Red is a primary color and an incredibly versatile pigment. By mixing red with other primary colors like blue and yellow, an artist can create a wide variety of secondary and tertiary colors. Understanding color theory and the colors that red can make is key for any painter looking to expand their palette. In this article, we’ll explore what happens when red pigment is blended with other colors and look at the resulting hues that can be produced.
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors
There are three primary colors – red, yellow, and blue. These colors can’t be created by mixing other pigments together. Secondary colors are made by combining two primary colors in equal amounts. For example, red and yellow make orange, blue and yellow make green, and blue and red make violet. Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. Some examples of tertiary colors are red-violet, red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, and blue-violet.
Colors Made by Mixing Red with Other Primaries
When red pigment is mixed with the other two primary colors, yellow and blue, it produces the secondary colors orange and violet. The specific hues that result depend on the ratio of red to yellow or blue.
Red and Yellow Make Orange
Mixing pure red and yellow pigments together in equal parts produces a vivid orange. Adding more red makes the orange more reddish, while adding more yellow creates a more yellowish orange.
| Red to Yellow Ratio | Resulting Orange Hue |
| 1:1 | Pure orange |
| 2:1 | Red-orange |
| 3:1 | Scarlet orange |
| 1:2 | Yellow-orange |
| 1:3 | Amber orange |
Some examples of red-orange hues are vermilion, coral, persimmon, and rust. Yellow-orange shades include gamboge, peach, melon, and saffron.
Red and Blue Make Violet
When red and blue are combined in a 1:1 ratio, the resulting color is violet. Adding more red pigment creates red-violet hues, while extra blue makes blue-violet shades.
| Red to Blue Ratio | Resulting Violet Hue |
| 1:1 | Pure violet |
| 2:1 | Red-violet |
| 3:1 | Magenta |
| 1:2 | Blue-violet |
| 1:3 | Royal purple |
Some examples of red-violet colors are ruby, raspberry, and mulberry. Blue-violet shades include purple, lilac, and lavender.
Tertiary Colors Made with Red
Mixing red with secondary colors creates a wide range of tertiary hues. These include red-orange, red-violet, orange-red, violet-red and more. By varying the ratios of the two mixed colors, many subtleties can be achieved.
Red-Orange and Orange-Red
Red-orange refers to a hue made with more red than orange, while orange-red has more orange than red. Red-orange shades include vermilion, coral, and burnt sienna. Orange-red hues are fire engine red, rust, and cinnamon.
Red-Violet and Violet-Red
Red-violet contains more red than violet. Hues like magenta, ruby, and raspberry are examples. Violet-red has more violet pigment. Mulberry, claret, and plum are violet-red shades.
Yellow-Orange and Orange-Yellow
Adding a dash of red to yellow-orange hues creates vibrant reddish-oranges. Mixing a touch of red into orange-yellows results in yellow-tinted oranges.
Blue-Violet and Violet-Blue
Red can neutralize some of the intensity of blue-violet, making softer, more nuanced violets. When mixing a small amount of red into violet-blue hues, vivid purplish-blues are produced.
Tones, Tints, and Shades
Beyond mixing, colors can also be lightened, darkened, dulled, or brightened in various ways. Here’s how these variations work with red:
Tints
Tints are made by adding white to a color to lighten it. Red tints include pink, rose, salmon, and melon.
Tones
Tones are produced by adding gray to dull a color. Red tones include burgundy, maroon, brick, and rust.
Shades
Shades are created by adding black to darken a pigment. Examples of red shades include crimson, oxblood, garnet, and wine.
Using Complementary Colors
Complementary colors sit opposite each other on the color wheel. The complement of red is green. Using reds and greens together creates vibrant, high-contrast combinations.
Vermilion and forest green, burgundy and mint, and scarlet and lime are examples of red-green complementary pairs. Complementary colors heighten each other when placed side-by-side.
Monochromatic Color Schemes
A monochromatic scheme uses varied tones, tints, and shades of a single color. Monochrome palettes with red can be striking and elegant.
Light pink, tomato red, burgundy, and deep maroon make a diverse monochrome palette. Monochromatic harmonies have a cohesive, sophisticated look.
Analogous Color Schemes
Analogous colors sit next to each other on the color wheel. Analogous palettes with red might include:
– Red, red-orange, orange
– Red, red-violet, violet
These combinations create color-rich, vibrant harmonies. Using adjacent shades and tints adds nuance and interest.
Triadic Color Schemes
Triadic palettes use three colors equally spaced around the color wheel. Red, yellow, and blue are the primary triad.
A red-based triadic scheme might include:
– Red, yellow-orange, blue-violet
The contrast between these colors creates lively, energetic effects. Balance is key for triadic harmonies.
Tetradic and Square Color Schemes
Tetradic palettes use four colors arranged into two complementary pairs. For red, this could be:
– Red, green, orange, blue
Square schemes are tetradic but use colors spaced evenly around the wheel. A red square palette might be:
– Red, yellow, green, violet
These diverse color schemes offer great possibilities but can be difficult to balance. Using one color as a dominant hue helps anchor tetradic and square harmonies.
Split-Complementary Color Schemes
This scheme uses a color plus the two hues adjacent to its complement. For red, this would be:
– Red, yellow-green, blue-green
Split complements have the vibrancy of complements but are less jarring. The three colors have good contrast but also share some tones.
Other Color Combinations
Reds can work with virtually any color if balanced well. Some other combinations to try include:
– Red and neutrals like black, white, gray, beige
– Red, peach, yellow
– Teal, red, silver
– Red, sea green, sky blue
Experiment to find colors that express your vision. The key is balancing the ratios so hues complement but don’t clash.
Understanding Undertones
The undertones of reds also affect color mixing. Warm red undertones pair well with other warm hues like orange, yellow, or gold. Cool red undertones complement cool shades like blue, green, silver. Combining warm and cool can create lively contrast.
Color Mixing Tips
Here are some tips for successfully mixing colors with red:
– Use pure, intense hues for vivid secondary and tertiary colors
– Add tints, tones, and shades for depth and dimension
– Balance complementary hues so they enhance not compete
– Let one color dominate in tetradic and square harmonies
– Use adjacent colors for analogous harmonies
– Try split complements for color and contrast
– Watch for temperature – warm reds with other warm hues
– Cool reds harmonize with other cool shades
– Experiment and observe how ratios affect the hues
Mastering color combinations takes practice. Keep testing mixtures and varying ratios to find your perfect palette.
Conclusion
Red is endlessly mixable, producing a wide spectrum of vivid secondary and tertiary colors. Oranges, violets, reds-violet, red-orange – the options are nearly endless. By learning color theory, trying different color schemes, and exploring tints, tones, and shades, red can be used to generate a rich, diverse palette. Mix, match, observe, and have fun with the colors red can create. Let your imagination run wild!