Combining two secondary colors is the same as combining all the primary colors. Let’s take green and purple as an example. Green is made of blue and yellow, while purple is made by mixing blue and red. Thus, mixing blue and purple is actually a blend of the three primary colors.
Why do we perceive a mixture of blue and yellow paint as green? [duplicate]
If I were to mix yellow paint (which reflects yellow light) and blue paint (which reflects blue light), I would get a mixture of paints that I would perceive as green. Is that because the mixture is now reflecting green light (and absorbing blue/yellow)? OR Is it because both blue and yellow light is being reflected simultaneously and my visual cortex is interpreting that as “green?” In other words, are humans capable of perceiving both green frequency light as well as mixtures of colors that our brains interpret as one color/shade? How much of color perception is physics (blue = 450 nm) vs subjective brain interpretation (450 nm + 570 nm = GREEN)? Experimental example of my question: Man A and Man B both describe a laser emitting 525 nm light as “green.” Is it possible for Man A to perceive a mixture of two different wavelength lasers to be a different color than Man B?
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asked Jul 29, 2016 at 17:59
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$begingroup$ To answer your last question: only if Man A and Man B have different proteins in their photoreceptors cells. Because of genetic variations, this happens and isn’t uncommon. But mostly, it just results in small variations of perceived color. $endgroup$
Jul 29, 2016 at 18:13
Jul 29, 2016 at 18:24
$begingroup$ I’m not strong enough in the topic to answer, but I’d expect part of this has to do with the additive color vs subtractive color. $endgroup$
Jul 29, 2016 at 20:42
$begingroup$ @sammygerbil One important difference between the two questions is that there are wavelengths of light that are green, while there are some colors of purple that human eyes perceive as a separate color, but for which there is no actual wavelength. In those latter cases, it’s always the brain’s decoding of blue and red photons that leads to the perception of purple, not actual purple photons. $endgroup$
Jul 31, 2016 at 18:36
$begingroup$ Note that it is possible for red and blue light (not paint) to be “mixed” to create green: physics.stackexchange.com/q/197479 $endgroup$
Jul 31, 2016 at 18:42
5 Answers 5
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Color is not a physical phenomenon, it is how light of different frequencies/wavelength are perceived by humans. While the cones are developed by our animal ancestors and we share them with other species, it is entirely possible (but unlikely) that they perceive 700 nm light not a “red” as we do, but as completely different impression. What we do know is that people cannot perceive some shades at all (they are color-blind, a red-green blind person will never be able to perceive red or green) and some species and extremely rare humans can see more colors than we do, they have one additional receptor (tetrachromacy).
Back to your question.
We are only looking at the visible part of the electromagnetic waves. If we order this part from the lowest wavelength to the highest wavelength, we see a spectrum. The curves inside the picture displays the sensitivity of the three different receptors we are using.
Image taken from en.wikipedia.org by BenRG, Public Domain
So light of wavelength 575 nm is perceived by our eye, stimulates both L and M receptors and our brain processes it as “yellow”. But we can also use two wavelengths 540 nm and 610 nm, vary their intensity and get the exact same “yellow” impression. Principally you have a vast range of possibilities to display the exact same color.
I think I have made clear the difference between physical wavelength and perceived color. One specific wavelength always creates one color, but the same color can be created by many possible combinations of physical wavelengths.
For the sake of shortness I now define the part with the shortest wavelength as “blue” light, the part with the longest wavelength as “red” light and the middle part as “green” light. You see from the picture that you cannot define strict boundaries because the sensitivity of the receptors is overlapping. If light is completely missing, we see “black”, if every component (blue, green, red) are approximately equal in intensity we call it “white”.
For luminous objects color creation is easy to understand: They are sending light out and the resulting light mix is interpreted by our eyes. Monitors use light of 476, 530 and 622 nm to approximate each input.
But paint and non-luminous objects in general need light to be visible. A monitor can be seen in a dark room, but every other object is black. So the only possibility for non-luminous objects to be perceived as colorful is reflecting back some wavelengths more than others.
Let’s say our object absorbs “blue” light completely and throws everything else back. I illuminate it
- with “blue” light, it seems to be black.
- with “green” light, it looks green.
- with “red” light, it looks red.
- with “white” light, the “blue” component is removed, only “red” and “green” remains. it is looking yellow.
I have now another paint which absorbs “red” light completely. I again illuminate it
- with “red” light, it seems to be black.
- with “green” light, it seems to be green.
- with “blue” light, it seems to be blue.
- with “white” light, the “red” component is removed, only “green” and “blue” remains, it is looking like cyan (a greenish blue).
A material absorbing “green” light looks purple, for the impression see the overlapping sections in the following picture. The first image shows what happens if you overlay luminous light (additive colors), the second image shows what happens if you mix paint (subtractive colors).
First image taken from en.wikipedia.org by SharkD, Public Domain; second image taken from de.wikipedia.org by Quark67 CC BY-SA 2.5
If I mix the pigments of paints, each component will absorb its wavelength component(s). In case of “blue” paint mostly “red” light is absorbed, in case of “yellow” paint mostly “blue” light is absorbed, so the dominant remaining color is green. This is the exact reason plants are looking green because plants are mainly absorbing “red” and “blue” light; plant lights are emitting therefore mainly “red” and “blue” light, the color of a plant light looks purple.
If every component is absorbed, mixing yellow, purple and cyan together should give black. In real-life you get a dark brown because the pigments are not mixing perfectly so a color tint is remaining. For that reason we use black ink in our printers for printing grey or black.
What Color Do Purple and Yellow Make in Paint?
Yellow and purple paint mixed together makes brown . The type of purple and yellow you choose can affect how light or dark the brown appears. The result is usually a lighter brown.
Mixing yellow and purple is like mixing all three primary colors together since purple is made of red and blue. When you mix equal amounts of all primary colors, they make brown.
Understanding the RYB Color Model
The RYB color model uses the color wheel most people are familiar with because it’s regularly taught in early art classes. It’s used for mixing paint and other physical art mediums, such as pastels and colored pencils. RYB is a form of subtractive mixing, meaning wavelengths are removed to create a new color.
Red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors on the RYB color model. Different combinations of those colors can create the secondary colors, which are purple, green, and orange. A mix of a primary color and a secondary color will give you a tertiary color, which is usually named as a combination of the two, such as blue-green or yellow-orange.
Are There Other Ways to Make Brown?
On the RYB color wheel, brown is made by mixing all three primary colors together. So, the most common way to make brown is by mixing an equal amount of red, yellow, and blue.
Another easy way to get brown paint is by mixing complementary colors. Purple and yellow are only one set of complementary colors. Red and green or orange and blue will also give you types of brown. That’s because complementary colors contain all three primary colors when mixed.
Making Brown Paint Lighter or Darker
If you need a specific kind of brown paint, yellow and purple might not give you what you’re looking for. Luckily, there are ways to alter the combination to make it fit your needs.
Mixing Tints
Tints are lighter versions of a color. To get a tint of brown, you add white. However, white will make the color paler as you add more white. To lighten brown while still keeping it warm and vibrant, you can add extra yellow instead of white. Both white and yellow are light colors, so you might need to add a lot to notice a significant change.
Mixing Shades
Shades are darker versions of a color. You make shades of brown by adding a little black to the mix. Black paint can easily overpower other colors though, so be sure to only use it sparingly. Another method is to add extra purple to the mixture.
Brown Color Meaning
Brown is often overlooked, but it’s an important color. Since it’s the color of the ground beneath us, it’s often a sign of stability, reliability, and comfort. It’s meant to simplify, protect, and stabilize.
Some positive meanings for brown include appreciation, support, and wisdom. However, some people see it as boring, dull, and predictable. How you interpret it often depends on the context.
Can You Mix Colors to Make Purple and Yellow Paint?
If you run out of purple and yellow paint, there’s no need to panic. You might be able to recreate them using other colors. Purple is easy to make because it’s a secondary color that’s made of 50% red and 50% blue.
However, since yellow is a primary color, it’s difficult to make in painting. If you add a lot of white to orange, you can make a type of yellow, but it will be much paler than a traditional yellow. So, if you run out of yellow paint, you’d be better off buying more than trying to create it. Yellow is easier to make in lights where you combine red and green.
What Color Do Purple and Yellow Make in Lights?
Mixing lights is much different than mixing paint. In lights, yellow is a secondary color, while purple is a tertiary color. So, even though they’re still on opposite sides of the color wheel, they’re not directly across from each other like on the RYB color wheel.
The three primary colors for lights make white when they’re all mixed together at full brightness. Since yellow and purple still make up the three primary colors for this color model, they make white too. Yet, the white might have a slightly red tint to it.
Understanding the RGB Color Model
Light mixing uses the RGB color model instead of RYB. This color model is most commonly used for colored lights and digital displays. It’s a form of additive color mixing, meaning wavelengths are added to the mixture instead of removed.
The primary colors for lights are red, green, and blue. Combinations of them can mix together to make the secondary colors, which are cyan, magenta, and yellow.
How to Mix Colored Lights
If you have yellow and purple colored lights, you can layer them on top of each other to mix a new color. However, almost all colors can be made in lights using the three primary colors. By shining red, green, and blue on top of each other at different brightnesses, you can make new colors.
For example, red and blue at full brightness with green at about half brightness will give you purple. Red and green at full brightness with no blue will give you yellow. Red, green, and blue at full brightness will give you white, which is similar to what yellow and purple will become. Since both purple and yellow use red, the mixture might have a slight red tint to it.
White Color Meaning
White is a color that symbolizes purity, innocence, and perfection. It’s considered the true balance of all colors. People who look at it often feel refreshed, balanced, and purified.
Some uplifting white meanings are goodness, hope, and clarity. However, it can also be seen as boring, cold, and empty. Like all colors, it depends on how you use it.
What Color Do Purple and Yellow Make in Ink?
Ink and printing use a different color model than painting and lights. On this color wheel, the primary colors and secondary colors are swapped from the RGB model, but the tertiary colors are the same. So, mixing yellow and purple is still like mixing all three primary colors, but now it makes black instead of white.
Understanding the CMYK Color Model
The CMYK color model is a form of subtractive color mixing that’s used for printing. You might recognize it from the unique colors of ink that come with printers.
The primary colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow. Combinations of those colors can make red, green, and blue. As mentioned before, the tertiary colors are the same as the RGB color model. When all three primary colors are mixed on the CMYK color model, they make black.
Black Color Meaning
Black is a bold color with many meanings. It symbolizes power, elegance, and sophistication. It can mystify, seduce, and intimidate, depending on the context.
This color is seen as strong, formal, and prestigious. Yet, some might also think of it as depressing, sad, and pessimistic. There are many different ways to interpret it.
What Color Do Yellow and Green Make with Lights?
When it comes to light (RGB color model), color mixing produces different colors than traditional art. This is because light uses additive color mixing, while pigments and paints use subtractive color mixing.
When yellow and green light are mixed, the color produced is bright chartreuse. This looks like yellow-green. That’s why people often refer to yellow-green as chartreuse.
Do Green and Yellow Make the Same Color in RGB and RYB?
RYB is a color space used in traditional art. This classic pattern uses red, yellow, and blue as primary colors. Furthermore, it is used when it comes to mixing paints.
On the other hand, RGB is an additive color model used for mixing light. This means that it starts with darkness and gets brighter with the addition of light. It ends with white when you mix all the primary colors of the RGB space.
The primary colors of RGB space are red, green, and blue. These were chosen because a healthy human eye has three types of cones in the retina, which are the most sensitive to red, green, and blue light. [1]
When it comes to the world of printing, there is another color model called CMYK. Its primary colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow. In printing, K stands for Key, which is black. This is used to improve blackness but also to streamline the printing process.
Unlike RGB, CMYK is a subtractive color model. It starts with white, and as color is added, it becomes darker.
So RYB and CMYK are color models used in physical art, while RGB is used in everything digital.
How Do Our Eyes Perceive Color in Lights?
Our eyes allow us to see the world in all its colors and beauty. But how do we actually perceive color, especially in different lighting conditions?
Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that travels in waves. These waves have different wavelengths, which determine the color of the light.
The visible spectrum of light ranges from violet to red, with violet having the shortest wavelength and red having the longest.
White light is actually a mix of all visible wavelengths of light, so when it shines on an object, the object absorbs some wavelengths and reflects others. Our brain then interprets the reflected light as a particular color after it enters our eyes.
In the case of a green or yellow object, the object absorbs all wavelengths of light except for green or yellow, respectively. This means that only green or yellow light is reflected back to our eyes, and that is why we perceive the object as green or yellow instead of white.
Is Chartreuse the Same as Yellow-Green?
Yes, chartreuse is the same as yellow-green.
Chartreuse is also known as yellow-green because it is located on the color wheel between yellow and green. Moreover, both chartreuse and yellow-green are made by mixing green and yellow in equal proportions.
However, chartreuse is a color that comes in a variety of shades. The most popular shades of chartreuse include lime green, apple green, and light grass green.
If you’re looking for darker shades of yellow-green, you can use pear or olive.
But where does this name come from? The name chartreuse comes from the liqueur made by Carthusian monks in the 1600s. They first made this drink at the Grande Chartreuse monastery in Grenoble, France. But why is it associated with the color yellow-green?
Because there are two different varieties of Chartreuse liqueur, yellow and green. Both are made from plants and different herbs.
Using Yellow and Green in Design
Since yellow and green are often seen on raptor and grassland fields, yellow-green takes us back to nature. So if you want to paint a spring landscape, it is really appropriate to use these colors.
If we take color harmony into consideration, yellow and green make up an analogous color palette. That’s because they are next to each other on the color wheel.
You can combine yellow, yellow-green, and green, especially if you want to use an analogous color scheme. Also, yellow-orange, yellow and yellow-green form a harmonious color palette.
Green goes well with neutrals like gray and brown, as well as vivid shades of blue, pink, or yellow. Here’s a detailed list of colors that go with green.
Yellow, on the other side, pairs well with various colors, including navy blue, purple, tan, lavender, indigo, violet, black, and white.
If you want to use complementary colors, you can combine yellow with blue and green with red.
The complementary color of yellow-green is red-violet. This means that the complementary color of chartreuse is magenta.
Final Thoughts on What Do Yellow and Green Make Together
If you mix yellow and green together, you get yellow-green. This color is also known as chartreuse. However, you can get different shades depending on the colors you use and the environment in which you mix them.
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