Quick Answer
The name of the purple and blue color is violet. Violet is a color that is a mix between blue and purple and sits between the two on the color wheel. It has a hue code of 260-270° on the HSV color wheel and a wavelength between 380-450 nm. Violet also has an RGB hex code of #7F00FF.
What Colors Make Violet
Violet is made by mixing the colors red and blue. Red has a longer wavelength while blue has a shorter wavelength. When these two colors are combined, the resulting color has a wavelength between red and blue, creating violet.
Specifically, violet contains more blue wavelengths than red wavelengths. The addition of a small amount of red into blue creates the violet hue.
On the RGB color wheel, violet is made by mixing a high amount of blue with a smaller amount of red. The RGB hex code for violet is #7F00FF. This code contains high amounts of blue (#0000FF) and smaller amounts of red (#FF0000).
Violet’s Place on the Color Wheel
Violet sits between blue and purple on the standard color wheel. The color wheel arranges colors by hue based on their relation to the visible spectrum of light.
| Color | Hue Degree |
|---|---|
| Red | 0° |
| Orange | 30° |
| Yellow | 60° |
| Green | 120° |
| Blue | 240° |
| Violet | 260-280° |
| Purple | 300° |
As seen in the table, violet falls between the hues of blue and purple with a hue angle of 260-280°. This places it closer to blue than purple on the color wheel.
Violet vs Purple
While violet and purple are similar, they are considered distinct colors. The main differences are:
- Violet contains more blue tones while purple contains more red tones.
- Violet is lighter while purple tends to be darker.
- Violet is less saturated than purple.
- Violet leans towards blue while purple leans towards red on the color wheel.
In art and design, violet will appear as a soft, light purple while purple takes on deeper, richer tones. When mixing paints, more blue is added to create violet while more red is used to make purple.
Violet Color Meanings and Symbolism
Violet has historical significance and deep cultural meaning. Here are some of the common associations with the color violet:
- Royalty – In medieval times, violet robes were worn by royalty and people of nobility. The rarity and cost of the dye resulted in this association.
- Spirituality – Violet is thought to be connected to the spiritual world, intuition and mysticism.
- Creativity – Violet inspires creativity and imagination in many cultures.
- Wisdom – The color violet is linked with wisdom, dignity, independence and confidence.
- Femininity – Light violet hues represent feminine energy, love and romance.
Violet is also associated with luxury, ambition, power, nostalgia, and magic. Its mix of calm blue tones and passionate red undertones give violet a magical, spiritual quality.
Violet Pigments and Dyes
Creating vivid violet pigments and dyes has historically been a challenge for artists. Some options include:
- Manganese phosphate – Inorganic pigment used in paints, plastics, and other coatings.
- Dioxazine violet – Organic synthetic pigment discovered in the early 1900s.
- Mauveine – One of the first synthetic dyes, discovered by accident in 1856.
- Iris flowers – Used by ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Medieval monks to produce violet dye.
Many attempts were made throughout history to synthesize bright, lasting violet dyes. Affordable production helped violet become a more prominent artistic color in the 20th century.
Violet in Nature
Violet flowers and plants contain anthocyanin pigments that absorb blue and red light, reflecting violet wavelengths. Some violet examples in nature include:
- Violets – Small purple flowers that inspired the color’s name.
- Eggplants – Have dark violet skin.
- Parsley – Can have violet stems.
- Plums – Range from blue to red-violet.
- Lavender – This purple flower gets its tones from the violet pigment anthocyanin.
Butterflies like the Blue Morpho have shimmering blue and violet wings. Violet also naturally occurs in minerals, like amethyst, and animals, like starfish and jellyfish.
Conclusion
Violet is a unique color made by mixing red and blue light or pigments. Ranging from light to darker tones, violet bridges the gap between blue and purple. With regal origins and spiritual symbolism, violet continues to inspire creativity and intrigue across many cultures today. From vivid paints to vivid blooms, violet’s rich hues and history solidify its enduring place on the color wheel.
