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How to Make Pink Paint Color

Whether you’re painting a delicate flower, a dramatic sunset, or a vibrant abstract piece, learning how to mix the right shade of pink paint is a good idea.

Pink is one of an artist’s palette’s most versatile and expressive colors. From soft pastels to vibrant magentas, pink can convey a wide range of emotions and moods in your artwork. 

I have also added a color mixing chart for pink at the end of this post. You can download it and print it out for future reference.

A paint palette with various mixes of pink paint.

Understanding Pink

Pink is essentially a tint of red. By adding white to red, you create a basic pink. However, the shade and tone of pink can vary greatly depending on the red and white used and the additional colors you mix in. Understanding the color wheel and the properties of your paints will help you mix pinks more easily.

How to Mix Pink Paint

To create a standard pink:

  1. Start with red: Use a primary red such as Cadmium Red or Alizarin Crimson Permanent.
  2. Add white gradually: Mix in titanium white or zinc white. Titanium white creates an opaque, bright pink, while zinc white produces a softer, more translucent pink.
A color chart showing the basic pink paint mix.
Basic Pink

Mixing Soft Pastel Pinks

Pastel pinks are ideal for light, delicate compositions. To achieve this:

  • Begin with a light red, such as Pyrrole Red.
  • Add white until you reach the desired softness.
  • For a warmer pastel pink, mix in a touch of yellow.
  • For a cooler pastel pink, add a hint of blue or violet/purple.
A color chart showing mixes for warm and cool pink paint.
Pastel Pink

Creating Vibrant Hot Pinks

Hot pinks are bold and eye-catching. To mix these:

  • Use a bright, cool red like quinacridone red or magenta.
  • Add a small amount of white to lighten the color.
  • For extra vibrancy, mix in a tiny amount of purple.
A chart showing how to mix bright pink.
Vibrant Pink

Muted Pinks for Subtle Effects

Muted pinks are perfect for creating sophisticated, understated tones. To achieve this:

  • Start with a warm red like cadmium red.
  • Mix in white, then add a touch of complementary green to tone it down.
  • Alternatively, add a small amount of gray or brown for a more earthy pink.
A color chart showing how to mix pink using Cadmium Red.
Muted Pink

How to Change the Tone of Pink Paint

Sometimes, you may want to warm up or cool down your pink paint. You can add a tiny touch of warm or cool colors to make your pink warmer, cooler, or more earthy.

Warm Pinks: Add a small amount of Cadmium Orange or Cadmium Yellow to your base pink.

Cool Pinks: Mix in a bit of blue or violet to create a cooler hue.

Earthy Pinks: Introduce a tiny amount of raw sienna or burnt umber.

Bright Pinks: Use neon or fluorescent colors for extra intensity, but be aware that they aren’t lightfast and will fade over time.

A color chart showing various mixes of pink paint.

Experimenting with Transparency

The type of white you use affects the transparency of your pinks:

  • Titanium white is opaque and will create bright, solid pinks.
  • Zinc white is more translucent, making it perfect for glazing or layering effects.

Lightfastness of Pink Paint

Purchased tubes of pink paint are sometimes not lightfast, especially neon and fluorescent colors. Read the lightfastness rating on the tube to be sure. When mixing your own pink paint, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

The lightfastness of pink colors depends on the pigments used to create the base red. Lightfastness refers to how well a color resists fading when exposed to light over time. Here’s a breakdown of how the different paint colors impact lightfastness in pinks:

Reds Commonly Used to Create Pink

  1. Cadmium Red: Highly lightfast and durable. It’s a good choice for creating pinks that won’t fade.
  2. Quinacridone Red/Magenta: Known for its high lightfastness and transparency, quinacridone pigments are ideal for mixing vibrant or cool pinks.
  3. Alizarin Crimson: This traditional color is often used for its deep, rich red tones. However, it has low lightfastness and tends to fade over time unless you opt for a more permanent version, such as Permanent Alizarin Crimson or Alizarin Crimson Hue.
  4. Pyrrole Red: Has excellent lightfastness and can be used to mix a soft pastel pink.
A hand holding a palette knife mixing paint. The text reads how to mix shades of pink with printable mixing chart!
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Whites Used in Mixing

  1. Titanium White: Extremely lightfast and opaque, making it a reliable choice for creating long-lasting pinks.
  2. Zinc White: Also lightfast but less opaque than titanium white. It’s better for subtle, translucent pinks.

Additional Factors to Consider

  • Neon or Fluorescent Pigments: These are generally not lightfast and tend to fade significantly over time.

How to Ensure Your Pinks Are Lightfast

A paint tube showing the ASTM rating on a palette with pink paint.
ASTM ratings are on the tube of most professional artist paints.
  1. Check the Paint’s ASTM Lightfastness Rating: Professional-grade paints often have a rating:
    • ASTM I: Excellent lightfastness.
    • ASTM II: Very good lightfastness.
    • ASTM III: Not lightfast.
    • If you want to know more about the information found on paint packaging, read my post about how to read the labels on artist paint.
  2. Avoid Student-Grade Paints: These often have fillers or less permanent pigments, which may compromise lightfastness.
  3. Use UV-Resistant Varnish: Applying a protective varnish can shield your artwork from UV exposure and reduce fading but won’t keep a fugitive (non-lightfast) color from fading.
  4. Display Carefully: Avoid hanging artwork in direct sunlight, even if the pigments are lightfast.

If longevity is critical for your artwork, use pigments rated ASTM I or II and professional-grade materials.

A hand holding a palette knife mixing paint.

Practical Applications

Consider the mood and setting you want to create when using pink in your artwork. Pair soft pinks with neutral tones for a calming effect, or combine vibrant pinks with complementary greens for dynamic contrast. Experimenting with different pinks in your palette can add depth and emotion to your work.

Mixing your own pinks is a creative and rewarding process. By understanding the properties of your paints and experimenting with combinations, you can create a wide array of pinks to suit any artistic idea. Don’t be afraid to try unconventional mixes, and keep a mixing journal to document your favorite shades. 

Here is a color mixing chart for pink, which you can download and print out for future reference.

A color mixing chart showing the various mixes for pink paint.
Print

Happy painting!

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