When a color is mixed with white, the resulting color is called a tint. Adding white to a pure hue reduces its saturation and brightness, making the color lighter and less intense. This article will examine what happens when different colors are mixed with white and the terms used to describe these lighter tinted shades.
What Does “Tint” Mean?
A tint is a mixture of a color with white. Adding white makes the original hue lighter, desaturating it and moving it towards the white end of the color spectrum. The more white added, the paler and less saturated the tinted color becomes.
Tinting a color with white retains the original hue but in a softer, muted form. For example, a red tinted with white is still red but is lighter and less bold. Tints are paler versions of a color that allow different shades and intensities to be created.
Tinting Primary Colors
| Color | Tint |
|---|---|
| Red | Pink |
| Blue | Baby blue |
| Yellow | Cream |
The primary colors all produce paler tints when mixed with white. Red becomes pink, blue becomes baby blue, and yellow becomes cream. More white added results in lighter and lighter tints approaching white itself.
Pink has tones ranging from bold neon pink to very pale and delicate shades like baby pink. Blue tints can vary from pale sky blue to almost white. Yellow tints are often described as cream, ivory or buttermilk.
Tinting Secondary Colors
| Color | Tint |
|---|---|
| Purple | Lavender |
| Green | Mint green |
| Orange | Peach |
Secondary colors also become lighter tints when mixed with white. Purple becomes lavender, green becomes mint green, and orange becomes peach. More white creates lighter pastel shades.
There are many varieties of lavender from medium purple-gray to extremely light and soft lavender. Mint green can range from pale cool green to a whiter green-tinged shade. Peach encompasses tones from bold orange-pink to very pale cream-peach.
Tinting Tertiary Colors
| Color | Tint |
|---|---|
| Citrine | Champagne |
| Amber | Cream |
| Violet | Lilac |
| Sea green | Aqua |
| Brick red | Salmon |
Tertiary colors refer to shades made by mixing a primary and secondary color. Tinting these colors produces soft muted tones.
Citrine becomes lighter champagne tones, amber turns creamier, violet fades towards lilac, sea green turns into aqua, and brick red becomes salmon. More white results in whiter barely tinted shades.
Tinting Neutral Colors
| Color | Tint |
|---|---|
| Gray | Light gray |
| Tan | Beige |
| Brown | Taupe |
| Black | Charcoal |
Neutral colors like gray, tan, brown and black also become lighter and muted when mixed with white. Gray turns into light gray, tan into beige, brown into taupe, and black into charcoal or slate shades. More white makes the neutrals progressively whiter.
Light gray can range from medium slate gray to very pale silver gray. Beige encompasses warm light browns to almost white. Taupe includes grayish light browns to off-white. Charcoal when very lightly tinted can become pale gray.
Describing Tints
There are some common color terms used to describe tints:
– Pastel – Refers to soft pale tints with high amounts of white. Pastel shades appear washed out, gentle and not very saturated.
– Pale – Indicates a lighter tint but not extremely light. Pale suggests a medium-light shade.
– Light – A general term to describe any tint lighter than the original color. Can refer to pale through to very light.
– Whitish – Suggests a heavily tinted shade close to white itself, with just a hint of the original color.
– Milky – Refers to creamy off-white tints like shades of milk, with a smooth white-ish appearance.
Using Tints in Design
Tints are popular in design for their versatility. Using tints allows shades of colors to be created in different intensities, tonalities and hues.
Some examples of using tints in design include:
– Using soft muted tints for a gentle, delicate aesthetic. Pale pastel tints create a soothing and relaxed feel.
– Adding white to bright colors to tone them down into lighter accents against darker shades. This makes a striking contrast.
– Using darker tints of colors alongside their pure hues to provide depth and dimension. Layering tints creates visual interest.
– Adding cream or beige tints of brown and tan to give a natural earthy look. Soft tints work well for organic and rustic themes.
– Combining different tints of analogous hues for cohesive color harmony. Tints allow more nuance within a single color scheme.
Conclusion
Adding white to a pure color produces a tint – a lighter, paler, muted version of the original shade. The more white mixed in, the closer to white the tint becomes. Tinting allows a single hue to be turned into a versatile spectrum of lighter tones for diverse applications. From pastel baby pink to creamy neutral beige, tints open up endless possibilities.
