Continuing our colorful explorations in the realm of color mixing, we’re tackling a delightful question today: “What Color Does Pink And Blue Make when mixed together?” Imagine the soft hues of bubblegum meeting blueberries – a truly tasty combination in the world of color!
I’m Lillie, an artist and educator passionate about experimenting with paint and pigments to create hand-drawn illustrations and uncover the secrets of color. We’ve previously journeyed through questions like “Red and green make what color?” and “What do orange and purple make?”. Now, let’s dive into the enchanting blend of pink and blue and witness the magic unfold as these inks swirl together. Prepare for a visually pleasing reveal!
Decoding Color Combinations: The Math of Pigments
Before we witness the actual color resulting from the pink and blue mixture, let’s revisit the fundamentals of the RYB (Red, Yellow, Blue) color model, particularly concerning these pigments. Pink, as you know, is simply a tint of red, created by lightening red with white. Therefore, to understand pink and blue, we first need to recall the answer to: “Red and blue make what color?”. The answer is purple, one of the three fundamental secondary colors!
Now, let’s engage in some color math. If:
Red + Blue = Purple
And
Red + White = Pink
Then logically:
Pink + Blue = Red + Blue + White = Purple + White = Light Purple!
Let’s put this theory to the test with a visual experiment. Behold the illustration below – theory confirmed!
Crafting Light Purple: A Spectrum of Shades
Indeed, as demonstrated in the hand-painted illustration above, pink and blue combine to create a light purple. The specific light purple hue achieved is influenced by the particular shades of pink and blue you choose as your starting “ingredients”. You might achieve a delicate lilac color, a soft lavender, or even a cool periwinkle, depending on the initial colors and their proportions. (For a deeper dive into periwinkle, explore my article on what colors make blue.)
Regardless of the precise shade, the colors resulting from mixing blue and pink invariably fall into the gentle pastel family. These hues would be perfectly at home as the frosting on a whimsical unicorn birthday cake. (As we discovered in our “Pink and yellow make…” exploration, these color experiments often spark cravings!)
Let’s revisit another crucial color principle: Mixing combinations of just TWO primary colors (even with the addition of white) yields clear, vibrant colors, as seen with intermediate colors. This generally means that mixing pink and blue will produce a pleasing light purple that avoids appearing muddy or gray.
However, a caveat exists: If your chosen pink or blue carries a hint of yellow – such as the salmon pink (reminiscent of what pink and orange make) in the second stripe from the lower right in my illustration – you introduce a third primary color into the mix. This can lead to a more muted, brownish purple, or mauve. Why? Because the combination of all three primary colors tends towards brown!
The Verdict: Pink and Blue Unveil Light Purple
Hopefully, this explanation has thoroughly answered the question: What color do pink and blue make? You can now confidently state that they create a light purple – often referred to as lavender or lilac. With a subtle touch of blue, you can even achieve a cool pink, as discussed in my article “Is Pink a Warm Color?”.
However, remember that the resulting purple can take on a dusty quality if your starting colors contain any yellow undertones, edging closer to the browner spectrum of what pink and green make. So, what color combination shall we explore next through illustration and explanation? Do let me know your suggestions!
Craving more color insights? Don’t miss “Orange and blue make what color?”
Lillie Marshall
Author and artist Lillie Marshall is a National Board Certified Teacher of English with over two decades in public education and a practicing Reiki master since 2018. All artwork on this site is original and hand-drawn by Lillie. She launched DrawingsOf.com Educational Cartoons in 2020, building upon the foundation of her other websites: AroundTheWorldL.com (established 2009), TeachingTraveling.com (founded 2010), and ReikiColors.com. Subscribe to Lillie’s monthly newsletter and connect with @WorldLillie on social media for ongoing updates!
