What Color Does Brown and Pink Make? – Mixing Dark Purple

Brown goes with a lot of colors, but pink might not be your first option when it comes to pairing colors. However, if you consider these two colors side-by-side, they make an amazing combination. When mixing colors, on the other hand, pink and brown might not be what you expect. So, what happens when you have pink and brown mixed? Let us find out below!

What Color Does Brown and Pink Make?

Pink and brown mixed will create a darker shade of pink, which can also be described as a desaturated or muted pinkish-brown. Of course, the results are dependent on the ratios of paint used, as well as the shade of brown or pink used. The closest color name we could find for this color combination is a lighter shade of Indian red, which Is also known as chestnut red.

Mixing Results When Using Different Shades of Pink and Brown

Understanding Brown and Pink As Colors

When mixing paint colors and dealing with the RYB color model, brown is not a color. You do have red, yellow, and blue which are your primaries, and green, orange, and purple, which are your secondary colors. Pink is simply a lighter form of red, which is a primary hue. All of these colors, including others like the intermediate or tertiary colors can be seen on the color wheel.

The only way to create brown is to mix all of the primary colors. You can do this by combining complementary colors, which is a color combination on the color wheel. These colors are on opposite sides, so when you take red, the complementary color is green.

So, when you mix these two, you will be combining red, blue, and yellow. This is because green is a mixture of blue and yellow. Do not forget that a little white is added to create pink or a lighter shade of red. When using paint colors, in color theory, complementary colors can be used to mute or tone down colors. As with adding green to the red. Small amounts of green will help to mute a bright red.

Since you are mixing pink instead of red, you will get a lighter and more desaturated shade of red. The outcome of pink and brown mixed also depends on the type or shade of brown or pink used. You can create a richer color that can be described as a deep magenta that has either red or purple undertones, or the blend can lean more to the brown side to create a brownish-pink color. Try to experiment with the different paint colors and ratios to see what you can make.

Creating Lighter and Darker Shades

Pink and brown mixed will produce a darker shade of pink. To lighten the color, you can add white, which will create a tint. You can also start by using a lighter shade of brown. To create a darker version, you can simply add a little black to the mixture. Creating a darker color by adding black is known as a “shade”.

Meaning of Brown

All colors have meaning, but you need to consider the context and other influences. In general, brown is a color associated with the earth and nature. Brown is seen as a color that can provide security and strength and is often associated with reliability. Brown is also a warm and comforting color. However, it can also seem dull and uninteresting, and in some cultures, it is even associated with death.

Meaning of Pink

Pink is simply a softer form of red and is mostly associated with compassion, love, and femininity. A playful color that is more calming than red and has a comforting and nurturing appeal. Pink is also a warm color that has many positive associations like being kind and intuitive. Dark pink is more mysterious and has a stronger connection to passion and love. Darker pinks are also more confident in appearance, while lighter pinks can seem more immature and timid.

The meaning of a color like pink is determined by the shade of pink and the context, or where and how the color is used. 

Understanding Brown and Pink in Other Color Models

The various color models have different purposes. Most artists use the RYB color model, but some use the CMYK color model as it produces more accurate color combinations. This model is mainly used in the printing industry, where the various ink pigments are mixed to produce the different colors. The primary hues are cyan, magenta, and yellow and the secondary colors created are red, green, and blue. When mixing colors, it uses the same subtractive color mixing method. So, pink and brown mixed in this model will also produce a type of dark pink.

A completely different color model that uses additive mixing, is known as the RGB color model. This color system layers colored lights and something you will observe on your television screen.

There is no color brown in this model. The color we see as brown is simply how our brain interprets the color in context. As you can see below in the table, brown is actually a shade of orange, which is a combination of red, green, and blue in different percentages. So, ultimately, you cannot mix any color with brown.

Best Uses for Dark Pink in Art and Design

You can use various shades of pink including dark pink to paint beautiful sunsets, flowers, or abstract art, depending on what mood you wish to create. You can also experiment with different skin tones using different shades of pink. Dark pink can also be used in other design projects, as we mention below.

Graphic Design

Dark pinks can be used to create a look that is more confident and can symbolize energy, strength, and excitement. Darker pinks are also associated more with sophistication than lighter, fun shades of pink. The darker pinks provide more of a seductive appeal and can be used for products like perfume or cosmetics.

Fashion Design

Pink, in general, is a trendy color in fashion. You can use dark pink as the chosen color for an elegant evening gown, or simply choose a pink jacket to add color to an otherwise neutral outfit. Pair pink with white or black for a timeless look, or pair with shades of blue to add contrast.

Create a layered look with different shades from dark to light pink.

Interior Design

Darker shades of pink can add drama and warmth to a space and can be used to paint walls or added as a fun accent color. Combine pinks with more neutral tones like gray, cream, beige, or white, which produces a calming and sophisticated look. A muted shade of dark pink can provide a warm and welcoming look in a bedroom as an accent wall.

Depending on how much you like pink, it can be used in any room of the home, and you can use it as much or as little as you want.

As you can see, pink and brown mixed creates an intriguing shade of dark pink. This color can be labeled as being more elegant and poised than dull and murky. Dark pink is quite versatile and can be used with a variety of colors, but to create a classic look, consider pairing it with white, beige, or gray.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Color Does Brown and Pink Make?

When you mix pink and brown paints, you will produce a shade of dark pink. However, depending on the amount of each color and the type of paint color used, the results can vary from a deep magenta to a brown with pink undertones.

What Colors Make Brown?

When dealing with paint colors, brown can be created by mixing three colors. These three colors include yellow, blue, and red, which are also the primary colors in the RYB color model.

Does a Brown Color Exist?

You can mix paint colors to create brown, however, there is no brown color that exists in the RGB color system. This is because there is no brown color found in the visible spectrum. The colors we perceive as brown are considered shades of orange or red.

Charlene Lewis( Content Creator and Creativity Writer )

In 2005, Charlene completed her Wellness Diplomas in Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Reflexology from the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for a couple of years, before opening up her own therapy practice. It was in 2015 that a friend, who was a digital marketer, asked her to join her company as a content creator, and this is where she found her excitement for writing.

Since joining the content writing world, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing on a diverse selection of topics, from beauty, health, wellness, travel, and more. Due to various circumstances, she had to close her therapy practice and is now a full-time freelance writer. Being a creative person, she could not pass up the opportunity to contribute to the Art in Context team, where is was in her element, writing about a variety of art and craft topics. Contributing articles for over three years now, her knowledge in this area has grown, and she has gotten to explore her creativity and improve her research and writing skills.

Charlene Lewis has been working for artincontext.org since the relaunch in 2020. She is an experienced writer and mainly focuses on the topics of color theory, painting and drawing.

Learn more about Charlene Lewis and the Art in Context Team.