Mixing Colours: Your Comprehensive Guide to Creating the Perfect Purple

Are you passionate about infusing your artwork with a vibrant pop of purple but unsure how to mix the right shades? Look no further! Everything you need to know about mixing purple paint will be covered in this in-depth guide, so you can produce gorgeous colours for your masterpiece without having to worry about making a muddy brown mess. 

Purple is a secondary colour on the colour wheel, resulting from mixing the stability of blue with the energy of red. Historically, purple has been associated with royalty, luxury, creativity, and spirituality, often linked to wealth and extravagance due to the rarity and expense of purple dye in ancient times.

What colours Make Purple?

To create the perfect purple, it’s essential to understand the colour mixing process. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to achieve various shades of purple through different colour combinations:

Mixing Basics

To make purple, you need to combine red and blue. However, the temperature and undertones of the colours used play a significant role in the resulting shade. Here’s how to get started:

1. Warm Blue + Cool Red: For a true purple, mix equal parts of a warm blue with a cool red.
   • Warm Blue Options:
     • Ultramarine Blue
     • Phthalo Blue
   • Cool Red Options:
     • Alizarin Crimson
     • Quinacridone Magenta
     • Permanent Rose

Crafting Your Perfect Purple

1. The Perfect Purple

To achieve a rich purple reminiscent of premixed paint, combine equal amounts of Permanent Rose and Ultramarine Blue. This combination will yield a vibrant, true purple.

2. Dark Purple

To create a darker purple, start with your perfect purple mix and add a small amount of Ultramarine Blue to deepen the colour. For even darker shades, you can incorporate a tiny amount of black paint, but be cautious as it can quickly overpower the purple.

3. Light Purple

For a softer, lighter purple, simply mix your perfect purple with white. The more white you add, the lighter the shade, transitioning from a soft amethyst to a delicate lilac.

4. Muted Purple

To create muted shades of purple with an earthy feel, add a complementary colour to your mix. Since yellow is the opposite of purple on the colour wheel, introducing a small amount of cadmium yellow or yellow ochre will produce a more muted, brownish-purple hue.

5. Vibrant Purple

To achieve a more vibrant purple, ensure that the paints you are using are free from yellow undertones. Mixing reds and blues with yellow hues can result in murky, brownish colours. Use Quinacridone Magenta as your red and Cobalt Blue or a green-blue mix like Phthalo Turquoise for optimal results.

Understanding Purple Variations: Lavender vs. Purple vs. Violet

It’s crucial to differentiate between the various shades associated with purple. While lavender, purple, and violet all fall within the purple spectrum, they have distinct characteristics:

Purple

Purple is the standard term for the colour that exists between blue and red. It ranges from deep, dark shades to lighter, more vibrant tones. Different shades can evoke various emotions; darker purples symbolise luxury and sophistication, while lighter purples often represent romance and delicacy.

Lavender

Lavender is a pale tint of purple, often described as light or pale purple with hints of pink or grey. This soft and delicate colour is reminiscent of blooming lavender flowers and is associated with calmness, femininity, and elegance. Its soothing quality makes lavender a popular choice in interior design and fashion.

Violet

Violet is a spectral colour with its own specific wavelength in the visible light spectrum. It is a bright and vivid hue, often seen as a slightly bluish purple. Violet is associated with spirituality, intuition, and imagination, making it one of the rainbow’s vibrant colours.

How to Mix Lavender

For this cool purple shade, mix Ultramarine Violet with white. Alternatively, you can achieve a similar result using Ultramarine Blue, Permanent Rose, and white.

How to Mix Violet

To create violet, mix Quinacridone Magenta with Cobalt Blue or Phthalo Turquoise, adding small amounts of white until you achieve your perfect shade.

Paint Mixing Techniques and Tips

Mixing colours can be an art in itself, and employing various techniques can enhance your mixing experience. Here are some effective tips:

Gradual Paint Mixing: Start Small

When mixing colours, it’s advisable to start with small portions. This approach not only helps in adjusting the colour more easily but also reduces waste, saving you valuable materials.

Adjusting colour Temperature

Understanding warm and cool colours is essential for manipulating your paint mixtures:

• Warm colours: Reds, oranges, yellows
• Cool colours: Blues, greens, purples

To adjust the colour temperature, add its opposite in small amounts until you achieve the desired effect:

• If the mix is too warm, add a cool colour.
• If it’s too cool, introduce a warm colour.

Mixing Styles

Here are three effective methods to mix your paints:

1. Stirring: Use a brush to stir the colours together, much like stirring a pot. This method is ideal for blending small amounts of paint.
2. Folding: Utilise a palette knife to fold colours over each other. This technique thoroughly mixes the colours and can create marbled effects.
3. Layering: Apply one colour over another. This method is useful for glazes and translucent effects.

Working with Different Types of Paint

Each type of paint has its unique properties and mixing methods. Here’s how to mix various paint types effectively:

Mixing Acrylic Paint

Supplies Needed:

• Acrylic paints
• Palette (any material)
• Brushes or palette knife
• Water

Steps:

1. Squeeze Out the Paint: Place the colours on your palette, leaving space for mixing.
2. Start Mixing: Use a clean brush or palette knife to blend the colours, starting with small amounts.
3. Observe and Adjust: Pay attention to the resulting colour and adjust as necessary.
4. Add Water: If the paint feels too thick, add a bit of water to your brush and mix.

Mixing Oil Paint

Supplies Needed:

• Oil paints
• Palette (wood, glass, or acrylic)
• Painting medium (e.g., linseed oil)
• Brushes and palette knife
• Paint solvent (e.g., turpentine)

Steps:

1. Squeeze Out the Paint: Dispense the colours onto your palette.
2. Mix in the Medium: Add a tiny bit of painting medium to your oil paints.
3. Observe and Adjust: Mix thoroughly and adjust as necessary. Oil paints allow for subtle colour adjustments.
4. Clean Tools Between Mixing: Avoid using water; clean your brushes and palette knife with a suitable oil solvent.

Mixing Watercolour Paint

Supplies Needed:

• Watercolours (tubes or pans)
• Watercolour palette
• Two jars (one for cleaning and one for mixing)
• Watercolour brushes

Steps:

1. Squeeze Out the Paint: Place the watercolours in their respective sections.
2. Start Mixing: Mix colours on a flat area of the palette using gentle stirring motions. Clean your brushes between colours.
3. Test the colour: Before applying to your artwork, test the mixed colour on scrap paper.
4. Keep Practising: Watercolour mixing takes time, so don’t hesitate to experiment with different combinations.

Can You Mix Different Types of Paint?

Mixing different types of paint can be done, but it’s crucial to understand the characteristics of the paints you’re working with for optimal results:

Water-Based Paints

Watercolour and acrylic paints can be mixed, as they are both water-based. However, note that acrylic paint dries to a plastic-like texture, while watercolour can reactivate with water even after drying.

Oil-Based Paints

It’s generally not recommended to mix oil paints with acrylic due to their differing chemical compositions and drying processes. Mixing these can lead to issues with adhesion and stability.

Avoid Mixing Oil and Watercolour

Oil and watercolour paints should never be mixed, as they repel each other, resulting in an unstable mixture.

Experimentation and Testing

If you’re curious about mixing different types of paint, conduct small-scale experiments on a separate surface before applying them to your artwork. This approach allows you to observe how the paints interact and whether the mixture meets your expectations.

Book Your Session With Prime Pass

If you’re looking to unleash your creativity further, consider joining a local Paint and Sip session with Prime Pass! It’s a fantastic way to enjoy a fun evening of painting while sipping your favourite drink, perfect for honing your skills in a relaxed atmosphere. Our sessions cater to all skill levels, from beginners to experienced artists, ensuring everyone feels welcome and inspired.

Team Building Opportunities:
In addition to individual creativity, our Paint and Sip sessions are also ideal for team building activities in various locations. Whether you’re planning a corporate outing or a gathering with friends, painting together fosters collaboration and communication. Engaging in a creative project can break down barriers, strengthen relationships, and encourage teamwork in a fun and stress-free environment.

A Unique Experience:
Every session is designed to be an enjoyable experience. You’ll be guided by talented instructors who provide step-by-step instructions, helping you create your own masterpiece while encouraging personal expression. Plus, you can bring your beverages, making it a perfect opportunity to relax, socialise, and have fun with friends or colleagues.

Celebrate Special Occasions:
Looking to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or special milestone? Our Paint and Sip sessions can be customised to fit your needs, providing a unique way to mark any occasion. Enjoy a memorable night of creativity, laughter, and bonding with your loved ones.

Flexible Scheduling:
With various locations and flexible scheduling, it’s easy to find a session that fits your calendar. So why wait? Grab your friends, colleagues, or family and join us for an unforgettable evening of art, laughter, and creativity.

Happy painting! Let Prime Pass be your guide as you explore the world of paint and sip!