When mixing colors, the resulting color is determined by the combination of light wavelengths that are reflected back to our eyes. Both red and blue are primary colors, meaning they cannot be created by mixing other colors. However, when red and blue light mix together, the resulting color our eyes perceive is a new, secondary color. Specifically, when dark red and dark blue are combined, the resulting color is a deep, rich purple.
The Color Wheel
To understand how mixing red and blue makes purple, it helps to visualize the colors on a color wheel. The color wheel arranges primary and secondary colors into a circle to show their relationships. The three primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. Secondary colors like purple, orange, and green are created by mixing two primary colors next to each other on the wheel.
For example, mixing red and blue makes purple, mixing blue and yellow makes green, and mixing red and yellow makes orange. This is because secondary colors take on a blend of the two primary colors used to create them. Purple contains wavelengths of both red and blue light.
Pigment vs. Light
When mixing colored pigments or dyes, such as paint, the same color principles apply. Mixing blue and red pigments will also create purple. However, when working with light instead of pigments, the colors mix differently. For light, red, green, and blue are the primary colors. Mixing red and blue light together makes magenta, which is a vivid purplish-pink color.
In print and digital displays, colors are created using red, green and blue light. So when digital artists mix a dark red and dark blue, the resulting color is a shade of magenta rather than purple.
The Color Purple
When visualizing the blend of dark red and dark blue, the color that comes to mind is a deep, rich purple. This regal color has a long history of use by royalty and the nobility. The rarity and expense of purple dyes in ancient times led it to be associated with luxury, prestige and ambition.
Purple dyes were extracted from a specific type of sea snail called Murex. Thousands of snails had to be gathered to produce just a small amount of purple dye. As a result, purple fabric became an iconic status symbol of emperors and kings. The Roman Emperor Nero and King Alexander the Great both wore purple as an imperial color.
Shades of Purple
There are a wide range of shades of purple that can be produced by mixing different proportions of red and blue. Deep purple contains more blue, while light purple has more red. Adding white will also lighten the shade. Here are some specific shades of purple and their color mixing formulas:
| Purple Shade | Mixing Formula |
|---|---|
| Vivid Violet | Dark blue + Crimson red |
| Royal Purple | Ultramarine blue + Magenta |
| Lavender | Blue + Pink |
| Purple Gray | Blue + Red + Black |
| Thistle | Red Violet + White |
The mixing ratios can be adjusted to create lighter or darker variations of each shade. Adding white will lighten the tone, while adding black will create a deeper, darker purple.
Color Theory
In color theory, purple is considered a tertiary color in the RYB color model because it is created by mixing the primary colors red and blue. The complementary color of purple is yellow. This means purple and yellow are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. When placed side-by-side, these contrasting colors create strong visual energy and vibrancy.
Purple has a hue angle of 300 degrees on the color wheel. It is a combination of two secondary colors – red-violet and blue-violet. Purple pigment absorbs green and yellow light waves and reflects back red and blue wavelengths to the eyes. This subtractive mixing of reflected light is how the color purple is perceived.
When it comes to light instead of pigments, magenta is considered the tertiary color made from mixing red and blue light. Magenta has a hue angle of 330 degrees and absorbs green light while reflecting red and blue wavelengths.
Psychology of the Color Purple
Purple has a unique mix of warm and cool properties that lead to complex psychological associations. Here are some of the attributes commonly linked to the color purple:
– Royalty – As mentioned, the rarity and expense of purple historically meant it was associated with kings, queens, and emperors. It represents luxury, ambition, and dignity.
– Spirituality – In many cultures and religions, purple and violet represent spiritual awareness and connection to the divine. Purple is thought to have healing and soothing qualities.
– Creativity – Purple evokes creativity and imagination. It inspires unique, unconventional ideas as well as optimism and magical thinking.
– Mystery – The mixing of passionate red and stable blue creates an aura of controlled power and intriguing secrecy. Purple can seem exotic, sensual and even supernatural.
– Wisdom – Purple’s blend of red and blue symbolizes a balance of passion and logic. As a result, purple is linked with wisdom, knowledge and thoughtfulness.
Dark Red and Dark Blue
When visually mixing the colors dark red and dark blue, the red takes on a richer, deeper burgundy tone while the blue becomes an inky, deep indigo. Dark red epitomizes the color of lush red wine, ripe cherries, and red roses. Deep blue evokes the mystique of the night sky, the depth of the ocean, and blue-black gemstones.
Combining these two deep, saturated shades results in an intensely vivid purple hue. It has both the grounded, earthy quality of dark red and the expansive depth of dark blue. This dynamic color embodies passion and imagination, mystique and spirituality.
It is easy to see why rich, regal purple has captivated artists and drawn fascination throughout history. The melding of dark red and dark blue truly creates a unique, enchanting new color.
Mixing Dark Red and Dark Blue Pigments
For artists, combining dark red and dark blue pigments is a great way to explore the range of hues, tints and shades of purple. Here are some tips for effectively mixing paints, dyes or other color mediums to achieve different purple effects:
– Start with a dab of deep crimson red the size of a quarter, and add a dab of indigo or ultramarine blue the size of a nickel. Combine thoroughly.
– Adjust the proportions to create lighter, more red-violet purples or darker, more blue-based purples.
– Add white paint or pigment to lighten the purple into lavender or thistle shades.
– Add a touch of black paint or pigment to create a deeper, more muted purple.
– Experiment with adding a little yellow or green if the purple starts to look too dull or brown. This will brighten it back up.
– Try blending the purple with reds, blues or grays to create tones like reddish-purple, bluish-purple or purple-gray.
With the endless mixing possibilities, dark red and dark blue make for a versatile purple palette to inspire creativity. The pigments can be mixed to achieve a perfect royal purple, romantic lavender, or mystic midnight purple.
Digital Mixing of Dark Red and Dark Blue
For digital artists and designers, purple is easily created by blending dark red and dark blue color codes. Digital art software uses the RGB color model where colors are mixes of red, green and blue light.
In RGB hexadecimal code, dark blue is around #00008b, while dark red is #8b0000. When these are combined at full saturation, the resulting color is #800080 – an intense shade of purple.
Adjusting the values in the RGB code allows more control over the purple hue:
– More red (R value) creates a warmer, pinkish purple
– More blue (B value) makes a cooler, indigo purple
– Equal R and B values produces a vivid violet
– Lower overall values makes a darker purple
– Higher overall values creates a lighter lavender purple
Playing with the RGB color slider and entering in RGB codes gives digital artists limitless ways to achieve a perfect royal purple, romantic lavender, or mystic midnight purple using dark red and dark blue as base colors.
Meaning and Symbolism
The rich hues created by blending dark red and dark blue carry a powerful symbolic meaning. Historically, purple has been associated with:
– Royalty – Purple’s link to kings, emperors and nobility gives it a meaning of luxury, ambition and dignity.
– Spirituality – Purple has spiritual connotations in many religions and cultures. It represents mystical insight and connection to the divine.
– Creativity – The mix of red’s passion and blue’s calm leads purple to evoke creativity, imagination and originality.
– Mystery – Purple’s blend of warm and cool properties results in an air of controlled power and intriguing secrecy.
– Wisdom – As a balance of emotional red and logical blue, purple signifies thoughtful insight, knowledge and inspiration.
Dark red also carries strong symbolism of earthiness, vigor, strength, passion, courage and action. Dark blue represents mystery, wisdom, confidence, power and integrity.
Combined as one, the symbology of dark red and blue produces the inspiring meaning and richness associated with regal, vivid purple.
Conclusion
When blended together, the dynamic colors of dark red and dark blue create a stunning secondary color – vibrant, deep purple. On the color wheel, purple falls between the primary colors of red and blue. Mixing dark shades of these warm and cool hues produces the full depth and nuance of purple.
The particular purple that results when dark red and blue are combined perfectly embodies purple’s historical association with royalty. It has an elegant, noble and luxurious feel. However, this regal color also retains the passion of red and the mysticism of blue in its undertones. Vivid purple aligns with red’s energy and blue’s calm to create equilibrium between warm and cool. This balance gives purple a thoughtful, wise and spiritual vibe.
No other color has quite the richness, complexity and visual interest as the purple created from dark red and dark blue. Experimenting with mixing these deep shades offers an exciting way for artists and designers to access a broad spectrum of hues ranging from intense violet to muted lavender. With its unique blend of physical and mystical properties, the vibrancy of purple inspires creativity and imagination.