When it comes to color theory, many people wonder if combining certain colors will “cancel” each other out. Specifically, some ask if mixing purple and red will result in the colors neutralizing each other. While the notion of colors canceling each other out is not entirely accurate from a technical perspective, there are some interesting effects that occur when purple and red are blended together.
The Basics of Color Mixing
In color theory, there are three primary colors – red, yellow and blue. When you mix together two primary colors, you get a secondary color. For example, mixing red and yellow makes orange, mixing blue and yellow makes green, and mixing blue and red makes purple.
When all three primary colors are mixed together equally, they make a neutral brown or gray color. This is why some people think that mixing opposite or contrasting colors will cancel each other out – because blending all the primaries neutrally cancels out the vibrancy.
However, when mixing just two colors, they do not completely neutralize or cancel, but rather create a blend. So red and purple do not cancel out, but they create a new blended color.
Mixing Red and Purple Pigments
When working with paints, dyes, or other pigments, mixing red and purple will make a blended color somewhere in between the two. The resulting color will depend on the specific shades and ratios used.
For example, mixing a bright red with a deep purple may result in a dark reddish-purple. Mixing a light pinkish red with a pale lilac purple will create a light lavender color. The colors combine rather than cancelling out.
Some examples of blended colors you can make by mixing different shades of red and purple:
| Red Shade | Purple Shade | Resulting Color |
|---|---|---|
| Scarlet | Royal purple | Ruby color |
| Crimson | Lavender | Mauve |
| Vermilion | Violet | Raspberry |
As you can see, the colors combine to make new shades rather than canceling out.
Mixing Red and Purple Light
When it comes to light rather than pigments, mixing red and purple light will have an additive effect, resulting in a lighter, brighter color.
This is because the primary colors of light are red, green and blue. The secondary colors are made by mixing two primary light colors: cyan (green+blue), magenta (red+blue) and yellow (red+green).
Purple is not a primary color of light. In terms of light, purple is created by mixing red and blue light. So when you blend purple light (made of red+blue) with red light, the red components combine to create an even brighter, lighter red-magenta color. The colors enhance each other rather than canceling out.
Mixing Red and Purple Dyes
When mixing red and purple dyes, such as for fabric coloring, the results are similar to mixing pigments. The colors will create a blended secondary shade rather than canceling each other out.
The specific blended color that results from mixing a red dye and purple dye will depend on:
- The type of red dye (warm, cool, bright, muted, etc)
- The type of purple dye (blue-based, red-based, light, dark)
- The ratios used
For example, mixing a warm red dye with a blue-based purple will likely result in a red-violet color. Mixing a cool fuchsia pink dye with a bright orchid purple may make a light magenta shade.
Some examples of blended colors from mixing red and purple dyes:
| Red Dye | Purple Dye | Resulting Color |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry red | Eggplant purple | Berry color |
| Scarlet | Lilac | Cranberry |
| Crimson | Violet | Plum |
The dyes combine to create new blended secondary shades when mixed. They do not cancel each other out.
Mixing Red and Purple – It Depends on the Medium
In summary, whether mixing red and purple will “cancel out” depends entirely on the medium you are working with.
With paints and dyes, the two colors will blend together to create new shades of reddish-purple. The colors mix rather than cancelling out.
With light, mixing red and purple enhances both components, resulting in a lighter, brighter magenta color. The colors amplify rather than cancel.
With RGB color mixing on a digital screen, red and purple combine numerically to create blended RGB values. The colors merge digitally.
So while red and purple are complementary opposites on the color wheel, they do not neutralize or cancel each other out when mixed. The notion is a common misconception in basic color theory. In reality, the two colors combine to create new, blended shades and tones.
The resulting colors depend on the exact shades used and the proportions they are mixed in. With an understanding of color mixing, you can predict and create a wide range of beautiful new colors by blending red and purple.
Conclusion
In summary, red and purple do not cancel each other out when mixed. Depending on the medium used, they will either blend together to create new secondary colors or enhance each other to make brighter/lighter shades. The specific resulting color depends on the shades and ratios used. So while red and purple are color wheel opposites, they combine rather than neutralizing each other. With a knowledge of color theory, one can predict the blended results and take advantage of the beautiful new colors formed by mixing red and purple together.