Red and orange are both vibrant, warm colors that evoke feelings of excitement, energy, and heat. When mixed together, these fiery hues produce a range of rich, glowing tones that can be used to great effect in everything from interior design to fine art. But what actually happens on a technical level when red and orange paint or light mix and mingle? Here, we’ll explore the color theory and science behind this vivid color combination.
The Color Wheel
To understand what happens when red and orange mix, it helps to first look at how they are related on the color wheel. The color wheel arranges colors into a circle based on their hue, which is defined by their position on the spectrum of visible light. Red, orange, and yellow form one half of the color wheel, while green, blue, and purple make up the other half.
Red and orange are adjacent colors on the wheel. They share a strong, vibrant energy but orange lies between the hot passion of red and the cheerful warmth of yellow. Mixing any two adjacent colors on the wheel will result in a vibrant, lively blend.
Mixing Paint Pigments
When red and orange paint pigments are mixed together, the resulting color is logically called red-orange. The more orange pigment used, the closer the result will be to true orange. The more red pigment, the closer to true red. Red-orange is a secondary color, meaning it is created by mixing two primary colors, red and yellow.
The exact red-orange hue that results depends on the specific pigments used. A cool red like crimson mixed with a warm orange containing more yellow produces a brighter, stronger red-orange than mixing a warm red such as cadmium red with a cooler orange.
Mixing Paints
| Red Pigment | Orange Pigment | Resulting Mix |
|---|---|---|
| Cadmium red | Cadmium orange | Vibrant red-orange |
| Crimson | Cadmium orange | Bright, warm red-orange |
| Alizarin crimson | Burnt orange | Deep, earthy red-orange |
The table above shows some examples of common red and orange paint pigments that can be mixed together and the typical resulting red-orange tones.
Mixing Colored Light
When it comes to light rather than pigment, red and orange follow an additive color system. With colored light, individual hues are produced by emitting specific wavelengths along the visible light spectrum. When wavelengths mix together, they add to each other to create new colors.
Red light is made up of longer wavelengths around 700nm while orange light has shorter wavelengths around 600nm. When red and orange light mix, the result is once again red-orange light. But the tone may be slightly different than with pigments. Light mixes to form bright, glowing hues.
Overlapping Colored Light
| Red Light Wavelength | Orange Light Wavelength | Resulting Mix |
|---|---|---|
| 700 nm | 600 nm | Vivid red-orange |
| 660 nm | 620 nm | Bright red-orange |
| 650 nm | 590 nm | Fiery red-orange |
This table demonstrates how combining different wavelengths of red and orange light creates glowing red-orange tones.
Mixing Paint and Light
An interesting intersection happens when red and orange mix via both reflected light and paint pigments. This occurs with media like colored pencil or pastel, where pigments are applied but still transmit and reflect colored light.
In this case, the orange and red pigment particles scatter the complementary wavelengths. The orange pigments reflect orange light while absorbing blue light. The red pigments reflect red light while absorbing green light.
Where the two pigments overlap, both orange and red wavelengths are reflected while violet light is absorbed. The resulting color retains the brightness of the orange while deepening toward the red end of the spectrum.
Uses of Mixed Red and Orange
Vibrant red-orange tones have many uses across the visual arts. They make lively accent colors in interior design and can create a bright, energetic mood. Red-orange is popular in paintings as a way to add visual interest and contrast to blue and green tones. It draws attention and livens up shaded areas.
In photography and film, red-orange light can create dramatic effects, adding intense color to sunsets and other landscapes. Red-orange pigments and dyes are used in textile design, ceramics, and cosmetics to produce anything from a fiery tie-dye to a striking matte lipstick.
The mix of red and orange brings the appeal of both colors – the bold intensity of red melded with the inviting warmth and playfulness of orange. This versatile secondary shade ranges from juicy and exotic to sophisticated depending on how it is applied.
Color Psychology
Red-orange color psychology ties into the symbolism and meaning of its two parent colors. Red is associated with passion, love, anger, and intensity. Orange relates to creativity, happiness, vibrance, and warmth.
Together as red-orange, these traits mix to suggest energetic joy, festivity, enthusiasm, determination, and ambition. Red-orange is a color of celebration, used in decorations for parties and holidays. It conveys a friendly, welcoming energy while still retaining a bold, impossible-to-ignore presence.
Conclusion
When red and orange come together, they form a flashy secondary color that retains the best of both worlds. Red-orange paint brings the exciting vibrance of orange into deeper, more saturated territory toward the boldness of red. When red and orange light mix, the result is glowing, radiant tones that reflect both warm and cool wavelengths. This vivid combination can be tailored to fit any need, from adding sizzle to artwork to providing an upbeat, energetic accent in any environment.
