Red is a bold and vibrant color that evokes strong emotions, from passion and love to anger and danger. But have you ever wondered what colors make red? Whether you're an artist mixing paints, a designer working with digital colors, or simply curious about color theory, understanding how to create red is essential.
In this article, we’ll explore the different ways to make red using various color models, including traditional color mixing, RGB (digital), and CMYK (print). We’ll also discuss the psychology of red and its common uses in design and art.
Before diving into what colors make red, it’s important to grasp some fundamental color theory concepts.
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors
Primary Colors: Red, blue, and yellow are the primary colors in the traditional RYB (Red, Yellow, Blue) color model. These cannot be created by mixing other colors.
Secondary Colors: Green, orange, and purple are formed by mixing two primary colors.
Tertiary Colors: These are created by mixing a primary color with a neighboring secondary color (e.g., red-orange, blue-green).
Additive vs. Subtractive Color Mixing
Additive Mixing (RGB): Used in digital screens, where red, green, and blue light combine to create colors.
Subtractive Mixing (RYB/CMYK): Used in painting and printing, where pigments absorb certain wavelengths of light to produce color.
In traditional art and painting, red is considered a primary color in the RYB model. This means you cannot create pure red by mixing other colors. Instead, red is used to make other hues like orange and purple.
However, if you’re working with a limited palette, you can achieve different shades of red by mixing:
Red + White = Pink (a lighter tint of red)
Red + Black = Maroon or Burgundy (a darker shade of red)
Red + Yellow = Orange-Red (a warmer variation)
Red + Blue = Purple-Red (a cooler variation)
While these mixtures alter red’s tone, they don’t create pure red from scratch.