There are a few different ways to make the color pink without using white or yellow pigments. While many pinks are created by combining a red pigment with white, there are options for making pink using other color combinations.
Using Organic Red Pigments
Many organic substances found in nature contain red pigments that can be used to produce shades of pink. Here are some examples:
- Beet juice – Beets contain a red pigment called betanin that can create pink shades when diluted with water.
- Raspberries – Contain a red pigment called anthocyanin that makes raspberry pink.
- Radish skins – The outer skin of radishes contains a red pigment that can be extracted to make a natural pink dye.
- Red cabbage – Red cabbage contains a pigment called anthocyanin that makes a pinkish purple hue.
- Rose petals – Contain anthocyanin pigments that can be used to produce soft pink tones.
By extracting the red pigments from any of these plant sources and diluting them with water, shades of pink can be produced without the use of white or yellow.
Mixing Red and Blue
On the color wheel, pink sits between red and purple. This means pink can be made by mixing a red pigment with a small amount of blue.
Here’s an example using paint:
- Start with a red paint or dye
- Add a tiny bit of blue paint or dye
- Mix together to make a pink hue
The more blue you add, the closer you will get to a purple shade. But using just a little blue with red makes pink. This works for any type of pigment, whether paint, ink, dye, pastel, colored pencils, and more.
Mixing Red and Black
Adding black to red is another way to darken it towards a pinkish burgundy shade. Here’s an example using paint:
- Start with red paint
- Add a small amount of black paint
- Mix together
The more black you add, the darker the shade becomes. But adding just a touch of black to red makes a nice pinkish maroon type of color. Again, this technique works for any coloring medium.
Tinting with White
While adding white pigment is a very common way to make pink, there are a few options for tinting a red color towards pink using non-traditional “whites”:
- Titanium white – This very opaque white pigment can lighten red toward pink.
- Zinc white – Zinc oxide can substitute for titanium white.
- Gouache – This opaque white watercolor paint can be used to tint red to pink.
So while titanium white and zinc white are still technically white pigments, they are less traditional options than using plain white paint. Gouache could be considered the closest option to making pink without true white.
Using Pink Colored Substrates
There are some naturally pink materials that can be used as a “base” for making pink hues:
- Pink paper or cardstock – Using this as your paper base will lend a pinkish hue to anything used on top.
- Pink clay – Some natural clays have an inherent pinkish tone that can be maintained throughout the clay-making process.
- Rose quartz – Crushed rose quartz can provide a light pink color for use in things like cosmetics and paints.
Rather than adding white or yellow to achieve a pink color, choosing a material with a pink base means you don’t have to add lighter pigments.
Mixing Pinkish Tones
Certain other non-white tones can be mixed together to produce pink as well. For example:
- Peach + lavender = pink
- Salmon + mauve = pink
- Brick red + blush = pink
Mixing existing paint colors containing these pinkish-red or pinkish-purple tones can result in a nice pink shade.
Using Pink Light
When working with light rather than pigments, pink can be made by combining red and blue light. This is the principle behind magenta ink in color printing.
Here are some examples of making pink with light:
- Overlapping a blue and red spotlight
- Combining a red and blue laser pointer
- Using a magenta gel over a white light source
You can find magenta lighting gels, magenta party bulbs, and other ways to produce pink light by starting with red and blue light sources.
Conclusion
While pink is often thought of as a mix of white and red, there are many ways to produce pink shades without using white or yellow pigments. By utilizing natural red pigments, mixing red with small amounts of blue or black, tinting with opaque whites, using pink substrates, combining other pinkish tones, or working with light, a variety of pink hues can be produced.
So next time you want to make an intense pink, try starting with a plant-based red dye. Or if you need a darker antique pink, mix a red paint with a touch of black. With a little creativity, you can make beautiful pinks without resorting to white or yellow!