Violet is a tertiary color made by combining two secondary colors on the color wheel. The two secondary colors that make violet are red and blue. When red and blue light mix, the resulting color is violet. This can be seen visually in the color spectrum and on the color wheel. Understanding how primary, secondary and tertiary colors are related helps explain why combining red and blue makes violet.
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colors
The primary colors are red, yellow and blue. These are the most basic colors that can be combined to create all other colors.
The secondary colors are made by mixing two primary colors. The secondary colors are orange, green and purple. For example:
| Red | + | Yellow | = | Orange |
| Yellow | + | Blue | = | Green |
| Red | + | Blue | = | Purple |
The tertiary colors are made by combining one primary color with one secondary color. For example:
| Red | + | Orange | = | Red-orange |
| Yellow | + | Green | = | Yellow-green |
| Blue | + | Purple | = | Blue-purple (Violet) |
So violet is made by mixing the primary color blue with the secondary color purple.
The Visible Color Spectrum
The relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary colors can also be seen in the visible light color spectrum.
The visible color spectrum is the range of colors that the human eye can see. It consists of wavelengths of light from about 380-750 nanometers. The longest visible wavelengths are red and the shortest are violet. The colors of the visible spectrum from longest to shortest wavelength are:
| Red | Orange | Yellow | Green | Blue | Indigo | Violet |
In the spectrum, green is made by combining the yellow and blue wavelengths. Purple is made by combining the red and blue wavelengths.
Violet specifically occupies the shortest wavelengths that the human eye can detect, from about 380-450 nm. It is a mix of the primary color blue and the secondary color purple.
So when blue light (430-500 nm) and red light (620-750 nm) mix together, they stimulate the cones in our eyes that detect violet wavelengths (380-450 nm). This stimulates our perception of the tertiary color violet.
The Color Wheel
The color wheel is a visual representation of color relationships. It arranges colors in a circle to show how they combine to make other colors.
The basic color wheel consists of three primary colors – red, yellow and blue. The secondary colors are created by mixing two primary colors. The tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary and secondary color.
Here is a color wheel showing how mixing red and blue makes violet:
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On the color wheel, violet sits between red and blue. When red and blue light mix, they stimulate the eye’s perception of violet.
So in summary, the two secondary colors that make violet are red and blue. This is demonstrated on the color wheel, color spectrum and by understanding the relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Violet specifically occupies the shortest visible wavelengths of light that we perceive as bluish-purple.
Light vs Pigment
It’s important to note that the colors that combine to make violet differ between light and pigment:
| Light | Pigment | |
| Red + Blue = Violet | Blue + Red = Violet |
For light, violet is made by combining red and blue wavelengths. But for pigments and dyes, violet is made by mixing the pigments blue and red.
This is because pigments work by absorbing and subtracting certain wavelengths of light. For example:
– Blue pigment absorbs orange and red light and reflects blue.
– Red pigment absorbs blue and green light and reflects red.
When blue and red pigments are mixed, both the blue and red wavelengths are absorbed, and the only wavelength left to reflect is violet.
So for pigments, blue and red make violet. But for light, red and blue combine to create the color violet.
Applications
Understanding which colors combine to make violet has many practical applications:
- For artists mixing paints, combining blue and red pigments will make violet.
- For light shows and photography, combining red and blue light sources or filters will produce violet light.
- Discovering exoplanets involves analyzing starlight. Knowing that violet light means a mix of red and blue wavelengths provides clues about distant atmospheres and clouds.
- TV and computer screens produce violet pixels by combining red and blue sub-pixels.
- Laser and LED lighting systems can mix red and blue sources to produce violet.
- Color theory for graphic design relies on combining primary and secondary colors. Mixing red and blue makes violet in digital design.
So understanding the basics of color mixing allows us to intentionally produce the color violet for art, science, technology and design.
Conclusion
In summary, the two secondary colors that combine to make violet are red and blue. This is demonstrated by the color wheel, light spectrum and the relationships between primary, secondary and tertiary colors.
For light, violet is produced by mixing red and blue wavelengths. For pigments, violet is made by combining the blue and red pigments. Knowing how to make violet has many useful applications from art to physics.
The fundamentals of color theory help explain why red and blue make violet. By mixing the primary and secondary colors, we can create the tertiary color violet that occupies the shortest visible wavelengths of light.
So the next time you see the color violet, you can recognize it as a mixture of both red and blue light. Understanding color interactions allows us to produce desired hues for a wide range of creative and scientific purposes.
