
On the standard RYB (red, yellow, blue) color wheel, the primary colors are red, blue and yellow. When looking at purple, the two primary colors red and blue are needed to make this secondary color.
Purple is made by combining red and blue in different proportions. Adding more red creates purples with a reddish-purple or raspberry tone. Adding more blue makes a purple with a bluer periwinkle tone. Adjusting the ratio of red to blue allows creating different shades and intensities of purple.
So the two primary colors that directly correspond with purple are red and blue. These two colors mixed together in different ratios are needed to create the various purple shades.
Secondary Colors Orange, Green, and Violet
By mixing two primary colors, the secondary colors orange, green and violet are formed. Violet is the secondary color that sits directly between blue and red on the color wheel.
As a secondary color, violet is made by combining the primary colors red and blue in equal amounts. This balanced mixing creates a rich, pure purple tone halfway between the two parent primaries.
Violet is the purest and brightest form of purple, as it has no tint or shade from one primary dominating over the other. So violet can be considered the truest secondary purple.
Tertiary Colors
Further mixing of primary and secondary colors creates the tertiary colors. Many tertiary colors have a purple tone or hue to them.
Here are some tertiary purples made by mixing a primary and secondary color:
| Color 1 | Color 2 | Tertiary Purple |
| Red | Violet | Red-violet |
| Blue | Violet | Blue-violet |
| Red | Blue | Purple |
As shown, combining a primary like red or blue with the secondary violet makes reddish or bluish tertiary purples. And mixing red and blue together creates a more balanced tertiary purple.
So many tertiary purples can be made by blending primary colors with violet, or mixing the primaries red and blue.
Analogous Colors
Analogous colors sit directly next to each other on the color wheel. They create color harmony in designs.
Some examples of analogous colors to purple include:
| Red-violet | Violet | Blue-violet |
As these hues sit alongside violet on the color wheel, they create a visually pleasing, analogous color scheme. Using adjacent purples and violets together provides color continuity.
Other analogous colors to purple include:
| Magenta | Purple | Royal blue |
These analogous purples, paired with royal blue, offer a regal color palette.
Complementary Colors
Complementary colors sit directly across from each other on the color wheel. They create high contrast when paired together.
The complementary color to purple is yellow. Violet and yellow are opposites on the wheel, which provides visual interest when combined.
Using purple with its complement yellow makes the colors appear more vibrant. This bold color scheme fits well for fun, youthful designs.
Triadic Color Scheme
A triadic scheme uses three colors equally spaced around the color wheel. This creates color variety while still ensuring visual harmony.
A triadic palette with purple includes:
| Purple | Red-orange | Green |
The dynamic contrast between these three colors spaced apart draws the eye.
Another triadic scheme is:
| Violet | Yellow-orange | Blue-green |
This scheme provides bold impact with the contrasting yet balanced hues.
Tetradic and Rectangle Color Schemes
A tetradic color scheme uses four colors spaced evenly around the wheel. Four complementary color pairs are created.
One tetradic palette with purple includes:
| Purple | Red-orange | Blue-green | Yellow |
This uses the complement to purple plus two other colors spaced evenly around the wheel.
A rectangular color scheme is similar but arranges the colors into two complementary pairs:
| Violet | Red-orange |
| Yellow | Blue-green |
Both tetradic and rectangle schemes offer dynamic color interplay while maintaining balance.
Split-Complementary Colors
This scheme uses one base color, plus the two colors adjacent to its complement.
For example, purple’s split complements would be:
| Purple | Yellow-green | Yellow-orange |
This provides a nuanced take on using complement colors. The three color palette creates subtle contrast and interest.
Other Color Mixing Methods
In addition to the color wheel, other color mixing methods can create different shades and tones of purple:
Tints: Adding white to purple makes lighter tints like lavender and lilac. This mutes the color.
Shades: Adding black to purple creates darker shades like eggplant or plum.
Tones: Mixing gray with purple generates more subdued, muted purple tones.
So combining purple with white, black or gray allows adjusting the lightness, darkness or softness of the hue.
Conclusion
In summary, purple derives from the primary colors red and blue combined in different ratios. Violet is the secondary color directly between red and blue. Many tertiary purples are created by mixing primary and secondary hues.
Analogous colors like reds, violets and blues make harmonious purple schemes. Complementary yellow adds contrast. Dynamic triads and tetradic rectangles use evenly spaced purples. And split complements provide subtle interest.
Tinting, shading and toning also produce variations of purple. So many color combinations and mixing methods correspond to creating the diverse shades of purple.
References
[1] https://www.canva.com/colors/color-wheel/
[2] https://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory
[3] https://www.sessions.edu/color-calculator/
[4] https://www.designwizard.com/blog/design-trends/colour-theory-101-how-to-combine-colours
