Pink is a fun and versatile color that can be mixed with a variety of other colors to create new shades and tones. As a secondary color, pink is made by mixing the primary colors red and white. By adding more red or more white to pink, you can make vivid or pale shades of pink. And by mixing pink with other colors, you get entirely new colors like purples, oranges, browns, and more. Let’s explore what happens when you mix pink with other colors!
Mixing Pink with Primary Colors
The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. When mixed together in different combinations, they make all the other colors. Mixing pink with primary colors results in secondary colors or tertiary colors.
Pink and Red
Since pink already contains red, adding more red makes the pink more vivid, intense, and bright. Adding a lot of red makes the pink shift towards being a red shade. Pink with just a small amount of red added stays soft but becomes bolder.
Pink and Blue
Mixing pink and blue makes purple! The amount of pink vs blue changes the shade of purple. More pink makes a reddish purple and more blue makes a bluish purple. Play around with the proportions to mix different purples.
Pink and Yellow
Pink mixed with yellow makes orange. A very soft peach or coral orange results from adding just a touch of yellow. Keep adding more yellow to make orange shades that are more bold and bright.
Mixing Pink with Secondary Colors
Secondary colors are made by mixing two primary colors. Let’s see what happens when pink is combined with these colors:
Pink and Orange
Pink and orange blend to make peachy tones. Light pink and soft orange makes a creamy peach. A bolder orange with hot pink creates a vibrant reddish peach. Adjust the amount of each color to make peaches that are pale, vivid, or anywhere in between.
Pink and Green
Mixing pink and green results in earthy tones. A lime green with a soft pink makes a sage green color. Darker greens turn pink into olive and mossy shades. Keep the pink light for a subtle effect.
Pink and Purple
Since purple already contains pink, adding more pink just makes the purple lighter and closer to a pink shade. Extra pink washes out the purple, making lavender or mauve. But if using a vivid purple, the pink just makes it a little softer in tone.
Pink and Brown
Pink and brown blend together to create rosy tan shades with a hint of pink. Adding a small amount of pink to brown warms up the brown and adds a little brightness. Think of pink-influenced wood tones.
Mixing Pink with Tertiary Colors
Tertiary colors are made by combining a primary color with a secondary color. These fun color combos result when pink mixes with tertiary colors:
Pink and Orange-Red
Vibrant orange-reds become coral when mixed with pink. The more pink, the softer and more salmon-like the coral color. Use just a touch of pink for a bolder orangey coral.
Pink and Red-Purple
Deep red-purples turn into raspberry tones with the addition of pink. Too much pink will make the color look more pink than purple. But a little pink adds warmth to the red-purple.
Pink and Red-Orange
Mixing pink with red-orange results in shades of melon and salmon. Soft pink and red-orange makes cantaloupe colors. A hot pink and bold red-orange makes tropical salmon colors.
Pink and Yellow-Orange
Add pink to yellow-orange to create peach and apricot colors. Just a tiny bit of pink makes vibrant apricot shades. More pink results in softer peachy tones.
Pink and Yellow-Green
When pink is mixed with yellow-green, it makes beige with a hint of pink. The more yellow-green used, the earthier the beige. A little pink just warms it up slightly and keeps it neutral.
Mixing Pink with Neutral Colors
Neutral colors like white, black, gray, and brown have a more subtle effect when mixed with pink. Here’s how they change the color:
Pink and White
Adding white to pink makes it softer, paler, and more delicate. To retain brightness, use a bright pink. If using a pale pink, white will make it almost white. The result is a barely-pink tone.
Pink and Black
Mixing black darkens pink and makes it more dusky and muted. Just a small amount of black goes a long way in deepening a pink. Keep the black under 10% to retain the pinkness.
Pink and Gray
Gray combined with pink makes a softened, blurred pink that has been shaded with gray. Depending on the amount of gray, it comes across as either a grayish pink or a pinkish gray. Use sparingly for a hazy effect.
Pink and Brown
As mentioned above, brown with pink makes rosy tan shades. Light browns stay neutral with just a hint of pink. Dark browns can take on a distinct pink tone when mixed with enough pink.
Mixing Pink with Complementary Colors
The complement of pink is green. Using complements together makes each one stand out more.
Pink and Green
Pink and green clash vibrantly. Place them side-by-side to make each one pop. To tone down the clash, add white or black to soften the colors. Mix a tiny amount together to make interesting earthy tones.
Conclusion
As shown, pink is endlessly mixable with any color across the spectrum. Adjusting the proportions results in shades that range from vivid to delicate. By thoughtfully selecting color combinations, you can create beautiful palettes for any purpose. Mix up some pink today and see what appealing new colors you invent!
| Color Mixed with Pink | Resulting Colors |
|---|---|
| Red | Vivid pink shades |
| Blue | Purple |
| Yellow | Orange |
| Orange | Peach |
| Green | Earth tones |
| Purple | Lavender, mauve |
| Brown | Rosy tan |
| Orange-red | Coral |
| Red-purple | Raspberry |
| Red-orange | Salmon |
| Yellow-orange | Peach, apricot |
| Yellow-green | Beige |
| White | Soft pink |
| Black | Dusky pink |
| Gray | Muted pink |
| Brown | Rosy tan |
| Green | Vibrant clash |