Pink is a color that is liked by many people. This color is popular for clothing, bakery decorations, and flowers. But pink paint is often not available in stores. Actually, pink is a tinge of red, and in nature this color is a combination of red and violet. Luckily, we can easily make paints, pink cake decorations, etc., by mixing red and white.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Mixing Acrylic or Oil Paints
Step 1. Choose red paint
Different shades of red will produce different shades of pink when mixed with white paint. Experiment with different reds. For the brightest, most solid pink, try alizarin crimson permanent red acrylic paint (a red that leans slightly towards purple) or quinacridone (a bright mid-red) and mix it with titanium white (bright white, almost bluish).. Vermilion (brilliant red pigment) will produce a beautiful pure pink tone. Brick red will produce a more muted pink color, close to peach (pale color of the outer flesh of a peach).
Darker reds such as crimson alizarin shades will produce pink with blue or purple shades.
This shade is great for shades like magenta (purplish pink).
Step 2. Pour in the red paint
Take canvas, paper, or a palette. Pour red paint over it. This paint will turn pink, so place it in different places until you can judge what kind of pink you will get and how much you need.
Step 3. Add white paint
Pour white paint near red paint. Start with a dab of paint to save it. You can add more white paint later to mix it up with a pure red.
Step 4. Stir the paint
Mix white to red paint using a painting tool such as a brush or palette knife. Start a little at a time to determine what kind of pink tinge to form. You can add more white paint for a lighter tint. But each color has its own viscosity, so eventually you'll reach the limit, as bright as pink that pure red makes.
- The darker the red you use, the more white paint you'll need to lighten it to pink.
- Try softening the pink with yellow to bring it closer to a peach or salmon color.
- Add blue or violet to bring the color closer to fusia (purple bright red) or magenta.
Method 2 of 3: Mixing Watercolors
Step 1. Wet the brush
Dip a clean brush in a container of water. Gently press the brush against the bottom of the container to open the clumps of bristles, then brush against the rim of the container to remove any excess water.
Step 2. Pour the red and white paint onto the palette
If you're using bottled watercolors, apply as many red and white paints as needed. If you're using dry watercolors, use a brush to scoop the paint onto the palette and swirl it there.
Step 3. Add red paint to the palette
If you're using wet watercolor, run a wet brush over the red paint. When you're done, clean the brush in a container of water. Do not dry the brush. After cleaning, just brush the brush to the edge of the container.
Keep adding as much red paint as you need
Step 4. Add white paint to the top of the palette
Spoon white paint with a wet brush. Mix the white paint with the red paint in the palette. The paint will start to look pink.
Keep adding white paint until you get the pink you want
Step 5. Add another color
You can also make pink with different shades, for example by adding a dash of purple then yellow. Or just dissolve the red paint with water until it's runny and turns pink. This way, you don't need to add white. Experiment to find the right shade of pink.
- Without the addition of white paint, you will get the standard pink color. The resulting hue will depend on how much water is added to thin the paint.
- For a softer pink hue, add yellow paint. The more yellow paint you add, the more peachy the resulting color will be.
- Add a bit of violet or blue for a light pink. The more paint you add, the more magenta the resulting color will be.
Method 3 of 3: Making Pink with Food Color
Step 1. Prepare a serving of white ingredients
You can do this with ingredients such as frosting, glue, or hair conditioner. The portion of white ingredients that are poured should be as much as the pink color you want to produce. Pour the ingredients into a bowl so that there is enough room to mix them with the dye.
Step 2. Add red food coloring
Red is the standard dye and can be mixed to make white ingredients pink. The thing is, this red food coloring is very concentrated, so start with a drop first. You can add it later if you want it to be more intense. Frosting or other white matter that is more abundant will require more food coloring.
You can also use alternative colors like rose. This lighter color food coloring will produce a more beautiful pink for your frosting.
Step 3. Stir until smooth
Use a wooden spoon or other kitchen utensil to mix the food coloring. Turn the frosting or other ingredients until all the color is absorbed and evenly distributed, then add more coloring if necessary.
Step 4. Add another color
To soften the color to your desired pink tint, add a few drops of another food coloring. Experiment. Work slowly, one drop of dye at a time.
- Adding food coloring, such as blue, violet, green, or even brown, will make the pink appear darker, turn it bright pink, then fusia or magenta.
- Add a lighter color, like yellow, to turn it into a peach.
Tips
- Remember, while you can always add paint/dyes, you can't extract them. Start with a little paint/dye first.
- If you want a lighter pink, add a few drops of red paint, as adding too much will make the pink very intense.
- When using paint, prepare the red color first, then add white to it. This will save the white paint while preventing the pink from becoming too intense.
- Adding more red will make the pink more intense. Adding more white will make the pink lighter.
