Quick Answer
The best colors to add to pink to make it darker are purple, red, brown, black, blue, and gray. Adding small amounts of these darker colors will deepen and enrich the pink color. The specific color to choose depends on the desired tone – adding purple or red keeps it in the pink family, while gray and brown create more muted earthy pinks. Black will make the pink very dark.
How Does Color Mixing Work?
Mixing colors is based on the color wheel and basic color theory principles. The color wheel arranges colors into primary, secondary, and tertiary categories. Primary colors are red, blue and yellow. Secondary colors are made by mixing two primary colors – green (blue + yellow), purple (blue + red), and orange (yellow + red). Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary and secondary color next to each other on the wheel.
| Primary Colors | Secondary Colors | Tertiary Colors |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Green | Red-orange |
| Blue | Purple | Blue-violet |
| Yellow | Orange | Yellow-orange |
Colors opposite each other on the wheel are considered complementary colors. Mixing complementary colors together creates brown or gray hues.
How to Darken Pink
Pink is considered a tertiary color, made from mixing the primary color red and secondary color white. To darken pink, colors closer to red and purple can be added to deepen the tone. Here are the best options:
Add Purple
Adding purple to pink brings it closer to the red-violet side of the color wheel and creates a rich, jewel-toned raspberry or magenta shade. Even a small amount of purple has a big impact in darkening pink. Purple works well when you want the color to stay vivid.
Add Red
Boosting the red undertones is another great way to make pink darker. Mixing pink with crimson red will create a shade verging on rose red. The more red added, the darker and more saturated the resulting color becomes. This is a good option when you want the pink to retain its warm, intense personality.
Add Brown
For muting the brightness of pink, adding a neutral brown is very effective. Brown takes the edge off pink’s luminosity, resulting in a softer, earthier tone. Different variations of brown will impart slightly different effects – burnt umber deepens it to a terra cotta, raw umber creates a dustier antique pink, and sepia mutes the color into a neutral pinkish-beige.
Add Black
Adding black is the most direct way to darken pink into deeper shades. Combining just a small amount of black with bright pink yields tones like dusty rose and mauve. The more black added, the darker and more muted the pink becomes, eventually getting close to grayscale at very high black concentrations.
Add Blue
While not immediately intuitive, adding some blue to pink can also create lovely darkened shades of mulberry and wine pink. The resulting tone combines the coolness of blue with pink’s warmth. Blue’s effect as a darkener works best with already muted pinks and in small amounts.
Add Gray
For subtler darkening, gray is ideal. Mixing pink and gray brings down the brightness and saturation for a more neutral, sophisticated look. Cool grays give the pink a smokey, hazy effect, while warm grays create a pleasant weathered stone appearance. The pink maintains its signature personality but in a more understated way.
Dark Pink Color Mixing Ratios
The specific mixing ratio of pink to the darkening color impacts how light or dark the end result will be:
| Parts Pink | Parts Dark Color | Resulting Tone |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 | Light-medium pink |
| 5 | 1 | Medium-dark pink |
| 2 | 1 | Dark dusty pink |
| 1 | 1 | Deep pink |
| 1 | 5 | Mauve/mulberry |
When mixing colors, it’s always best to start with small amounts of the dark shade and adjust as needed. Going slowly preserves the vibrancy of the original pink.
How Different Finishes Affect the Color
The finish and texture of the paint, fabric, or mixing medium also affects how dark pink will appear:
– Matte finish reflects less light, making colors appear slightly darker and muted compared to glossy finishes.
– Metallic, glittery, or shimmery textures will make the pink appear lighter and brighter. The reflective particles catch and reflect light.
– Using a translucent base like watercolor or dye yields a lighter, more delicate shade than heavy opaque paint.
– Smooth, flat surfaces allow the true color to show through, while textured surfaces scatter some light, subtly lightening and dulling the pink.
Dark Pink Color Palette Suggestions
Here are some recommended specific colors for darkening pink beautifully:
| Purple | Red | Brown | Blue | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggplant | Crimson | Chocolate | Navy | Charcoal |
| Wine | Maroon | Ochre | Indigo | Smoke |
| Orchid | Ruby | Umber | Slate | Ash |
| Lilac | Rust | Taupe | Cobalt | Graphite |
Which Color to Choose?
So which darkening color should you choose? Consider these factors:
– **Purple or Red** to keep the richness of pink showing through
– **Brown or Gray** for a vintage, muted effect
– **Blue** for touches of coolness in small doses
– **Black** to make the true deepest dark pink shades
The desired tone and personality of the final color can guide your selection. A heavily Gothic look could use black, while an earthy boho style may use ochre brown. You can also layer multiple colors – such as brown and purple – for new nuances.
Testing Your Color Mix
When adjusting any color, it’s smart to test out your mixes before committing to the full project. Some ways to test:
– Paint swatches on cardboard, canvas or wood
– Dye small fabric swatches
– Use an app like Adobe Color CC
– Buy small bottles of paint/dye at craft stores
Evaluate the test pieces at different times of day and lighting. Colors can shift in brightness and intensity quite a lot. Adjust and re-test until you love the perfect deep pink tone.
Conclusion
Deepening pink color effectively takes color theory knowledge and a bit of experimentation. The key is gradually blending the right darker shade into the original pink, whether that’s rich purple, bold red, earthy brown, cool blue or neutral gray. Test mixes first before applying to any important project. Soon you will have a gorgeous custom darkened pink shade that achieves the exact desired look and mood.