Black furniture tends to read as sophisticated, smart, and no-nonsense. This is particularly true when that furniture is a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf system. The dramatic black (and white) space here is brought to life with the smallest inclusion of red, but that diagonal red’s strategic placement using the Rule of Thirds is an absolutely critical component in this modern office / bookshelf / entertainment or command center.
What Color Do Red and Black Make When Mixed?
Red and black are two very different colors that are often paired together in various designs. For example, you might see them with each other on checkerboards and Kwanzaa candles. These colors can have a wide variety of meanings and symbolism.
So, what happens if you mix red and black together? This color combination is a bit more complicated than most mixtures.
What Color Do Red and Black Make in Paint?
If you mix red and black paint, you’ll get a dark red , similar to burgundy. That’s because when you add black to any paint color, you’ll get a darker version, which is known as a shade.
Understanding the RYB Color Model
The RYB color model is regularly taught in early art classes. It’s a form of subtractive mixing, which means wavelengths are removed from the mixture when combined. This color model is mostly used for paint, but it can apply to other physical art mediums used in art classes too.
In this color wheel, the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Combinations of those colors can create green, orange, and purple, which are the secondary colors. If you mix the three primary colors together, you’ll get brown. Black is mostly used to create darker versions of the hues on this color model.
Making Tints and Shades of Dark Red
After you mix red and black together, there are ways to alter the result to make it lighter or darker. Here are some tips for making the color combination look different.
Mixing Lighter Colors
When you add white to a color, it creates a tint. Tints are lighter, paler versions of the original color. Since burgundy is already a very dark color, you might need to add a lot of white to it before you’ll notice a difference. Before you mix red and black, you can also use more red than black to get a lighter result.
Mixing Darker Colors
Shades are created when black is added to a color. Since burgundy is already made by adding black to red, it’s unlikely that you’d need to add more black. However, if you want to make it even darker, you can add a small amount of black paint to the mixture.
Dark Red Color Meaning
Dark red is considered more sophisticated than regular red. It’s often associated with power, wealth, ambition, rage, and leadership. However, it could share some of red’s general meanings too.
Red is a color of strength, energy, and passion. It gives off feelings of caution, motivation, and stimulation. Some positive meanings include courage, desire, and confidence. Yet, it could also be linked to negative meanings like anger, danger, and revenge. The meaning will vary depending on the context of the color and how it’s perceived.
Read more about the specific color meanings of burgundy.
Can You Make Red and Black Paint?
If you run out of red or black paint, it’s easy to run to the store to get more. However, if you don’t have time for that, you might be able to make red and black paint on your own.
Red is a primary color on the RYB color model, so it’s not easy to create. According to the CMYK color model, which is used for ink, red can be made by mixing yellow and magenta, but magenta isn’t a common paint color to have.
There are several ways to make black or almost black paint. The most common way is by mixing red, yellow, and blue together. In most cases, mixing the three primary colors will give you brown, but if you choose deeper versions of the colors, such as ultramarine blue, crimson red, and yellow ochre, you’ll be more likely to get black instead of brown. Another method to try is mixing brown and blue.
What Color Do Red and Black Make in Lights?
Unfortunately, you can’t mix red and black lights. That’s because lights cannot appear black. Black isn’t a color that exists on the RGB color model, which is a form of additive mixing used for lights and digital displays. The RGB color model has red, green, and blue as the primary colors, while cyan, magenta, and yellow are the secondary colors.
This might seem confusing because there’s a type of light called “black light.” However, black lights emit ultraviolet rays, making them appear violet to us, not black. So, even though we can see the color back, it doesn’t exist in light and cannot be mixed with other lights.
Why Can Lights Not Be Black?
Black is considered the absence of color and detectable light. When there are no lights around us, everything appears black. So, it’s impossible to shine a light the color of black. The only way to create black on the RGB spectrum is by turning down the brightness of a light completely, which is the equivalent of turning it off.
Even though we can’t make black lights, we can still see the color black. That’s because colors don’t only rely on what our eyes see, but they also depend on how our brains perceive them. There are lots of colors that don’t exist on the visible light spectrum that we can see, such as brown or magenta. Our brains use context to help us understand which colors those are, which is why we can see colors that aren’t normally in wavelengths of visible light.
How Do Our Eyes Perceive Color?
Our brains might need context to perceive all the colors, but when light shines on an object, a lot is going on in our eyes. When looking at an object, some wavelengths are absorbed into it, while others are reflected off it. Our eyes see the color of an item based on the wavelengths that reflect off it.
On the visible light spectrum, you’ll see the colors that are normally found in a rainbow. Each color has different wavelengths. On one end of the spectrum, short, frequent wavelengths represent violet. On the other end, long wavelengths represent red. So, if you look at a red apple, all the shorter wavelengths will get absorbed into the object, while the long, red ones will reflect back toward you.
Inside our eyes, we have cone and rod cells, which help us interpret these colors. Cones are in the center of the retina, and they help you see colors well in bright lights. Rods work similarly, but they’re a lot more sensitive, so they see colors best in dim lights. Together, they help you see colors no matter the lighting.
Does Black Exist in the CMYK Color Model?
CMYK is the color model used for printing. It’s the opposite of the RGB color model because cyan, yellow, and magenta are the primary colors, while red, green, and blue are the secondary colors. However, CMYK is a subtractive color model like paint, meaning wavelengths are removed from mixtures instead of added.
So, black exists in CMYK. In fact, mixing cyan, magenta, and yellow together will give you black. You might notice that ink cartridges often come with black ink in addition to the three primary colors. The “K” in CMYK stands for “key plate” or “key color,” and black happens to be the “key color” for printer ink. So, RGB is the only color model that black doesn’t exist in.
If you mixed red and black in CMYK, you would get a dark red color similar to the one you’ll get with paint.
The Color Red
Red is a rich, bright, and eye-catching color. It’s one of the easiest colors to name, as it’s so distinctive. In the RGB color system, it’s also one of the three primary colors. So, red is an essential building block for mixing other colors like purple and orange. But in the CYMK color system, red is a secondary color.
The color red often appears in nature, ranging from fruits to flowers. There are many shades of red, from scarlet to crimson and burgundy.
The Color Black
The color black is the darkest shade out there. It’s the opposite of white. According to color science, black technically isn’t a color. Instead, it’s achromatic, which means it doesn’t have a hue. So, the correct term for black is a shade. Black is the color of nighttime, space, and the absence of light. It’s also a hugely significant color with many different meanings.
Red and black are a common color combination when you need to grab someone’s attention. These colors are bold, bright, and daring, so they’re sure to make an impact. Many brands use this color combination in their logos and branding. A few examples include YouTube, Lego, and Ace Hardware.
You’ll also see it in fashion and interior design. When used carefully, it can create a stylish and chic look. Add some white, and you have a classy minimalist style. So, why is this color palette effective? Both colors are intense shades and contrast with each other. The rich, bright red bounces off the deep black, making each color look more saturated.
What Do the Colors Red and Black Make You Feel?
Don’t underestimate the power of colors to affect your mood. Color psychology is a real thing! And it’s crucial to understand how colors make you feel if you’re an artist or graphic designer. The colors black and red are vivid and strong. These colors can provoke intense emotional reactions and feelings depending on the context.
How Does Red Make You Feel?
For example, red can signify love, romance, and passion. But it’s also the color of blood and gore. Plus, the color red is often a warning sign as it’s so bright. It’s one of the easiest colors for humans to see, so it makes sense to use it for road signs. And in nature, some poisonous animals use red to warn predators away. So, red can make you feel relaxed, happy, and passionate. But it could also make you feel unsettled, on edge, or scared. It’s all in the context of how you use it.
How Does Black Make You Feel?
Black also has some negative connotations. For example, in Western countries, black is the color of death and mourning. That’s why we wear black at funerals, and as a result, it’s quite a somber color. It’s also a formal color, often worn in the workplace. Black can signify power, strength, and masculinity. As a result, these two colors are impactful when combined. They can make you feel bold and brave, strong and powerful, or elegant and stylish. But they can also make people feel intimidated, overwhelmed, or even nervous. So, use red and black together with care!
Let red be the focal point it’s longing to be.
Although closely tied to the emotion of anger, red is just as often (if not more so) associated with happiness. In fact, Asian culture prefers red in festivities such as New Year’s and weddings because of its powerful joyfulness (history.com).It’s a vibrant, festive color that is made more mature with a pairing with black. Don’t be afraid to use red on a large statement piece in your space, such as the sofa or oversized art (or both!).
Classic color combos work well in adult AND kid design.
Black and red can be energetic, exciting, and sporty, particularly when used in conjunction to decorate a kid’s bedroom. A race car bed and industrial-type metal touches throughout the space carry the theme home in this modern, hip bedroom.
Reddish wood can count as red.
If your aesthetic isn’t into the vivid redness of true red, you can get a bit creative in your modern interpretation of the classic color combination. Opt for a wood with reddish undertones and pair with black (and white) for a muted, modern twist.
About the author
Brittney is a wife, a mom of four young children, a writer and editor (B.S. degree in English/Technical Writing), and a lover of interior design. She thrives on finding inexpensive ways to DIY her own home into a stylish yet family-friendly space.
