What colors make red?
In paint, red is a primary color and cannot be mixed from others. In print, magenta and yellow make red; on screens, red is a primary of light.
How to mix red
Which colors make red depends on the color model. In the traditional painter’s model (red, yellow, blue) red is a primary, so you buy it rather than mix it. In the printer’s model (cyan, magenta, yellow) red is a secondary color made from magenta and yellow.
Lighter, darker and muted red
- Darker red (maroon, burgundy): add a little black, blue or green.
- Lighter red (pink, coral): add white.
- Cooler red (crimson): add a touch of blue or magenta.
- Warmer red (scarlet): add a touch of yellow or orange.
Add darkening colors a little at a time: it is easy to darken a mix and hard to lighten it again. When you need a lot of a color, mix more than you think you need, because matching a batch later is difficult.
Red in paint, print and light
There are three color-mixing models. Paint uses the traditional red, yellow and blue primaries. Printers use cyan, magenta and yellow (plus black). Screens mix red, green and blue light, and light adds up instead of absorbing. Red is a primary color of light (the R in RGB), so screens do not mix it; #FF0000 is pure red light.
| Model | Primaries | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| RYB (paint) | Red, yellow, blue | Painting, art education |
| CMY(K) (print) | Cyan, magenta, yellow (+ black) | Printing, many modern paint sets |
| RGB (light) | Red, green, blue | Screens, web and digital design |
Shades of red to aim for
Named shades near red. Each links to its hex, RGB and OKLCH values and the colors that go with it.
What red makes with other colors
| 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 + white | pink | 2 red : 3 white | #FF8793 |
| Red + gray | dusty red (muted rose) | equal parts | #A4464D |
More color mixing answers
- What colors make brown?Mix any two complementary colors: red and green, blue and orange, or yellow and purple. All three primaries together also make brown.
- What colors make purple?Red and blue make purple. For a brighter violet, mix magenta with blue or cyan; add white for lavender.
- What colors make green?Blue and yellow make green. Cyan and yellow give the brightest green; yellow and black give olive green.
- What colors make orange?Red and yellow make orange. More yellow gives amber; more red gives red-orange.
- What colors make blue?In paint, blue is a primary color and cannot be mixed. In print, cyan and magenta make blue; on screens, blue is a primary of light.
- What colors make yellow?Yellow is a primary color in paint and print and cannot be mixed. On screens, red and green light make yellow.
- What 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.
- What colors make black?Mix the three primaries, or two dark complementary colors such as ultramarine blue and burnt umber, to make a near-black.
- What colors make gray?Black and white make gray. For a richer gray, mix two complementary colors (blue and orange) and add white.
- What colors make teal?Blue and green make teal. Add a touch of black for dark teal or white for light teal.
- What colors make gold?Mix yellow with a little orange or red, then a touch of brown. Metallic gold needs a metallic or pearlescent medium.
- What colors make tan?Brown and white make tan. A little yellow keeps it warm; a touch of black makes it darker.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make red paint?
Not from the other painter’s primaries. Red is a primary in the red, yellow, blue model. You can mix it from magenta and yellow, the printer’s primaries.
What two colors make red?
Magenta and yellow, in the CMY model used for printing and many modern paint sets.
How do you make dark red?
Add a little black, blue or green to red. See red and black.
Mix red digitally
Blend colors by weight in a spectral paint model, OKLab or linear light, then copy the hex codes.