How to make pink for your next art project

How to make pink for your next art project

Inject warmth and depth or light and freshness into your next painting with the colour pink. We show you how to make different shades of pink using warm and cool tones of red.

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Published: September 12, 2024 at 4:30 pm

Whether you're after a light, delicate pink or a pink that packs a punch, you can easily mix a variety of pink shades on your paint palette.

The simplest way to make pink paint is to mix red and white together.

Red is a primary colour that comes in 'warm' and 'cool' tones. A warm red means it has a hint of yellow or orange in the shade. A cool red means it has a hint of blue in the shade.

When mixing your paint you can have fun with warm and cool tones of red to make a variety of pink shades. A warm red like Cadmium red will make more of a peachy, muted shade of pink. A cool red like crimson will make a vibrant pink.

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What two colors make pink without white?

Don't have the colour white in your paint box? Don't worry, you can use light yellow instead, mixed with a 'cool' red, such as crimson.

Make sure you check out our complete guide to colour mixing here on Gathered to learn how to make all the colours of the rainbow!

How to make pink

How to make pink

Add red in small increments to the white paint until you have your desired shade of pink.

How to make coral pink

How to make pink

To make a coral shade of pink you'll need to mix together red, yellow and white paint. 

It's best to use a 'warm' shade of red, such as Cadmium red. For a lighter shade of coral, add more white to the mixture.

How to make hot pink

How to make pink

For this vibrant shade of pink, you'll need a 'cool' red, such as crimson, mixed with orange and white. 

The ratio for the mixture should be 2 parts red, 1 part white, 3 parts white (2:1:3).

How to make pink without white

You don’t even need white to make the colour pink! Try mixing a light shade of yellow with a 'cool' red, such as crimson. This makes an earthy, rich shade of pink.

How to make pink for your paint palette

Pink can be useful for creating warmth and depth or light and freshness in a painting, depending on the shade. Have fun playing with different tones of red to create your desired shade of pink.

How to make purple

Did you enjoy making pink and fancy trying another colour? Learn how to make purple with our easy guide.

How to make purple