Violet is a vibrant, rich shade of purple with a slightly bluish tone. To create violet, mix red and blue in a 1:2 ratio (one part red, two parts blue). Violet’s blue-leaning hue comes from the greater proportion of blue in the mix.
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Posted by Ashley Robinson | Mar 28, 2021 5:00:00 PM
Let’s say you want to learn how to make purple food coloring or how to make purple paint. You’ll need to understand how to mix colors! But where do you begin? What two colors make purple?
To learn how to make purple, you need to have an understanding of the science behind color mixing. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to use colors to make purple. We’ll cover the following:
- A quick guide to how to make purple
- A scientific explanation for the question, “What is purple?”
- A thorough explanation of how to make more complex shades of purple
- Examples of different shades of purple and what colors you combine to create them
Now, let’s talk about how to make purple!
How To Make Purple: A Quick Primer
Mixing blue and red together makes purple. The amount of blue and red that you add to your mixture will determine the exact shade of purple you produce. More red will create a redder purple, and more blue will create a bluer purple.
Blue and red are essential to creating purple, but you can mix in other colors to create different shades of purple. Adding white, yellow, or gray to your mixture of blue and red will give you a lighter purple. Incorporating black into your blue and red mixture will give you a darker shade of purple.
In general, purple refers to any color with a hue that is between red and blue. But getting the perfect shade of purple is a little more complicated than simply mixing these two colors. This is where the science of color comes in! Understanding the science behind making purple will help you make purple all on your own.
We’ll cover the basics of the science behind making purple next!
What Is Purple? The Science Behind the Color
What two colors make purple? Mixing red and blue together makes purple, but getting the right shade of purple isn’t quite that simple.
To answer the question, “What colors make purple,” you need a basic understanding of color. Color comes from light, so we need to start by looking at how light works.
Understanding light can be complicated–I mean, that’s why we have physics. But luckily, the color-making geniuses at Crayola explain how light creates visible color like this:
When light shines on an object some colors bounce off the object and others are absorbed by it. Our eyes only see the colors that are bounced off or reflected.
The sun’s rays contain all the colors of the rainbow mixed together. This mixture is known as white light. When white light strikes a white crayon or marker barrel, it appears white to us because it absorbs no color and reflects all color equally. A black crayon or marker cap absorbs all colors equally and reflects none, so it looks black to us. While artists consider black a color, scientists do not because black is the absence of all color.
In simpler terms, objects have certain physical properties that cause them to absorb certain types of light, or electromagnetic waves. The light waves that aren’t absorbed are reflected, which creates the color you see with your eyes!
And what about black and white? An object will appear white when it reflects all colors. This is because white contains all wavelengths of light and is made of all colors of the rainbow. The light from the sun is an example of white light! Then there’s black. Black objects absorb all color because they reflect no light back.
Most of the time, an object will reflect some color. So when an object appears as green or red to you, it’s because of the wavelength of light that’s bouncing off of the object.
At this point, you’ve probably guessed that light comes in lots of different wavelengths. A wavelength is the distance between two crests of a wave of light. You can visualize how a wavelength of light behaves by thinking about how water hits the shore at the beach. Waves sometimes hit the shore low and far apart. At other times, waves come in higher and closer together. Now, if you wanted to measure the length of the waves at the beach, you’d start at the highest point, or crest, of one wave, then measure to the crest of the next wave. The distance from crest to crest is what we call the wavelength of the ocean on the beach.
Waves of light are a lot like waves of water–except light waves are a lot smaller and closer together. When light bounces off an object, our eyes measure the wavelengths and translate them into different colors.
The entire scope of possible wavelengths of light is called the “spectrum.” If you look below, you can see how the spectrum of light converts to the spectrum of color:
The length of a wave of light is measured in nanometers (nm). Longer wavelengths translate to colors that appear “warmer,” and shorter wavelengths create colors that look “cooler.”
If you look at the image above again, you’ll also notice that only a very small portion of the spectrum of light is visible to our eyes. We’re only able to see the wavelengths between about 400 and 800 nanometers. That may seem like a lot, but the spectrum of light extends far beyond that range in either direction. There is a lot of light on the available spectrum that we can’t see!
The segment of the electromagnetic spectrum that humans can see without help from technology is called the “ visible light spectrum .”
Red, a primary component of purple, is approximately 700 nanometers in wavelength. Red is one of the longer wavelengths that our eyes can see. The distance from crest to crest is only a little bit thicker than the membrane of a soap bubble .
But purple is also made of blue. Blue has wavelengths around 475 nanometers, making it one of the shortest wavelengths visible to our eyes.
So what colors make purple? Purple is a combination of red light and blue light. An object that we perceive as purple has a makeup that causes it to absorb all wavelengths of light except those that fall around 700 nanometers and 475 nanometers in length. The object reflects those exact wavelengths mixed together, which gives the impression that the object is purple.
Primary colors are original colors. They are pure colors. It cannot get prepared by mixing the other two colors. There are three primary colors. It includes:-
Secondary colors are the made from mixing two colors primary colors in equal amount. That gets called secondary colors because first we have primary colors for this and in the second step we get this color.
Example of the secondary color is purple.
What tertiary colors are?
Tertiary colors are the colors which get made from mixing primary colors in different quantity as per the shades we want. Here we can incorporate more than two colors also.
Color has different symbolization. It has different powers. Maybe it symbolizes to human nature, religious section or feelings, etc.
Let us know about the different specification of color.
- Black color: black color gives negativity. Though it provides the smart look, on the other hand, it symbolizes as sophisticated, formal, luxurious & sorrowful.
- The red color is a symbol of danger, passion, excitement, energy.
- The red color is also called the color of love.
- The orange color describes the freshness, youthful, creative, and adventurous.
- T he orange color is considered a religious undertone. Pandits and great people like the site and all use this color for their dress code.
- Now come at yellow color. Yellow color has a positive strength for friendship. It symbolizes to optimistic.
- The yellow color is a playful color that provides joy and is cheerful.
- The green color in its name already has the content for greenery. This color belongs to nature. It describes vitality, prestige & wealth.
- The purple color is a royal color. The color of the king. It symbolizes to royalty, majesty, spiritual & mysterious.
- The brown color is a description of organic, wholesome, honest & straightforward.
- The pink color, color for girls. It is sentimental, romantic. It creates excitement.
- The blue color, the color of trust, it contains success specification in it.
- Last but not least, the color of peace, white comes. It describes purity, simplicity, innocence & minimalism.
But as we have to discuss for the purple color, have an in-depth study of purple color in detail. What is color purple? What does not describe?
Purple color defines spirituality and is considered a royal color. As it is regal, it is also rare. It is full of passion.
What Colors Make Purple? – Step by Step Guide
Now let’s take a look to the basic step by step guide about what colors make purple colors easily and effectively:
- Start with the primary colors: red and blue. These colors cannot be created by mixing other colors.
- Decide on the shade of purple you want to create. This will determine the amount of red and blue you need to mix together.
- Begin by adding a small amount of blue to your mixing palette.
- Add a small amount of red to the blue.
- Mix the two colors together using a palette knife, brush, or other tool until they are fully blended.
- Observe the resulting color. If it is too blue or too red, adjust the ratio of blue and red accordingly.
- Continue to add small amounts of red and blue until you achieve the desired shade of purple.
- For a lighter shade of purple, add a small amount of white to your mixture. For a darker shade, add a small amount of black.
- Experiment with different ratios of red and blue to create variations of purple. Remember, red will make the purple warmer, while blue will make it cooler.
- Have fun with your color mixing journey and don’t be afraid to explore different techniques and combinations to create the perfect purple shade for your project.
Fun Facts About Purple
As we wrap up our tutorial, let’s take a moment to appreciate some fascinating tidbits about the color purple:
- In ancient Rome, purple was a symbol of power, wealth, and prestige. The production of purple dye was an expensive, labor-intensive process, making it a luxury reserved for the elite.
- The phrase “born to the purple” refers to someone born into a high-ranking, noble family. The expression has its roots in Byzantine royalty, where the color purple was closely associated with the ruling class.
- Purple is the rarest color in nature. You’ll find it in a select few flowers, like lavender and orchids, as well as some fruits, like grapes and plums.
FAQs
What colors do I need to mix to make purple?
To make purple, you can mix red and blue together. The exact shades of red and blue you use will determine the specific shade of purple you create.
Can I make purple with just one color?
No, you cannot make purple with just one color. Purple is a secondary color that is created by mixing two primary colors (red and blue) together.
Is it possible to make different shades of purple?
Yes, you can make different shades of purple by adjusting the amount of red and blue you mix together. Adding more red will create a warmer, more vibrant purple, while adding more blue will create a cooler, more muted purple.
Can I use any shades of red and blue to make purple?
It’s best to use primary colors (pure red and pure blue) to make purple, as using shades or variations of these colors can create a less vibrant or less accurate shade of purple.
What happens if I add white or black to my purple mixture?
Adding white to your purple mixture will create a lighter, more pastel shade of purple. Adding black will create a darker, more muted shade of purple.
Can I mix purple with other colors to create new shades?
Yes, you can mix purple with other colors to create new shades. For example, mixing purple with yellow will create a shade of green, while mixing purple with orange will create a shade of brown.
