What Colors Make Purple?
Red and blue make purple. It is a secondary color in the RYB model, created by combining the primary colors red and blue.
The Answer: What Makes Purple
Mixing red + blue produces purple where the colors overlap.
Paint & Pigment Mixing (RYB)
Mix red and blue paint. Equal parts give a mid-purple. More red = warmer reddish-purple. More blue = cooler violet-blue purple. For the most vivid purple, use a cool-toned red (quinacridone rose or crimson) and a warm blue (ultramarine).
Digital Color (RGB)
In RGB light, purple = Red + Blue with no Green. Web purple is rgb(128, 0, 128) / #800080.
Shades of Purple
Purple spans a wide range — from pale lavender and soft lilac to vibrant violet, deep plum, and rich indigo. Each shade has a distinct warmth or coolness depending on the red-to-blue ratio.
Color Theory: Understanding Purple
Purple is a secondary color in the RYB (Red-Yellow-Blue) paint model, formed by mixing red and blue. It sits between red and blue on the color wheel. Its complementary color — the color directly opposite — is yellow. This is why purple and yellow are often used together in striking, high-contrast designs.
Violet and purple are closely related but distinct: violet is a spectral color with its own wavelength (~380–450nm) visible in rainbows. Purple is a non-spectral color created by mixing red and blue light — it does not appear in a natural spectrum.
Analogous colors to purple are red-violet (magenta/pink) and blue-violet (indigo). Triadic partners are orange and green. In design, purple conveys luxury, creativity, and mystery.
Warm vs. Cool Purples
Warm purples lean toward red — raspberry, magenta, plum, and wine tones. Cool purples lean toward blue — violet, indigo, and blue-purple. To mix a warm purple, use more red (especially quinacridone magenta or crimson). For a cool violet, use more blue (ultramarine or phthalo). The most common pitfall: using a warm orange-biased red (like cadmium red), which desaturates the purple because orange is purple's complementary color.
Why Does My Purple Look Muddy?
Muddy purples are usually caused by red pigments with orange undertones (cadmium red, vermillion) or blue pigments with green undertones (phthalo blue, cerulean). These hidden complementary colors cancel each other out. Fix: use quinacridone rose or crimson as your red, and ultramarine blue as your blue — both lean toward purple/violet and produce clean, vivid results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What two colors make purple?
Red and blue make purple. More red gives a warm, reddish-purple; more blue gives a cooler violet.
What colors make dark purple?
Mix red and blue then add a touch of black to deepen it into dark purple or plum.
Red and blue make what color?
Red and blue make purple (or violet, depending on the ratio).
What 2 colors make purple?
Red and blue are the two colors that make purple.
What colors make violet?
Violet is made with more blue than red — it sits between blue and purple on the color wheel.
What colors make lavender?
Mix red and blue to make purple, then add generous white and a tiny touch more blue for a cool, soft lavender.
What colors make lilac?
Mix purple with generous white to make lilac. Lilac is simply a very light tint of purple.
What colors make dark purple?
Mix red and blue, then add small amounts of black. Adding more blue than red also darkens and cools the purple toward indigo.
What colors make plum?
Mix more red than blue for a warm purple base, then add a touch of black or dark brown to reach a rich plum tone.