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What Colours Make Purple? Mixing Colour With Paint Guide

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What Colours Make Purple? Mixing Colour With Paint Guide

Are you passionate about adding a pop of purple to your masterpiece but don’t have the right colour mixing recipe? Look no further because we have a simple but comprehensive guide to all things perfectly purple! 

We know when you are trying to mix a rich, vibrant purple to complete your painting, a lot of times your palette can come out looking like a muddy brown mess! We get it, mixing purple paint can be frustrating but with the right colour combinations and our handy step by step guide you’ll be mixing a perfect purple in no time!

Purple is a secondary colour on the colour wheel that combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Often associated with royalty, luxury, creativity, mystery and spirituality, in many cultures purple is historically linked with wealth and extravagance because purple dye used to be rare and expensive to produce.

What Colours Should I Mix to Make Purple?

How to Mix Different Shades of Purple:

There are various shades and tints of purple and all are mixed with variations of red and blue. It’s important to understand the temperature of different paint colours to ensure you use the correct ones for the best results.

Warm Blue + Cool red:

While mixing red with blue makes purple, the temperature and undertones of the paint determine the shades of purple you will create. On the colour wheel, purple falls in between a cool-toned red, and a warm-toned blue, so a true purple is made by mixing equal parts of a warm blue with a cool red.

  • Warm toned blues – Ultramarine blue, Phthalo blue
  • Cool toned reds – Alizarin Crimson, Quinacridone Magenta, Permanent Rose

 

The Perfect Purple:

To mix purple similar to what you would find in a premixed tube, mix equal amounts of Permanent Rose and Ultramarine blue.

How to Make a Dark Purple:

Mix the perfect purple as above and add a small amount of ultramarine blue to deepen the colour. You can also add the tiniest amount of black paint to produce a darker shade of purple.

How to Make a Light Purple:

To create a lighter purple, simply add white to your true perfect purple mix. The more white you add, the lighter shades of purple you can develop, from a soft amethyst to a lovely lilac.

How to Make a Muted Purple:

Muted shades of purple with an earthy feel can be created by adding a complementary colour to your true purple mix. Complementary colours are directly opposite one another on the colour wheel, making yellow the complementary of purple. Add a tiny amount of cadmium yellow or yellow ochre to produce a muted, brownish purple hue.

How to Make a Vibrant Purple:

For more vibrant purple, ensure you use paints with no yellow colour bias (hints of the colour on either side of them on the colour wheel) When you mix reds and blues that contain yellow, you will get a murky or brownish purple so ensure you choose those perfectly paired cool-toned reds and warm-toned blues. Use Quinacridone Magenta as your red and Cobalt Blue (or green-blue mix like Platho Turquoise) for best results!

Lavender vs Purple vs Violet

Lavender, purple, and violet are all different shades of the colour purple, but they have distinct differences in terms of their hues and tone and associations.

Purple:

Purple is a colour that falls between blue and red in the visible spectrum. It is a rich and versatile colour, ranging from deep, dark shades to lighter, more vibrant tones. Different shades of purple can evoke different emotions; for example, darker purples can symbolise luxury and sophistication, while lighter purples can represent romance and delicacy.

Lavender:

Lavender is a pale tint of purple, often described as a light or pale purple with a hint of pink or grey. It is a soft and delicate colour, reminiscent of blooming lavender flowers. Lavender is often associated with calmness, femininity, and elegance. It has a soothing and tranquil quality, making it a popular choice in interior design and fashion.

Violet:

Violet is a spectral colour, meaning it exists in the visible light spectrum and has its own specific wavelength. It is a true purple colour, without any tint of other hues like pink or blue. Violet is a bright and vivid colour, often described as a slightly bluish purple. It is associated with spirituality, intuition, and imagination. Violet is one of the colours of the rainbow and has a vibrant energy.

How to Make Lavender:

For this cool purple shade, your best bet is ultramarine violet mixed with white, but you can create a similar result with ultramarine blue, permanent rose and white.

How to Make Violet:

Mix Quinacridone Magenta with Cobalt Blue or Platho Turquoise, adding small amounts of white until you reach your perfect shade of violet.

Paint Mixing Techniques and Tips:

Gradual Paint Mixing: Start with Small Portions

One of the best paint mixing tips you can follow is to start small! Mixing in smaller portions ensures you can adjust the colour easier and save a lot of wasted paint!

Adjusting Colour Temperature:

This one is pretty simple as long as you know your warm and cool colours! Adjusting the colour temperature in your paint mixing involves manipulating the balance between warm and cool colours to achieve the desired effect.

Warm: reds, oranges, yellows

Cool: blues, greens, purples

The perception of colour temperature can be influenced by the hues surrounding it, so it’s a good idea to mix your paint on a neutral surface like white. To adjust the colour temperature of your paint, add its opposite in small amounts until you achieve the desired result:

Too warm = add a cool colour

Too cool = add a warm colour

Mixing Styles:

Stirring:

Use a brush to stir the colours together, kind of like stirring your dinner on the cooker. This method is useful for blending small amounts of paint.

Folding:

Use a palette knife to fold the colours over each other. This technique helps mix the colours more thoroughly and can create interesting marbled effects.

Layering:

Apply one colour on top of another. This method is useful for creating glazes and translucent effects.

Working With Different Types of Paint:

Mixing Acrylic Paint:

  1. Gather Supplies:
  • Acrylic paints
  • Palette – any material
  • Brushes or palette knife
  • Water
  1. Squeeze Out the Paint:

Start by squeezing out the colours you want to mix onto your palette. Place them a few inches apart to give yourself space to mix in between.

  1. Start Mixing:

Use a clean brush or a palette knife to begin mixing the colours. Start with small amounts of paint, adding more as needed to adjust the colour.

  1. Observe and Adjust:

As you mix, observe the resulting colour and use the tips above to adjust.

  1. Add Water:

If your paint is feeling too thick you can add a little water to your paintbrush and mix it in so your paint flows easier.

Mixing Oil Paint:

  1. Gather Supplies:
  • Oil paints – various brands often have different pigment concentrations and consistencies.
  • Palette – wood, glass or acrylic.
  • Painting Medium – Linseed oil, walnut oil, or other painting mediums to modify the consistency and drying time of your oil paint.
  • Brushes and palette knife – have a set just for your oil paints
  • Paint solvent – Turpentine
  1. Squeeze Out the Paint:

Start by squeezing out the colours you want to mix onto your palette. Place them a few inches apart to give yourself space to mix in between.

  1. Mix in the Medium:

Pour some of the medium on to your palette and mix a tiny bit in with your oil paints. Use a palette knife to mix the colours.

  1. Observe and Adjust:

As you mix, observe the resulting colour and adjust accordingly. Oil paints allow for subtle colour adjustments because they dry slowly, giving you time to work with the paint.

  1. Clean Tools Between Mixing – NO WATER!:

Clean your brushes and palette knife thoroughly with a suitable oil paint solvent before switching to a new colour, wipe dry with a clean rag.

Mixing Watercolour Paint:

  1. Gather Supplies:
  • Watercolours – these come in tubes or pan sets
  • Watercolour palette – specifically designed with deeper wells (sections) to hold and mix the paints.
  • 2 x jars – 1 for cleaning and one for mixing
  • Brushes: Watercolour brushes are made from gentle fibres with fine tips
  1. Squeeze out the Paint:

Ensure colours are in their own sections or wells.

2 Start Mixing:

Mix the paint on a flat area of the palette by gently stirring the colours together. Clean your brushes thoroughly between colours to avoid mixing unwanted hues. Rinse your brushes in clean water and gently blot them on a paper towel.

  1. Test the Colour:

Before applying the mixed colour to your artwork, test it on a scrap piece of paper to ensure it matches your desired shade.

  1. Keep Practising:

Watercolour mixing requires patience and practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment and explore different combinations on scrap papers to achieve the desired mixes.

Can I Mix Different Types of Paint?

Mixing different types of paint can be done, but it’s important to understand the characteristics of the paints you’re working with to achieve the best results. Generally it’s best to stick to mixing paints within the same category (water-based with water-based, oil-based with oil-based) to ensure compatibility and stability.

Water-Based Paints:

Acrylic and watercolour paints are both water-based, so they can be mixed together without any issues. However, keep in mind that acrylic paint dries to a plastic-like texture, while watercolour can reactivate with water, even after drying. Mixing them might result in a surface that is not entirely predictable but can make for some beautiful and unique art.

Oil-Based Paints:

It’s generally not recommended to mix oil paints with acrylic. Oil paints dry through oxidation and have a different chemical composition. Mixing them can lead to issues with drying, adhesion, and stability over time.

Oil and watercolour paints should not be mixed. Watercolour is water-based and contains additives that allow it to dissolve in water, while oil paints repel water. Mixing these two types of paint will not produce a stable mixture.

Experimentation and Testing:

If you’re curious about mixing different types of paint, it’s a good idea to conduct small-scale experiments on a separate surface before applying them to your artwork. This way, you can observe how the paints interact and whether the mixture provides the desired result.

Find a Paint and Sip Session Near You!

What Colours Make Brown? How To Mix Your Paint

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Brown isn’t typically thought of as one of our favourite colours but it is abundant and brings beauty all around us, from the bark on the trees to the colour of our loved ones eyes or the roasted morning coffee we brew. Brown is a complex that comes in endless varieties and is often described as a dark, earthy, or neutral hue. It is commonly associated with natural elements such as wood, soil, and stone.

But the big question here is, how do you mix brown paint? Brown can be created by combining complementary colours or by blending primary and secondary colours from the colour wheel. It can vary in shades from light tan to deep chocolate brown. Here, we’ll take you through all the steps to easily mix light, dark, warm and cool brown.

What Colours Should I Mix to Make Brown?

When mixing brown paint, the shade you create will depend on the exact hues of the colours you are using and the proportions in which you mix them. Try out some of the methods below and keep experimenting and adjusting the ratios until you achieve the brown shade you desire!

Primary Colours:

Primary colours are the foundation of all other colours in the beautiful rainbow spectrum. They are pure colours that cannot be created by mixing other colours together. In traditional colour theory, there are three primary colours, red, blue and yellow.

By mixing different combinations of these three primary colours, along with black and white, all other colours on the colour wheel can be created.

To create brown using the primary colours, mix together equal parts yellow, red, and blue paint.

Secondary Colours:

Secondary colours are created by mixing equal parts of two primary colours and are located between each of the primaries on the colour wheel. When you mix primary colours together, you get the following secondary colours:

  • Red + Yellow = Orange
  • Red + Blue = Purple
  • Blue + Yellow = Green

To make brown paint you can mix two of the secondary colours together:

  • Orange + Blue Paint
  • Red + Green Paint
  • Purple + Yellow Paint

Complementary Colours:

Complementary colours are colours on the opposite side of the colour wheel to each other. Pairing these opposites results in a vibrant, high-contrasting combo that really pops!

The primary and secondary complementary pairs are:

  • Red + Green
  • Blue + Orange
  • Yellow + Purple

You can create brown by mixing complementary colours together in equal parts. Each brown mixed from these colour combinations will create a different shade of brown, for example, blue and orange will create a brown with a green base, while purple and yellow will create a warmer brown with a yellow tint.

How to Mix Different Shades of Brown:

Now you have practised perfecting mixing brown paint, you can further adjust your colour to achieve the desired hue! Below you’ll find easy tips to create different shades of brown from scratch or how to refine your pre-mixed brown tones.

It’s a good idea to consider the temperature of your paint colours as this can affect the brown you create. Each of the primary colours come in a warm and cool version.

Paint Mixing Techniques and Tips:

Gradual Paint Mixing: Start with Small Portions

One of the best paint mixing tips you can follow is to start small! Mixing in smaller portions ensures you can adjust the colour easier and save a lot of wasted paint!

Adjusting Colour Temperature:

This one is pretty simple as long as you know your warm and cool colours! Adjusting the colour temperature in your paint mixing involves manipulating the balance between warm and cool colours to achieve the desired effect.

Warm: reds, oranges, yellows

Cool: blues, greens, purples

The perception of colour temperature can be influenced by the hues surrounding it, so it’s a good idea to mix your paint on a neutral surface like white. To adjust the colour temperature of your paint, add its opposite in small amounts until you achieve the desired result:

Too warm = add a cool colour

Too cool = add a warm colour

Mixing Styles:

Stirring:

Use a brush to stir the colours together, kind of like stirring your dinner on the cooker. This method is useful for blending small amounts of paint.

Folding:

Use a palette knife to fold the colours over each other. This technique helps mix the colours more thoroughly and can create interesting marbled effects.

Layering:

Apply one colour on top of another. This method is useful for creating glazes and translucent effects.

Working With Different Types of Paint:

Mixing Acrylic Paint:

  1. Gather Supplies:
  • Acrylic paints
  • Palette – any material
  • Brushes or palette knife
  • Water
  1. Squeeze Out the Paint:

Start by squeezing out the colours you want to mix onto your palette. Place them a few inches apart to give yourself space to mix in between.

  1. Start Mixing:

Use a clean brush or a palette knife to begin mixing the colours. Start with small amounts of paint, adding more as needed to adjust the colour.

  1. Observe and Adjust:

As you mix, observe the resulting colour and use the tips above to adjust.

  1. Add Water:

If your paint is feeling too thick you can add a little water to your paintbrush and mix it in so your paint flows easier.

Mixing Oil Paint:

  1. Gather Supplies:
  • Oil paints – various brands often have different pigment concentrations and consistencies.
  • Palette – wood, glass or acrylic.
  • Painting Medium – Linseed oil, walnut oil, or other painting mediums to modify the consistency and drying time of your oil paint.
  • Brushes and palette knife – have a set just for your oil paints
  • Paint solvent – Turpentine
  1. Squeeze Out the Paint:

Start by squeezing out the colours you want to mix onto your palette. Place them a few inches apart to give yourself space to mix in between.

  1. Mix in the Medium:

Pour some of the medium on to your palette and mix a tiny bit in with your oil paints. Use a palette knife to mix the colours.

  1. Observe and Adjust:

As you mix, observe the resulting colour and adjust accordingly. Oil paints allow for subtle colour adjustments because they dry slowly, giving you time to work with the paint.

  1. Clean Tools Between Mixing – NO WATER!:

Clean your brushes and palette knife thoroughly with a suitable oil paint solvent before switching to a new colour, wipe dry with a clean rag.

Mixing Watercolour Paint:

  1. Gather Supplies:
  • Watercolours – these come in tubes or pan sets
  • Watercolour palette – specifically designed with deeper wells (sections) to hold and mix the paints.
  • 2 x jars – 1 for cleaning and one for mixing
  • Brushes: Watercolour brushes are made from gentle fibres with fine tips
  1. Squeeze out the Paint:

Ensure colours are in their own sections or wells.

2 Start Mixing:

Mix the paint on a flat area of the palette by gently stirring the colours together. Clean your brushes thoroughly between colours to avoid mixing unwanted hues. Rinse your brushes in clean water and gently blot them on a paper towel.

  1. Test the Colour:

Before applying the mixed colour to your artwork, test it on a scrap piece of paper to ensure it matches your desired shade.

  1. Keep Practising:

Watercolour mixing requires patience and practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment and explore different combinations on scrap papers to achieve the desired mixes.

Can I Mix Different Types of Paint?

Mixing different types of paint can be done, but it’s important to understand the characteristics of the paints you’re working with to achieve the best results. Generally it’s best to stick to mixing paints within the same category (water-based with water-based, oil-based with oil-based) to ensure compatibility and stability.

Water-Based Paints:

Acrylic and watercolour paints are both water-based, so they can be mixed together without any issues. However, keep in mind that acrylic paint dries to a plastic-like texture, while watercolour can reactivate with water, even after drying. Mixing them might result in a surface that is not entirely predictable but can make for some beautiful and unique art.

Oil-Based Paints:

It’s generally not recommended to mix oil paints with acrylic. Oil paints dry through oxidation and have a different chemical composition. Mixing them can lead to issues with drying, adhesion, and stability over time.

Oil and watercolour paints should not be mixed. Watercolour is water-based and contains additives that allow it to dissolve in water, while oil paints repel water. Mixing these two types of paint will not produce a stable mixture.

Experimentation and Testing:

If you’re curious about mixing different types of paint, it’s a good idea to conduct small-scale experiments on a separate surface before applying them to your artwork. This way, you can observe how the paints interact and whether the mixture provides the desired result.

Find a Paint and Sip Studio Near You!

Learn How To Hang A Canvas On A Wall With Ease

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Pinot & Picasso UK

Your canvas is complete, your masterpiece is perfection, so naturally you are ready to show it off! But how do you hang your wall art in an easy, no fuss way?

Follow our step by step guide to display your Picasso worthy creations with ease.

What to Consider Before Hanging Your Canvas Art:

Lighting:

You want to show off the beautiful textures, details and colours of your masterpiece, so choosing an area with soft natural lighting is a must! However, direct sunlight hitting the canvas should be avoided as it may fade or discolour artworks over time.

Canvas weight:

Smaller canvas prints (up to 16 x 16 inches) can be easily supported on the wall with a saw tooth bracket attached to the top of the timber frame.

For a larger canvas, wire or string attached to the sides is the way to go as it can bear more weight and offer hanging stability.

Most importantly when choosing your hanging method, purchase hangers that are rated for the weight of your canvas, these are typically easily identified on the packaging!

Wall material:

It is essential to consider your wall material in preparation for hanging your canvas print and clean the surface before you start!

Brick or Concrete

If you are comfortable using a drill, hanging your canvas print will come with relative ease! Some important factors to consider:

  • You may need to drill holes in the wall for additional support.
  • Measure twice, drill once!
  • Both the brick and the mortar which holds the bricks together are suitable to drill into with the right tools, mortar tends to be easier to work with.
  • You will need a 1/8 inch masonry drill bit and a masonry screw of the same thickness (or slightly thicker) to screw into the hole.
  • A masonry anchor or sleeve may come in handy, these anchoring systems expand when the screw is tightened, providing a stronger hold.

Plaster

Plaster tends to be brittle and is more susceptible to cracking or breaking so drilling a small hole in the and using a plaster screw reduces the risk of damage to your wall.

You will also want to locate a wall stud, this is a piece of timber behind the plaster that you can anchor your screw to. You can pick up an electronic stud finder at the hardware store or try gently knocking along the wall, listen closely and you will hear where the cavity is hollow where there is a stud there will be a higher tone and more solid sound.

Drywall

Drywall is a user friendly surface to hang canvas art and luckily the majority of walls are constructed with this material!

There are a range of quick and straightforward drywall hanging methods that can be tackled with a few simple tools.

The best part is, unless you’re hanging something really heavy, like the weight of a baby Hippo heavy, you don’t even need to find the wall stud to hang your canvas print.

Protecting your wall:

Avoid using too much force when hammering, be careful not to scratch or dent your walls when measuring and mark out pencil lines with a light touch.

You can protect your walls from being scratched or marked by the wooden frame by applying stick on wall protection pads to the back of your canvas print.

What You Will Need to Hang Your Canvas Print:

You have read over all the basic tips on how to hang a canvas, now it’s time to collect your kit.

Head to your local hardware store and get ready to feel like Bob the Builder as you fill your trolley with these essential tools:

  • Measuring tape
  • Hammer
  • Steel wire or art wire/cord
  • D rings or sawtooth hanger
  • Spirit level

Different Ways to Hang Canvas on a Wall:

Your canvas is ready for its spotlight moment, prepare it for hanging with one of these methods.

Sawtooth hangers:

Sawtooth brackets are perfect for small, lightweight canvas prints and art, easily attached with two small screws to the wooden frame of your artwork.

D-ring hangers:

D rings come in various sizes and shapes with screw holes and screws to attach to your canvas frame. Like sawtooth hangers, these are attached with a screw to the wooden frame and string or wire is added. Take the wire or string and thread it through both D-rings, tie a knot to fasten each end, pulling taut.

Wire or string hanging:

An alternative to D rings is simply stapling wire or string to the wooden frame and tying knots firmly on each end. Standard staple guns can be purchased at your local hardware or craft store and are easy to use, just mind your fingers and make sure to double staple for a firm hold!

Picture hanging adhesive strips:

This invention is perfect for those wanting to hang a smaller canvas print who are more reluctant to grab that drill, change their minds often or are living in a rental property.

Adhesive strips for wall mounting allow you to hang smaller canvases without making holes or leaving sticky residue. They are affordable, super easy to put up and can hold up to 16 pounds.

  1. Measure and cut strips for all four sides of the canvas.
  2. Remove the backing and carefully place strips on all four sides.
  3. Position and firmly stick it to the wall.
Pinot & Picasso Hang A Canvas

FAQ:

How can I maintain my canvas and keep it clean?

Enhance the lifespan of your artworks with a regular Spring clean! The best part is, you don’t need to purchase any special cleaning products to keep those canvas prints looking fine and dandy!

For dust and surface dirt a clean, dry cloth will do the trick. If you have some more heavy residue to take care of, take a slightly damp cloth (using distilled water) and gently wipe over the canvas.

Over time temperature changes may cause your canvas print to sag a little inside of its frame and we have a simple fix!

Fill a clean spray bottle with distilled water and spray a fine mist over the back of the canvas. Leave to dry and notice how it slowly tightens up and pulls itself back into position like magic! Once fully dry, you can hang your clean, newly stretched masterpiece back on the wall.

How can I make sure my canvas art is level without using a spirit level?

A wonky picture on a slight angle is quite distracting but have no fear, there are two surefire hacks to achieving perfectly level picture placement without a spirit level!

#1 Smartphone apps – Bubble level and Spirit Level are free and easy to use, acting as a digital version of a spirit level tool.

#2 Measuring tape – Start from the ceiling and measure down the wall to the top corners of the canvas, adjust your canvas print until both corners are the exact same measurement.

What is the ideal height for hanging canvas prints on the wall?

A general rule is to hang your canvas print on the wall at eye-level, especially if you are planning to hang your masterpiece above a sofa or bed frame.

If you are ready to get fancy and follow Museum guidelines to accurately hang your canvas at eye level follow these basic tips:

  1. Lay the canvas print on a flat surface and measure from the top left corner to the bottom corner.
  2. Divide this number by two to find the canvas height centre.
  3. Add 57 inches (140cm) to this number.
  4. Measure your total number on the wall starting from the floor up mark with a pencil. This is how high the top of the canvas print needs to be from the floor.

How do I measure out a set of canvas art to hang together?

Hanging a set of wall art doesn’t need to be daunting! Consider these few basic hints to ensure a gallery worthy display:

  • Lay out your canvas prints on the floor and decide on the placement. This is where you can get creative ideas flowing, consider which one will be central, do the colours or patterns of each canvas look more complimentary in a particular order?
  • Measure out a distance of 2-4 inches between each canvas print.
  • Mark each spot on the wall with a pencil.
  • The first artwork you hang will be the central focal point of the complete layout and should be hung first, working outwards to hang the remaining canvas prints.

Are there places I should not hang canvas art?

Avoid direct sunlight so those harsh UV rays can’t infiltrate your art!

Rooms that are humid like bathrooms or kitchens tend to have a lot of moisture build up so take this into consideration when choosing the perfect location to hang your canvas.

If you absolutely need to display some awesome canvas art in your bathroom or kitchen, it’s important to apply a protective coating to your canvas to keep out moisture and clean it regularly.

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