Purple is a popular and versatile colour that can add vibrancy, elegance, and creativity to any space. When choosing a purple paint, the specific hue and tone you select can set the mood and style of a room. There are many ways to make bright, bold purple paint using different combinations of paint colours.
Primary Colours for Purple
At its core, purple is created by mixing the primary colours blue and red. By adjusting the proportions of blue and red, you can create different shades and intensities of purple.
Using more blue pigment in the mix will create a cooler, bluer purple. Adding more red pigment will result in a warmer, pinker purple. Equal parts blue and red makes a vivid purple right in the middle of the colour spectrum.
When working with primary paint colours to make purple, it’s best to use a warm, bright red like cadmium red. For the blue pigment, ultramarine or phthalo blue work very well. Mixing cadmium red and phthalo or ultramarine blue makes a bold purple with a nicely balanced raspberry tone.
Secondary Colours for Purple
In colour theory, purple is considered a secondary colour, meaning that it can be created by mixing two primary colours. The secondary colours that make purple are red and blue.
Using secondary colour paints is a convenient shortcut to mixing the primary red and blue pigments yourself. Pre-mixed red and blue paints designed to be blended together will ensure a nice chromatic purple.
Some popular secondary colour pairings for purple paint include:
- Alizarin crimson + phthalo blue
- Quinacridone or permanent rose + ultramarine blue
- Cobalt or French ultramarine blue + cadmium red medium
These combinations mix easily while retaining their vividness. The quantities can be adjusted to control the purple’s warmth, depth, and brightness.
Tertiary Colours for Purple
Tertiary colours are made by combining a primary colour with a secondary colour adjacent to it on the colour wheel. For purple, this means blending red-violet with blue-violet.
Convenient premixed tertiary acrylic, oil, gouache, and watercolour paint colours for purple include:
- Purple oxide
- Violet
- Royal purple
- Opera purple
These tertiary purples tend to be lower in chroma, meaning they are less vibrant and intense compared to primary or secondary mixed purples. But they provide an easy single-pigment option.
Colour Mixing for Vivid Purple
Here are some tips for mixing maximal vibrant purple paint:
- Use a warm blue and cool red – Combining a blue with red undertones and a red with blue undertones makes the colours really pop.
- Lean towards blue – Slightly more blue pigment keeps purple from becoming too pink or raspberry toned.
- Use opaque pigments – Opaque, highly chromatic pigments like phthalo blue or cadmium red medium yield brighter mixed colours.
- Add white to lighten – White brings up the value for a vivid, intense purple. Adding black will mute the colour.
With acrylics, ensure the paint consistency is fluid and well-blended. The quick drying time can make colour mixing tricky.
For oil or watercolour painting, take your time blending multiple thin layers to build up a vibrant purple complexion. Using a colour mixing chart can also help gauge pigment quantities.
Purple Paint Colour Mixing Ratios
The following table provides mixing ratios for different purple hues using common blue and red paint pigments:
| Purple Hue | Mixing Ratio |
|---|---|
| Vivid violet | 4 parts phthalo blue : 1 part cadmium red medium |
| Royal purple | 1 part French ultramarine : 1 part alizarin crimson |
| Rich raspberry | 3 parts quinacridone red : 2 parts ultramarine blue |
| Plum purple | 2 parts ultramarine blue : 1 part purple oxide |
These mixing ratios can be adjusted based on the specific paint brands and shades you are using. Make small test batches first to match the purple tone you envision.
Ready-mixed Purple Paint
For convenience, many paint brands offer premixed purple paints so you don’t have to blend the colours yourself. Some popular ready-made purple acrylic, oil, and watercolour options include:
- Dioxazine purple
- Han purple
- Purple mica
- Permanent rose
- Opera
- Helio purple
These pre-mixed purples provide consistent, reliable hues. Manufacturers formulate them to maintain their richness when mixed and diluted. With both mixing and ready-made paints, you can layer colours to create custom, multidimensional purples.
Achieving Bright Purple
Here are some tips for getting the maximum brightness and saturation in purple paint:
- Use heavy body paints – Thick, buttery paint contains more concentrated pigment.
- Choose colours with staining pigments – Staining pigments like dioxazine purple produce very intense, vivid colour.
- Use white to lighten – Adding white will make purple paint pop with brightness.
- Paint on white surfaces – White or light grounds reflect light to make colours appear more vivid.
- Retain thickness – Avoid overdiluting or overblending to retain colour richness.
- Apply gloss varnish – A glossy varnish helps reflect light and amplify purple’s luminosity.
With thoughtful colour selection and application techniques, you can achieve glowing, vivid purples in any painting or mixed media project.
Muting Bright Purple
If you need to tone down an excessively bright purple paint colour, here are some simple methods:
- Add a complementary colour like yellow – This grey’s down and dulls the purple.
- Mix in black, raw umber or purple oxide – These earthy tones quell brightness.
- Thin with water or medium – Diluting concentrated colour reduces its intensity.
- Switch to a less staining pigment – Staining colours have exceptional tinting strength.
- Choose a darker ground – Colours appear more subdued on darker surfaces and backgrounds.
- Use a matte varnish – A flat finish absorbs and diffuses light rather than reflecting it back.
Test small amounts of paint when adjusting colour to prevent over-muting. Opaque paints offer more control compared to transparent staining pigments.
Non-Traditional Purple Paint Colours
Purple hues can be mixed using non-traditional pigments beyond basic primary colours. Here are some examples of unconventional paint colours that yield rich purple tones:
- Carbon black + phthalo turquoise
- Yellow oxide + ultramarine violet
- Payne’s gray + permanent rose
- Indanthrone blue + napthol red
- Cobalt teal + quinacridone magenta
These unique colour combinations provide more complexity and visual interest than basic red + blue mixes. The grayed-down tones can enhance mood and naturalism in painting.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with mixing unusual paint colours to find just the right custom purple hue for your artistic vision, whether it’s a moody subtle purple or vibrant neon purple.
Conclusion
With the infinite colour combinations possible using different red, blue, and purple pigments, the purple painting possibilities are endless. Understanding primary, secondary, and tertiary colours provides the foundation for mixing any shade. Or convenient premixed purples can be used straight from the tube.
Pay attention to paint opacity, texture, and colour bias for the best results. Test small mixes and swatches before applying to a large painting surface. With practice, you can learning to mix the perfect purple paint to match your artistic sensibilities.
