While it’s fairly simple to make the color magenta on a computer (it’s usually one of the first options provided since it’s a crucial color for printing), it’s not an easy color to produce with acrylic paint.
So, how do you make magenta with acrylic paint?
To make magenta acrylic paint, use a combination of red, blue, and white acrylic paint or a combination of pink and purple acrylic paint. Using different paint shades and colors will change the resulting shade of magenta, so experiment with different acrylic paint colors and shades.
More information about what paint colors and shades you can combine to make magenta acrylic paint when you have run out or don’t have the right shade is below.
What Colors Make Magenta?
A combination of various colors can be mixed to make magenta. Below are the different colors you will need to combine to do so.
Red, White, and Blue
To make magenta from red, white, and blue, use mostly red paint and a small amount of blue. If you end up adding too much blue, add more red to change the purple shade.
Then, use white to lighten the color so you can get the shade of magenta that you want.
Be careful what shades of red and blue you use. You will get a drastically different result if you use navy blue versus sky blue.
To make magenta by mixing acrylic paints, use a shade of red that already has some purple in it, like maroon.
Also, make sure the red paint is bright in color so your magenta paint doesn’t become muddy and visually unappealing.
Red, Purple, and White
Magenta is a type of purple color, so mix purple, white, and red to make magenta when you run out. This mixture may result in a darker magenta than what you prefer, but you can always lighten it by adding more white acrylic paint.
If you don’t have white acrylic paint, use a light purple or light red in the mixture. The lighter the paint you use is, the lighter the resulting acrylic paint will be.
If you want a dark magenta, use dark purple and dark red acrylic paint in the mixture, although this may result in a dark purple color rather than magenta, depending on the different tones and colors in the paint you use.
Making Magenta Paint Without Red
Although red is often combined with other colors to make magenta acrylic paint, it is not the only color you can use.
Pink and Purple
Magenta is a mix of purple and pink that is more on the purple side than the pink. Because of this, you can mix pink and purple acrylic paint to make magenta.
To get a magenta more on the purple side, use pink paint that has hints of purple.
To make a darker magenta, don’t add as much pink to the mixture or use a dark pink. If you only have light pink and dark purple acrylic paint shades and want to use a light magenta shade in your next project, add white.
However, oftentimes it is not necessary to mix white with pink and purple paint to make magenta that is light in shade.
If you want to use magenta acrylic paint in your next project that leans more to the pink rather than purple color, use more pink in the mixture of paints.
Blue and Pink
If you want to mix paints to make magenta, but want the shade to be close to pink than purple, mix blue and pink acrylic paint together.
Pink and blue make purple that is often light in shade, although the shade varies depending on the shade of paint that you use. Use dark pink and dark blue, almost navy, if you want the resulting acrylic paint to be dark magenta in shade.
How To Make Magenta With Acrylic Paint
To make magenta with different colors, you will need to mix them properly. Below is the step-by-step process you will need to follow to mix acrylic paint.
Materials Needed:
- Palette knife
- Mixing/paint palette
- Acrylic paint
- Misting water bottle
- Small container (optional)
How To Mix Acrylic Paint
- Place all of your materials on the table or a nearby surface
- Squirt paint onto the mixing/paint palette.
- Put caps back onto acrylic paint tubes.
- Put some of the paint in the middle of the palette where you will mix colors.
- Use a palette knife to mix the colors.
- Mix the paint until the desired shade of acrylic paint is reached and the paint is fully mixed.
If your acrylic paint starts to dry as you are mixing, lightly spray it with water.
Don’t add too much, or the paint will become watery, and you will have to wait for it to dry slightly to properly mix the paints.
Don’t use dry acrylic paint when mixing paint. If you do, it will be extremely hard to mix the colors, and you will likely become frustrated. After 2-5 years, acrylic paint dries up and expires, so don’t use it when mixing acrylic paint.
Why Is Magenta So Popular?
Magenta is a popular color because there are a variety of shades that people can choose from.
From a bright purple pink that is pinker in color than purple to a dark purple, you are not limited in the shade of magenta you can create or use in your next project.
Magenta is often bright in color, but it is not a blinding neon, although it is sometimes considered a neon color.
Many people are happy when they see magenta, which is one of the reasons why it is a popular color.
You can pair magenta with purple or pink paint without making it seem out of place or like you are using a contrasting color. They work together and are visually appealing, which is why so many artists like using magenta in their projects.
You can also pair magenta with many colors other than purple or pink.
Magenta is not a strictly masculine or feminine color, so it can be used in a variety of clothing to add color to a person’s closet, so many people wear magenta clothing.
