What Colour Does Red and Purple Make? Ultimate Mixing Guide for Artists & Designers-World Wide Topics

I remember the first time I mixed red and purple paints. I was helping my niece with her art homework, and we both expected something magical. Spoiler: it wasn't what we thought. If you're Googling what colour does red and purple make, you're probably holding a brush right now or stressing over a design project. Let's ditch the textbook jargon and talk real-world results.

No Bullsh*t Explanation: Mixing These Colors

Here's the raw truth: mixing red and purple usually gives you a deep magenta or burgundy. Think wine stains on a white tablecloth. But why does this happen? Purple's basically blue with a red base already. Add more red, and you're boosting the red dominance.

The Science Made Painless

In color theory, purple sits between red and blue on the wheel. When you blend them:

Equal parts: Rich magenta (like Holbein Acrylic's Quinacridone Magenta, $12/tube)
More red: Raspberry red (closer to Cadmium Red Deep)
More purple: Eggplant hue (similar to Dioxazine Purple)

Red:Purple Ratio	Resulting Color	Closest Paint Equivalent	Best For
50:50	Vibrant Magenta	Golden Fluid Acrylic Magenta ($15)	Floral art, digital designs
70:30	Deep Raspberry	Liquitex Cadmium Red Deep ($18)	Sunset paintings, branding accents
30:70	Muted Eggplant	Winsor & Newton Dioxazine Purple ($14)	Shadow effects, moody backgrounds

Where This Mix Actually Shines

Last year I painted a mural using this combo. Client wanted "mystical twilight" – saved $40 by mixing my own shades instead of buying premade tubes. Practical uses:

Interior design: That perfect accent wall between burgundy and plum? 3 parts Behr Marquee Red (MR300) to 2 parts Purple Passion (PPU1108)
Digital design HEX codes: Equal mix = #C71585 (MediumVioletRed), More red = #8B0000 (DarkRed)
Makeup blending: MAC's Ruby Woo + Heroine lipstick creates custom berry stain

Funny story: My artist friend Greg insisted purple + red makes brown. We tested it – he used cheap craft paint. Lesson? Material matters. Which brings me to...

Why Your Mix Looks Wrong

Material Differences Matter

That what colour does red and purple make question depends entirely on your medium:

Acrylics: Most predictable (Liquitex Basics gives clean magentas)
Watercolors: Transparent layers create jewel tones (Daniel Smith wins here)
Oils: Muddy risk if overmixed (use Gamblin for cleaner blends)
Light (RGB): Digital mix = hot pink (#FF00FF) – totally different!

My Personal Mixing Disasters

Tried mixing cadmium red with cheap purple once. Got muddy sludge. Why? Cadmium's opaque pigment clashed with purple's transparency. Stick to compatible bases:

Organic pigments (like alizarin crimson + quinacridone purple): Vibrant results
Inorganic pigments (cadmiums + ultramarine): Often dull/muted

Pro Artist Workarounds

Need that perfect shade fast? Skip mixing entirely:

Premixed solution: Da Vinci Magenta acrylic ($16) – dead match for 50/50 blends
Color hack: Add white to Raspberry mix for Instagram-worthy pastels

But personally? Mixing teaches color relationships. Though I'll admit – when deadlines loom, I grab that premade tube.

Biggest Mistakes to Avoid

Seen forum debates rage about what colour do red and purple make? Most errors boil down to:

Overmixing: Stop stirring once combined to prevent mud
Wrong ratios: Measure with pipettes if precision needed
Ignoring undertones: Blue-based red + blue-based purple = flat color

Mistake	Result	Fix
Using opaque pigments	Chalky/muted color	Choose transparent paints (e.g., Daniel Smith)
Mixing wet-on-wet	Uncontrolled bleeding	Let first layer dry (watercolors)
Ignoring paint bases	Chemical reactions	Stick to same brand lines

Your Burning Questions Answered

Does Mixing Red and Purple Make Brown?

Only with crap materials. Student-grade paints often have fillers that muddy mixes. Invest in artist-grade (even budget brands like Blick Studio).

Can I Use This for Hair Dye?

Tried it on a pink streak once. Mix Directions Carnation Red + Violet = vibrant magenta. But strand test first – results vary by base color.

RGB vs Paint Differences?

Massive! Digital = light mixing. Red (#FF0000) + Purple (#800080) = bright magenta (#FF0080). Paints? Subtractive mixing – darker results.

What Colour Will Red and Purple Make in Different Ratios?

Quick reference:

1:1 ratio → Magenta (Pantone 253 C)
2:1 red → Raspberry (Pantone 7427 C)
1:2 purple → Byzantium (Pantone 7659 C)

Beyond the Obvious

This mix isn't just for art. Practical magic:

Home décor: Custom throw pillows – Rit Dyemore Scarlet + Purple (1:1 ratio)
Baking (seriously!): Mix red & purple food gels for galaxy cake hues
Photography filters: Stack red + purple gels for moody portraits

Final thought: That initial "failed" mix with my niece? We turned it into abstract roses. Sometimes unexpected colors spark creativity. But now you know exactly what colour red and purple makes – and how to control it.

What Colour Does Red and Purple Make? Ultimate Mixing Guide for Artists & Designers