What color do red and white make?
Red and white make pink. White lightens red into a tint, which is pink. A little white gives coral pink or salmon; a lot gives pale pink.
Red + white = pink
Why red and white make pink
Adding white makes a tint: the same hue, lighter and paler. Tints of red keep its character but read softer and more pastel.
Paint mixes subtractively: each pigment absorbs part of the light, and the mix reflects only what both let through. That is why paint mixes get darker and duller as you add colors, while light mixes get brighter.
Change the ratio
Equal parts are only the middle of a range. More red pulls the result toward red, more white toward white. Mix a small test batch, note the parts you used, and scale up once you like it.
All three are mixed with the same spectral paint model. Dark paints are strong, so a little of them changes a mix a lot; light paints such as white and yellow need more parts to show.
Red and white on a screen
Tips for mixing red and white
- Start with equal amounts on the palette, mix one small test patch, then adjust with the color you want more of.
- Mix thoroughly with a palette knife; streaks of unmixed red or white change how the color reads from a distance.
- Let a test swatch dry before judging it. Acrylics usually dry a little darker, while watercolors dry lighter.
- Write down the ratio that works (for example 2 parts to 1) so you can mix the same color again.
- To match a color on screen, compare the paint swatch against the hex code here on a calibrated display, and remember print and paint cannot reach every screen color.
More red color mixes
| Mix | Result | Ratio | Hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red + orange | red-orange (vermilion) | equal parts | #E74627 |
| Red + yellow | orange | 2 red : 3 yellow | #FA7A30 |
| Red + green | brown | equal parts | #60463A |
| Red + blue | purple | equal parts | #483A4B |
| Red + purple | red-violet (plum) | equal parts | #8A2E48 |
| Red + pink | rose red | equal parts | #EC4F5C |
| Red + brown | reddish brown (rust) | 2 red : 3 brown | #8B3C29 |
| Red + black | dark red (maroon) | 4 red : 1 black | #602B30 |
| Red + gray | dusty red (muted rose) | equal parts | #A4464D |
More white color mixes
| Mix | Result | Ratio | Hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| White + orange | peach | 2 white : 1 orange | #FDD086 |
| White + yellow | pale yellow (cream) | 3 white : 1 yellow | #FDF59A |
| White + green | mint (pastel green) | 2 white : 1 green | #A4E0AE |
| White + blue | light blue (sky blue) | 3 white : 2 blue | #7CB7EB |
| White + purple | lavender (lilac) | 2 white : 1 purple | #D7A7E6 |
| White + pink | pale pink (baby pink) | 3 white : 2 pink | #FCCEE3 |
| White + brown | light brown (beige, tan) | 3 white : 2 brown | #D3AF82 |
| White + black | gray | 3 white : 1 black | #888888 |
| White + gray | light gray (silver) | 4 white : 3 gray | #CBCBCB |
Frequently asked questions
What color do red and white make?
Red and white make pink in paint (about #FF8793, mixed 2 red : 3 white). White lightens red into a tint, which is pink. A little white gives coral pink or salmon; a lot gives pale pink.
Is red and white the same in paint and on a screen?
Not exactly. Paint gives pink (about #FF8793 at 2 red : 3 white), while a 50/50 digital blend in a design tool gives #F59E96, because screens mix light rather than pigment.
How do I make the mix lighter or darker?
Add white to lighten it into a tint, black (a little at a time) to darken it into a shade, or gray to mute it. Changing the ratio of red to white shifts the hue itself.
What other colors make pink?
Red and white make pink. Magenta and white give a cooler, brighter pink; add a touch of yellow for coral or salmon. See what colors make pink.
Mix any two colors
The color mixer blends up to five colors by weight in a spectral paint model, OKLab or linear light, and exports the steps.