Deep purplish-red is a rich, vivid reddish purple shade that sits between red and purple on the color wheel. It’s a complex color that can vary slightly depending on lighting and individual perception, but generally has a strong red base infused with blue undertones to give it that regal purple effect. Determining the exact specifications and name for this color can be tricky, as there are many similar shades of reddish purple. Here we’ll explore the defining characteristics of deep purplish-red and look at how it compares to similar colors.
Defining Characteristics
So what makes a color qualify as deep purplish-red specifically? Here are some of the key defining traits:
- Base color is a deep, vivid red – Much more red than purple in the overall balance.
- Blue/purple undertone – Just enough to take the red into purplish rather than pure red territory.
- Highly saturated – Very rich and intense, not muted.
- Fairly dark shade – Though not as dark as a true deep red or deep purple.
- Slightly cool in tone compared to warm reds.
- Often described as regal, luxurious, romantic and passionate.
When you picture deep purplish-red in your mind, you can probably imagine a color that fits these descriptions – richer and redder than eggplant purple, but too purple to be considered a pure red. That saturated, vivid quality really sets it apart from lighter or duller reddish purples.
Comparing Similar Colors
There are many shades of purple-tinged red that are close relatives of deep purplish-red. Here’s how some other specific colors compare:
Raspberry – Lighter, cooler and more vibrant pinkish-purple red.
Ruby – Clearer, more bluish red, less purple than deep purplish-red.
Burgundy – Darker, often browner or grayer reddish purple.
Maroon – Darker, warmer, more brownish red-purple.
Magenta – Vivid reddish purple but leaning more to purple than red.
Crimson – Slightly bluer, cooler red.
So you can see there’s overlap, but deep purplish-red sits in its own niche – neither extremely red nor extremely purple, while retaining vibrancy and depth.
How Lighting Affects Perception
One factor that can make defining deep purplish-red tricky is that it can look slightly different based on lighting conditions. Here’s how lighting can impact how this color is perceived:
- In daylight it will appear richer and more reddish.
- Under incandescent lighting the redness will look muted and it will shift slightly more purple.
- Fluorescent lighting will give it a bolder, cooler, slightly bluer cast.
- LED lights enhance the redness and warm up the tone.
So someone looking at a swatch of deep purplish-red under warm incandescent bulbs might describe it as more of a red-tinged purple, while in cool fluorescent light the same color would appear distinctly redder. This chameleon-like nature is part of what makes nailing down its specifications tricky.
Official Color Specifications
While perceptions of deep purplish-red may vary, official color cataloguing systems can provide precise specifications. Here are some defining RGB, CMYK, and HEX values for deep purplish-red from widely-used standards:
| Color System | Deep Purplish-Red Values |
|---|---|
| RGB | RGB(115, 23, 76) |
| CMYK | CMYK(0, 80, 34, 55) |
| HEX | #73174C |
These specifications all equate to a vivid, fairly dark reddish purple with strong red tones. The low green and high blue RGB values push it towards purple, while the predominance of red keeps it from crossing fully into purple terrain. The high cyan and low black levels in the CMYK also signal a bold, saturated color.
These kinds of official color codes help remove some of the subjectivity when trying to pin down what a color like deep purplish-red looks like.
Deep Purplish-Red in Nature & Culture
Looking to the natural world and human culture also gives insight into the defining essence of deep purplish-red as a color:
- Seen in flowers like orchids, tulips, and peonies.
- Found in fruits & vegetables including plums, pomegranates, and beets.
- Associated with passion, romance, and extravagance.
- Used in art to convey intensity and excitement.
- Often used in fabrics like velvet, silk, or satin.
- Connected to creativity, intimacy, vibrancy, and power.
Across cultures deep purplish-red is a dramatic color that evokes complex emotions from the human psyche. It inspires us and intimidates us, excites and unsettles us. This mix of connotations helps illustrate the color’s mystique.
Conclusion
Deep purplish-red is an elite color, set apart from its neighbors on the color wheel by an inky reddish base fused with just enough blue-purple to capture a sense of regality and passion uniquely its own. It defies quick categorization, encompassing both the groundedness of red and the rarified air of purple in a single vivid, saturated identity. Subjective and shifting in appearance it may be, but the signature richness and depth of deep purplish-red leave an impression that is unmistakable. Harnessing this color gives creatives, designers, and artists an expressive tool for conveying the complex emotions and ideas that defy black and white.
