What Colors Make Purple?
Red and blue make purple. Use a cool red (magenta-leaning) and a warm blue for the brightest result.
Red + Blue = Purple
Red
1 part
Blue
1 part
Purple
Equal parts give a balanced violet. More red gives plum; more blue gives indigo.
Magenta + Blue = Purple
Magenta
1 part
Blue
1 part
Purple
Cleanest, most vivid purple. Warm reds contain yellow, which dulls purple toward brown.
Adjusting your purple
To lighten: Add white for lavender, lilac and mauve.
To darken: Add a little black or more blue for aubergine and deep violet.
To mute or soften: Add a touch of yellow (its complement) to grey it down.
Mixing paint vs. mixing light
The recipes above describe subtractive mixing — how paint, ink and pigment behave. Each pigment absorbs part of the spectrum, so the more you add, the darker the mixture gets.
Screens work the opposite way, using additive mixing with red, green and blue light: the more you add, the brighter it gets. With light (RGB), purple is made by combining red and blue light with no green — e.g. #6B2FA0.
Frequently asked about making purple
What colors make purple?
Red and blue make purple. Use a cool red (magenta-leaning) and a warm blue for the brightest result.
What two colors make purple?
Red + Blue makes purple. Equal parts give a balanced violet. More red gives plum; more blue gives indigo.
How do you make purple lighter or darker?
Add white for lavender, lilac and mauve. Add a little black or more blue for aubergine and deep violet.
Is mixing purple paint the same as mixing purple light?
No. Paint mixes subtractively while light mixes additively. With light (RGB), purple is made by combining red and blue light with no green — e.g. #6B2FA0.