Adding white to a hue has the effect of lightening and desaturating the color. The more white that is added, the lighter and less saturated the hue becomes. This can be useful for mixing a range of lighter tints of a color for painting or design work. The addition of white also reduces the intensity and vibrancy of a hue.
How Adding White Changes Hue, Saturation, and Value
In color theory, hue, saturation, and value are the three main attributes of color. Hue refers to the pigment, saturation refers to the intensity of the color, and value refers to the lightness or darkness of the color.
Adding white primarily affects the saturation and value of a color:
- Saturation – Adding white desaturates a hue by dulling the vibrancy. The more white added, the more desaturated the color becomes.
- Value – White lightens a hue by increasing its value and brightness. The more white added, the lighter the hue becomes.
The hue itself remains largely unchanged, but the mix appears less vibrant and lighter. For example, adding white to red gives a pink shade – the red hue is still present, but less saturated and lighter in value.
Tinting Colors by Adding White
When white is added to a hue to lighten and desaturate it, this process is called tinting. Tint refers to mixing a color with white to create lighter variations.
Here is an example to demonstrate tinting:
| Red | Red + 25% White | Red + 50% White | Red + 75% White |
|---|---|---|---|
As more white is added to the red hue, the tints become lighter, less saturated pinks. Tinting allows a wide range of bright or pale hues to be mixed from a single pigment color.
Lightening Effect on Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors
Adding white has a lightening effect on all hues, whether they are primary colors, secondary colors, or tertiary colors.
Primary colors are the three pigment colors that cannot be mixed from other colors – red, yellow, and blue. Tinting primary colors with white produces soft pastel versions of these hues.
Secondary colors are created by mixing two primary colors, giving orange, green, and purple. Adding white to secondary colors mutes them towards lighter tints.
Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary and secondary color. For example, red (primary) and orange (secondary) makes red-orange. Tinting tertiary colors with white washes them out to paler versions.
In all cases, the hue remains present when white is added, but it becomes less saturated and lighter in value.
Using Tinted Colors for Painting
Tinting colors by adding white is invaluable for painting and color mixing. Pigment paints tend to be very saturated, so tinting allows a spectrum of usable lighter shades to be created.
For example, phthalo blue straight from the tube is an extremely intense, saturated blue. By tinting it with increasing amounts of white, a painter can create a range of softer sky blues.
| Phthalo Blue | + 25% White | + 50% White | + 75% White |
|---|---|---|---|
With all colors, tinting expands the mixing possibilities greatly. Subtle tints make soft, muted colors for shadows or distance, while bolder tints give bright, pale accents.
Psychological Effects of Tinting
Tinting colors with white not only lightens their appearance but also changes how they are perceived psychologically. Generally, paler tints have some common effects:
- Feel softer, gentler, and more subtle than saturated hues
- Give a sense of youth, innocence and femininity
- Appear more relaxing and calming to the eye
- Can come across as romantic, elegant or dreamy
- Seem lighter, airier and more delicate
For example, a soft pink tint feels more gently and romantic than bold magenta. Pale blue or mint green have a calm, fresh sensation. Using tints is a good way to add a lighter, more youthful feel to designs.
Considerations When Tinting Colors
There are some useful tips when creating tints by adding white:
- The more white added, the lighter the tint becomes. Add white in small amounts to gently lighten the hue.
- Over-tinting can make colors appear chalky and opaque rather than translucent.
- Tint deeper shades more than lighter ones for even lightening across a palette.
- Test tints on a separate palette so you can adjust the white to the desired level.
- When mixing colors, tint each one to similar values to keep their relationships.
Starting from clean, unstained white is also best for transparent tinting. Off-white paint will mute the vibrancy of the mixture.
Examples of Tinting in Design
Tints created by adding white are used extensively in design for their light, soft appearance:
- Logos – Many companies use tints in logos to appear more gentle, elegant and approachable.
- Website backgrounds – Subtle tints like pale blue or gray create relaxed website backgrounds.
- Painting – Artists mix tints for highlights, soft edges, and to paint distance or mist.
- Pastels – Pastel drawing uses pure pigments tinted with white for a light, chalky effect.
- Watercolor – Watercolorists often add white to transparent washes for a luminous effect.
- Decor – Tints like mint, peach, and sage green are popular wall colors for a soft, fresh feel.
Overall, tinting hues with white is a versatile technique for lightly softening colors across any medium.
Conclusion
Adding white to a hue is an essential technique for lightening and softening colors. It reduces the saturation and increases the value to give pale tints of a color. This expands the usable mixing range, allows subtle effects, and changes the psychological feel of a hue. Tinting is popular in painting, design, and any field that uses color for its delicate, luminous effects.
