The color blue with a purple tinge refers to a shade of blue that has subtle hints of purple mixed in. This results in a rich, deep, and complex blue tone that can range from periwinkle to indigo. Blue is one of the three primary colors, while purple is a secondary color made by combining blue and red. Adding just a touch of purple to a blue creates a new nuanced hue that provides visual interest.
Characterizing the Color Blue with Purple
There are a few key ways to characterize the color blue with a purple tinge:
- It has a lower wavelength than pure blue, meaning it appears darker and deeper.
- It is associated with creativity, wisdom, and mystery.
- It can range from a pale lavender blue to a deep royal indigo.
- It often has a reddish-purple undertone.
- It may also be described as periwinkle, lilac blue, or violet-blue.
The exact appearance depends on how much purple pigment is mixed with the blue. Just a touch of purple yields a soft powder blue, while increasing the ratio of purple darkens the blue into shades like indigo. The purple introduces red undertones, moving the color toward the violet side of the visible spectrum.
Light and Pigment
When it comes to color, an important distinction is whether we are talking about light or pigment. With light, blue with a purple tinge can be created by combining wavelengths of blue and red light. In terms of the RGB color model, this color has contributions from both the blue and red channels.
On the other hand, pigment refers to the dyes, paints, inks, and other materials that selectively absorb and reflect different wavelengths of light. Mixing a purple-red pigment with blue pigment simulates this blended light by absorbing more green and orange light and reflecting back indigo, violet, and blue wavelengths.
So in summary, this blended color can be created with both light sources and pigments, as long as both the blue and purple/red components are present. The range of shades depends on the specific ratio used.
Periwinkle Blue
One classic example of a blue with a subtle purple tinge is periwinkle blue. Periwinkle refers to a pale lavender blue with subtle purple-gray undertones. The name originates from the periwinkle flower, which has five-petaled blooms in various shades of light blue-purple.
Here are some key facts about periwinkle blue:
- In the RGB model, it has about 60-70% blue, 30-40% red, and 10-20% green.
- It is considered a “cool blue” due to temperature associations with its hints of purple.
- It has a lightness value of around 85% and saturation of around 30%.
- It is widely used for spring and Easter themes.
- Periwinkle crayons and other coloring implements are commonly included in kids’ sets.
While brighter and deeper than lavender, periwinkle blue is soft, whimsical, and playful. It works nicely in any design seeking a touch of color without being overpowering.
Indigo Blue
At the other end of the spectrum, mixing purple with blue can result in deep shades of indigo. Indigo dye has been used for centuries to color fabrics a rich blue-purple.
Here are some characteristics of indigo blue:
- It is defined as having hue angles of around 275?? on the color wheel.
- It has much lower lightness than periwinkle, with values from 25-45%.
- The saturation of indigo blue is quite high at 80-100%.
- In the RGB model, indigo has about 50% blue, 25-30% red, and around 25% green.
- Indigo blue is the color of the sixth chakra in Hinduism, associated with intuition and inner wisdom.
Indigo blue is much darker and intense than periwinkle. It has a mystical, cosmic feel. The purple infusion adds just a hint of mystery and royal elegance.
Comparing Shades of Blue with Purple
There are many shades that fall along the spectrum between the pale periwinkle blue and deep indigo blue. Here is a table comparing some shades and their characteristics:
| Name | Hue Angle | Lightness | Saturation | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Periwinkle | 240?? | 85% | 30% | Very pale, soft blue with subtle lavender-gray tones |
| Lavender blue | 230?? | 75% | 25% | Light grayish blue with distinct lavender undertones |
| Majorelle blue | 265?? | 55% | 50% | Bright vivid blue with strong purple-pink undertones |
| Royal blue | 245?? | 40% | 55% | Rich medium blue associated with royalty and elegance |
| Indigo | 275?? | 35% | 100% | Deep, dark blue leaning toward violet on the spectrum |
This table illustrates how both the lightness and saturation shift as you move from a pale periwinkle toward a deep indigo blue. In the middle are vibrant shades like majorelle blue. All of these colors have a blue base infused with hints of purple.
Uses and Meaning
Blue with a touch of purple has many applications across art, design, and culture. Here are some of the symbolic meanings and common uses associated with this color blend:
- Wisdom, intuition, and mysticism due to associations with purple and indigo
- Creativity, imagination, and innovation when used for design and art
- Royalty, prestige, and respect when used in darker shades
- Medicine, hospitals, and health due to blue undertones
- Empowerment, individuality, and spiritually to reflect purple’s influence
- Ambiguity, uniqueness, and transformation due to the color blending
Lighter shades like periwinkle work nicely for whimsical, soft, or relaxing designs. Meanwhile, deeper shades are often found in luxury logos, creative brands, new age designs, and alternative spirituality motifs.
Indigo blue in particular has many cultural and historical ties as the traditional dye used to color denim jeans, as well as the color of the visible spectrum between violet and blue.
Color Harmonies and Schemes
There are several color harmony rules and schemes that work well with blue and purple hues:
- Complementary – Blue opposite orange, or purple opposite yellow
- Analogous – Blue with nearby colors like violet, teal, and green
- Triadic – Blue, purple, and yellow
- Split-Complementary – Blue, yellow-orange, and red-violet
- Rectangle (Tetradic) – Blue, purple, yellow, and red
Using these color combinations creates visually pleasing palettes. For example, periwinkle blue works together beautifully with peach and yellow tones. Indigo blue can be paired with ochre, orange, and green earth tones.
There are also specific palette names that feature blue with purple notes:
- Orchid (medium purple, periwinkle, orchid pink, and thistle)
- Mystic (navy, blue-purple, brilliant blue, and orchid)
- Twilight (dark blue, dusty purple, periwinkle, purple gray)
These moody, sophisticated palettes work well in interior design, visual arts, and digital interfaces.
Mixing Paint Colors
Artists can mix custom blue-purple hues by blending paints on a palette. Some tips for mixing paint include:
- Use a blue with cool undertones like ultramarine or phthalo blue as the base.
- Add small amounts of purple like dioxazine purple to shift the tone.
- Deepen the shade with payne’s gray or indigo.
- Lighten the blue with a touch of titanium white, zinc white, or blue-tinted white.
- Make a periwinkle pastel by adding zinc white or blue-tinted white.
The specific mixture needed depends on the starting blue paint used and the desired hue and intensity. Various blue pigments have their own subtle properties, so some testing on a palette is required. Pay attention to the undertones to achieve the right balance of blue and purple.
Digital Color Mixing
For digital art and design, colors can be easily mixed using RGB values. This table shows some examples:
| Color | Red | Green | Blue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Periwinkle | 204 | 204 | 255 |
| Lavender blue | 204 | 153 | 255 |
| Indigo | 51 | 0 | 102 |
By adjusting the ratios of the RGB values, limitless shades can be created digitally. Color picker tools built into art software also make it easy to sample and customize any color.
Code Examples
To specify these colors in code, HEX triplet and HSL notations can be used. Some examples:
- Periwinkle: HEX #CCCCFF, HSL 240,100%,85%
- Lavender blue: HEX #CC99FF, HSL 230,100%,75%
- Indigo: HEX #330066, HSL 275,100%,25%
Converting between different color models like HEX, HSL, and RGB allows the same blue-purple shade to be described across platforms and programs.
Conclusion
In summary, the color blue with a purple tinge refers to a rich range of shades spanning from pale periwinkle to deep indigo blue. Mixing a blue base with hints of purple introduces visual complexity and intrigue. These colors are associated with creativity, spirituality, luxury, and innovation across many contexts and cultures. By tweaking the ratios and adding white or black, endless nuanced shades can be mixed to achieve just the right color combination for any design or artistic need. With its regal elegance and touch of mystery, blue with a hint of purple makes a sophisticated and versatile color choice.