Color tinting refers to the process of mixing a color with white, black, or gray to make it lighter or darker. The formula used to calculate the resulting color when tinting depends on whether you are adding white, black, or gray.
Tinting with White
When tinting a color with white, the formula is:
Tinted Color = Original Color x Tint % + White x (1 – Tint %)
Where:
– Tinted Color is the resulting color after tinting
– Original Color is the original undiluted color
– Tint % is the percentage of tint you want to add, as a decimal. For example, 10% would be 0.1.
– White is pure white color.
This formula essentially takes a percentage of the original color, and mixes it with a percentage of white to achieve the tinted color. The higher the tint percentage, the lighter and more pastel the resulting color will be.
Some examples:
– Red tinted with 20% white:
Tinted Color = Red x 0.8 + White x 0.2
– Blue tinted with 50% white
Tinted Color = Blue x 0.5 + White x 0.5
– Green tinted with 80% white
Tinted Color = Green x 0.2 + White x 0.8
So in summary, to lighten a color by tinting with white, you take a percentage of the original color based on the tint amount, and mix it with the remaining percentage of pure white.
Tinting with Black
When tinting a color using black, the formula is:
Tinted Color = Original Color x (1 – Tint %) + Black x Tint %
Where:
– Tinted Color is the resulting color
– Original Color is the original undiluted color
– Tint % is the percentage of black tint you want to add
– Black is pure black color
This formula takes a percentage of the original color based on 1 minus the tint percentage, and mixes it with a percentage of black equal to the tint percentage. The more black you add, the darker the tinted color will become.
Some examples:
– Red tinted with 20% black:
Tinted Color = Red x 0.8 + Black x 0.2
– Blue tinted with 50% black:
Tinted Color = Blue x 0.5 + Black x 0.5
– Green tinted with 80% black:
Tinted Color = Green x 0.2 + Black x 0.8
So when tinting with black, you take a percentage of the original color based on 1 minus the tint amount, and mix it with the remaining percentage of pure black to darken the color.
Tinting with Gray
When tinting with gray, the formula follows the same structure but uses gray rather than pure black:
Tinted Color = Original Color x (1 – Tint %) + Gray x Tint %
Where:
– Tinted Color is the resulting color
– Original Color is the original undiluted color
– Tint % is the percentage of gray tint you want to add
– Gray is a specific shade of gray, e.g. 50% gray
The gray value used can range from very light gray to dark charcoal gray based on the desired effect. Some examples:
– Red tinted with 20% light gray:
Tinted Color = Red x 0.8 + 50% Gray x 0.2
– Blue tinted with 50% dark gray:
Tinted Color = Blue x 0.5 + 80% Gray x 0.5
– Green tinted with 80% medium gray:
Tinted Color = Green x 0.2 + 65% Gray x 0.8
So with gray, you take a percentage of the original color based on 1 minus the tint percentage, and mix it with the chosen percentage of gray to create a more subtle tone shift.
Understanding Color Tinting Percentages
The tint percentage controls how much the original color is diluted with white, black or gray. Here are some guidelines on tint percentage effects:
– 0-19% tint – Subtle lightening/darkening
– 20-39% tint – Moderate lightening/darkening
– 40-79% tint – Significant lightening/darkening
– 80-99% tint – Dramatic lightening/darkening
– 100% tint – Completely white, black or gray
So the higher the tint percentage, the more the tinting color will dominate in the mix. Typically it’s best to start with subtle tint percentages around 10-20% and increase from there.
Going above 80% can make the tinted color appear washed out or very dark with less character. Maximum tint depends on the starting color and desired effect.
Color Tinting in Design and Art
In design, art and photography, color tinting serves a variety of purposes:
– Change brightness/contrast of colors
– Create mood and atmosphere
– Add visual interest to a photo
– Make colors more harmonious
– Emphasize or downplay certain elements
– Establish color themes and branding
– Simulate different lighting conditions like moonlight or sunset
Subtle tinting often makes colors more visually appealing without looking unnatural. Strong tinting can create bold graphic effects or make a scene feel cooler, warmer or more melancholy. Black and white photos are often tinted to accentuate certain tones and add mood.
Tinting Tools and Software
There are various tools available to assist with color tinting:
– Photo editing and design software like Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP
– Mobile apps like Snapseed, VSCO, Prisma
– Video editing software like Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro
– Physical color filters for cameras/lenses
– Airbrush tools with thin paint for hand tinting photos
These tools allow you to easily adjust tint intensity, preview changes in real time and undo mistakes. Many include preset tinting effects. Working digitally provides more flexibility compared to old hand tinting methods.
Tint vs. Shade and Tone
Tinting is different from shading or toning:
– Tinting involves mixing a color with white, black or gray
– Shading means adding black to darken while preserving hue
– Toning shifts color toward a target hue like sepia or blue
So tinting changes brightness, shading affects darkness, and toning changes hue. A color can be both tinted and shaded/toned for more complex effects.
| Original Color | Tinted | Shaded | Toned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Pinkish red | Dark red | Rusty red |
| Blue | Light blue | Navy blue | Steel blue |
| Green | Mint green | Dark green | Olive green |
Advanced Color Tinting Techniques
With experience, artists use more nuanced tinting approaches:
– Tint different colors separately for controlled effects
– Use multiple layers of tinting at different opacities
– Airbrush or blend tints gradually for smooth transitions
– Mask out areas when applying tints to selectively target regions
– Match tints to existing color motifs in a scene
– Simulate lighting effects like sunbeams or spotlights
– Go beyond white/black/gray tints and use complementary hues
– Tint only saturation or luminance rather than whole hue
So while the basic tinting formula uses overall percentages, pros think locally and tweak tints for seamless results. The mathematical principle remains the same underlying these techniques.
Conclusion
The essential formula for tinting color is:
Tinted Color = Original Color x (1 – Tint %) + Tinting Color x Tint %
Where Tinting Color is either White, Black or Gray. This formula mixes a percentage of the original color with a percentage of the tinting color based on the desired tint level.
Tinting can subtly enhance or dramatically transform colors for artistic impact. Mastering the tinting formula allows you to achieve precise effects. Paired with artistic vision, color tinting brings vibrancy, mood and visual harmony to designs and photographs.
