Pink and Purple Make What Color When Mixed?

Get read for a delightful new installment in our color mixing chart adventures. Today we will investigate: Pink and purple make what color when the two are mixed together?

My name is Lillie, and I’m a teacher and artist who does hands-on experiments to see what happens when you combine different pigments. So far we’ve gone far beyond the primary and secondary colors to revel in the results of what color red and green make. We’ve also figured out what colors make brown. Let’s begin today’s adventures by enjoying what purple and pink look like when swirled together by my brush…

Do Pink and Purple Go Together?

Ahh, now that’s a relaxing combination right there. For sure, these pigments are a match made in heaven. The pink evokes sweet and scrumptious bubble gum flavors, while the purple is all about unicorns and magic and pretty dresses for me! Pink and purple certainly go together well — be in for decorating the bedroom of my daughter, or designing a jolly fashion outfit.

Now, in order to predict what will happen when we really mix these two shades together, let’s review what the parts are of each one. What colors make purple? Red plus blue! What colors make pink? Red plus white! Therefore, Pink + Purple = Red + Blue + Red + White = Purple + Red + White.

This begs the question: What do red and purple make? The answer is: Magenta. Therefore, our equation becomes: Pink + Purple = Magenta + White = Lighter Magenta. Let’s do some mixing and see if our prediction is true!

How to Make Magenta

As you can see by my illustrations above and below, pink and purple make magenta! Yes, it’s a little lighter than the magenta color made by red and purple together, but it’s definitely still magenta: that juicy, bright, happy pinkish, reddish purple! It’s one of my all-time favorite colors for art, and you’ll see it all over my cute drawing ideas and art prompts.

Let’s get a little more nuanced, now. My drawing below shows the different versions of this light magenta that can be achieved by using different shades of pink and purple to start with.

It’s useful here to review our answer to “What color do pink and blue make?” The answer to that was: lilac or lavender, which is a more blueish light purple. Therefore, if you mix pink and purple but use a more bluish version of the latter, the result is less like magenta and more like light purple.

Pink and Purple Make What Color?

So now you know it: The answer to, “Pink and purple make what color?” is: magenta! Yes, it’s a slightly lighter magenta than what purple and red make, but it’s still unmistakably magenta. (See “Is Pink a Warm Color?” for more about how adding the blue via the purple changes the energy.)

All three of these colors are bright, happy, and go together fabulously. Do you love them as much as I do? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section, below!

Want more? Check out “What Does Pink and Orange Make?” and the surprising double definition of tertiary colors…