When mixing colors, the resulting color you get depends on the specific shades of the original colors and the proportions you used. Mixing different combinations of pink, yellow, and blue paints or pigments can result in a wide range of colors including greens, oranges, purples, and browns. To understand what colors you’ll get, it’s helpful to look at a color wheel or visualize the different shades of pink, yellow, and blue.
Understanding a Color Wheel
A color wheel or circle is a useful tool for predicting what colors will result when different colors are mixed. The color wheel arranges colors in a circle based on their hue. Colors that are opposite each other on the wheel are considered complementary colors. When complementary colors are mixed, they tend to neutralize each other and create more muted or grayed colors.
On the color wheel, yellow is located between green and orange. Blue is between purple and green. Pink sits between red and purple. This means that mixing pink and yellow will likely result in an orange or orange-brown shade since orange sits between pink and yellow on the wheel. Mixing blue and yellow will likely make a green since green sits between blue and yellow.
Mixing Pink, Yellow, and Blue
When all three colors are mixed together, the resulting color will depend on the exact shades of pink, yellow and blue used. Here are some examples of what you can expect:
- Hot pink, lemon yellow, and turquoise blue will make a bright greenish-yellow.
- Pastel pink, pale yellow, and baby blue will create a soft greenish-grey.
- Neon pink, bright golden yellow, and electric blue will make a vibrant orange.
As you can see, mixing the more vivid or saturated shades of pink, yellow, and blue will create bright secondary colors like orange and green. Mixing softer or more muted shades will result in tertiary colors like olive green, beige, and grey.
The Impact of Color Ratios
In addition to the shades of the colors, the proportions or ratios used when mixing will impact the end result. Here is a table showing examples of different color mixes and ratios with the resulting colors:
| Pink | Yellow | Blue | Resulting Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 parts | 1 part | 1 part | Dusty pinkish orange |
| 1 part | 3 parts | 2 parts | Yellowish sage green |
| 3 parts | 2 parts | 2 parts | Grayish purple |
As you can see, the color that is used in the highest ratio dominates the mix. Even a subtle change in the ratios of the three colors can shift the end result significantly.
Tips for Mixing Pink, Yellow, and Blue
Here are some useful tips to help you predict and mix the colors you want when combining pink, yellow, and blue paints or pigments:
- Use a color wheel – Position the three colors you plan to mix and see what color sits between them.
- Make one color dominant – Use more of the color whose hue you want to dominate the mix.
- Deepen with white and black – Add a small amount of black to deepen and mute colors. Add white to lighten and soften.
- Start with small mixes – Mix a small amount first to test the color before mixing larger batches.
- Adjust in small increments – Add more of one color or the other in small amounts to fine tune the hue.
With some experimentation and color theory knowledge, you can learn to predict and mix a wide range of colors using different combinations of pink, yellow, and blue.
Achieving Specific Color Mixes
Here are some examples of mixing different shades and ratios of pink, yellow, and blue paints or pigments to achieve some specific desired colors:
Rich Orange
Mix together 2 parts hot pink, 1 part golden yellow, and 1 part Phthalo blue. The greater proportion of pink will nudge the mix towards orange while the blue will tone down the brightness slightly.
Sea Green
Combine 2 parts lime greenish-yellow, 1 part baby blue, and 1 part light pink. The higher ratio of yellow will give it that sea green look.
Pale Lavender
Mix 3 parts pale pink, 1 part pale yellow, and 2 parts light periwinkle blue. The higher pink ratio results in a soft lavender hue.
Warm Beige
Mix 2 parts light peach pink, 3 parts cream yellow, 1 part sky blue. The higher cream yellow ratio warms up the mix into a beige.
Cool Gray
Combine equal parts light pink, pale blue, and pale yellow (1:1:1 ratio). Balancing the three results in a soft neutral gray.
Using Pink, Yellow, and Blue for Shade and Tint
In addition to directly mixing pink, yellow, and blue to form new hues, you can also add the colors separately to an existing color to modify its shade and tint:
- Shade – Add a small amount of blue to a color to make it darker and more shaded.
- Tint – Add white to lighten a hue and create a tinted version of the color.
- Tone – Mix in grey created from pink, yellow, and blue to tone down brightness.
For example, you can take a green paint and make it into different tints, shades, and tones:
| Starting Color | Shade | Tint | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest green | Add a little blue | Add white | Add pink + yellow + blue grey |
This helps you modify an existing color without having to mix a completely new hue from scratch.
Using Complementary Colors from the Color Wheel
Something else to keep in mind when mixing pink, yellow and blue is that yellow and purple are complementary colors on the color wheel. This means they cancel each other out to an extent. Adding yellow to pink will shift it closer to orange and reduce the purple undertones of pink.
Similarly, blue and orange are complements. Mixing blue with yellow will reduce the orange undertones of yellow. You can use this to strategically mix the complements to tone down or gray out bright colors.
Avoiding Muddy or Muted Colors
One pitfall when mixing multiple colors together is ending up with a muddy, dull, or lifeless color. This often happens when mixing too many colors that contain a lot of different pigments.
To avoid muted colors, stick to mixing just two or three pure pigment colors. For example, mix a warm and cool primary like yellow, blue, and red or mix a primary with pink, orange, or purple. Avoid blending many colors from different parts of the color wheel.
You can also add a small amount of pure white paint to brighten up and clarify the color mix if it starts to get muddy.
Using Neutral Colors to Soften and Subtle Mixes
Adding a small amount of a neutral color like white, black, or grey can help soften and subdue the brightness of highly saturated color mixes. Here are some examples:
- Cool grey – Add to make soothing color combinations for a restful feel.
- Pale cream – Soften and warm up bold primary mixes.
- Charcoal black – Deepen and add sophistication to bright colors.
Limit neutrals to no more than 10-20% of the total mix so colors don’t get completely dulled down.
Considering Undertones
When combining pink, yellow, and blue consider the temperature of the color undertones. Mixing warm and cool versions of the colors creates more dynamic and interesting color combinations.
For example, mix a warm yellow with a cool blue instead of shades that are all warm or all cool. This makes colors pop more.
Using Analogous Colors for Gradual Shifts
Choose analogous colors – hues that are beside each other on the color wheel like blue, blue-green, and green. This creates a cohesive palette with subtle gradations between the colors when mixing them.
You can make one color the dominate hue and add in small amounts of the adjacent colors to gradually shift the tone and create subtle variations.
Considering Context and Use
The mixes you create will be influenced by the context and how the color will be used. Mixing colors for:
- Painting – More concerned with aesthetics than precise color mixing.
- Dyeing – Requires understanding fiber reactivity and blending.
- Printing – Need to match precise Pantone colors and color profiles.
- Cosmetics – Has to match skin undertones and flatter specific complexions.
- Design – Creating color palettes that evoke certain styles, moods, and themes.
Always keep the intended use in mind as you explore mixing pink, yellow, and blue to create your perfect color.
Understanding Color Properties and Interactions
To mix pink, yellow, and blue effectively you need to understand the intrinsic properties of pigments and how they interact:
- Hue – The pigment color (red, blue, yellow).
- Chroma – Color saturation or intensity.
- Value – How light or dark the color is.
- Temperature – Warm or cool undertones.
- Transparency – Opaque vs. transparent pigments.
For example, a vibrant lemon yellow will interact very differently than an earthy ochre yellow when mixed with pink and blue, resulting in much different color mixes.
Understanding these color properties allows you to predict how the pink, yellow, and blue pigments will interact and influence the end result.
Performing Color Experiments
The best way to understand what colors you can make from different shades of pink, yellow, and blue is to experiment and see what happens. Set up a test sheet or palette and try out different mixing ratios and color combinations.
Here are some experiments to try:
- Mix different tints and shades of the same hue (e.g. light pink + dark pink).
- Mix complementary colors and observe how they neutralize each other.
- Blend adjacent colors on the color wheel for gradation.
- Mix a monochromatic palette using shades of a single hue.
- Limit your palette to only primaries or secondaries.
Make notes on proportions and combinations that created your favorite color mixes. Refer back to these when painting to recreate customized colors.
Matching Reference Colors
You can also practice mixing pink, yellow, and blue to match real-world reference colors like:
- Plants and flowers
- Fabrics and textiles
- Paint swatch samples
- Photographs
Trying to replicate the exact colors you see helps train your eye to discern subtle color differences and relationships. Always match the value and chroma as closely as possible, not just the overall hue.
Conclusion
Mixing varying combinations and ratios of different shades of pink, yellow, and blue can result in an endless range of colors. Mastering how to blend these three primaries provides a valuable foundation for creating customized color palettes for any painting, design or coloring project. Consider the color wheel relationships, pay attention to undertones and values, and practice mixing to train your eye and gain experience combining these vibrant hues.