Red is a primary color, so it's not possible to make a pure one in any way. However, it is possible to create different shades and shades by combining pure red with other colors.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Understanding Color Theory
Step 1. Know that you cannot create red
It is a primary color and therefore cannot be created by mixing other colors.
- Primary colors are called "primary" as they are not derived from other colors. In addition to red, the others are blue and yellow.
- Although it is not possible to create pure red, it is possible to create other shades by mixing it with other colors. Likewise, it is possible to change the brilliance of any shade of red.
Step 2. Change the hue by adding more colors
Mix red with other colors; you can combine it with most primary and secondary colors and get different results each time.
- If you combine it with other primary colors, you should limit yourself to only a small amount of the additional color to prevent the red from completely changing. With a little yellow you can make an orange-red shade, but adding too much will create orange. A small amount of blue will give you a red-purple tinge, but if you overdo it you will get purple.
- Mixing the red with the orange secondary color will give you an orange-red tint, but you should use the second color equal to or less than the first to prevent the tint from leaning more towards orange than red. Similarly, if you mix it with purple you will get a purple-red, if you use an amount of purple equal to or less than the primary color.
- You can also mix it with small amounts of the green secondary color. Since the two are complementary (i.e. they are at opposite ends of the color wheel), adding green to red results in a shade of brown. However, if you add too much, you will turn it into a dirty brown or gray.
Step 3. Alter the brilliance by adding white or black
If you want to change the brightness without altering the hue, you will need to mix it with one of these two colors.
- If you add white you lighten it, but if you overdo it you will get pink.
- Adding black darkens it, but too much will make it difficult to distinguish the original color.
Part 2 of 4: Mix the Red Paint
Step 1. Prepare several paints
When painting you will likely need several shades of red, most of which can be achieved by combining it with other colors.
You should have at least these colors: red, yellow, blue, orange, purple, green, black and white. Try to choose paints so that they are close to pure color
Step 2. Examine pure red
Squeeze a small amount of red paint onto the palette. Use a brush to transfer some of it onto a separate sheet of paper.
Take a close look at the strip of red you just created - it will be the original color swatch and you should use it as a reference for the other shades of red you will create in the process
Step 3. Experiment by mixing it with the other primary colors
Squeeze two more patches of color onto the palette and add a small amount of yellow on one and a little blue on the other.
- Proceed in small doses and mix the combinations until no visible streaks remain: adding too much color can drastically alter the red and turn it into another color.
- Draw a stroke of orange-red (made with yellow) on one side of the starting red sample and one of purple-red (obtained with blue) on the other side. Then compare the two different shades.
Step 4. Mix red with orange and purple
Start with two patches of red and add orange to one and purple to the other.
- You should be able to mix the two colors in equal parts while keeping the color red, but the hue will stay stronger if you use less of the second color (orange or purple).
- Draw a brushstroke of the new orange-red hue and one of purple-red next to the previous ones, then compare them with each other and with the starting red sample.
Step 5. Combine red with green
Squeeze the red onto the palette and mix it with a small amount of green; it should turn a reddish brown.
- It's best to start with a small amount of green - if you want, you can gradually add more to change the color even further. However, adding too much will result in a brown or gray-brown color.
- Spread a stroke of the new shade on the paper, close to the starting red and compare them.
Step 6. Change the shade
Add a little white to one red spot and a little black to another, then mix thoroughly.
- Paint a stroke of the dark red with the black close to the red-brown and compare them: both shades should be dark, but the second should be tending to brown, unlike the first.
- Trace a brushstroke of the lightened shade with white on the sheet and compare it to the others.
Part 3 of 4: Making the Red Icing
Step 1. Prepare the icing in advance
Making a bright red or dark red icing can be difficult - as the color intensifies over time, it's best to prepare it between 24 and 72 hours before you need it.
This tip is especially important if you want a glaze made up of red food coloring only, but it's also useful for red variations that aren't intense enough for the result you want to achieve
Step 2. Taste it periodically
If you want to create a dark or bright shade, remember that the amount of color used can result in a bitter taste.
- Tasting it while you prepare it can allow you to control the change in taste and prevent it from becoming too bitter.
- In case it gets bitter, you can usually fix it by adding some flavorings. Choose pure extracts and use about 1.25ml per 250ml of icing.
Step 3. Add a lot of red color to the white icing
Pour the frosting into a non-reactive bowl, then gradually incorporate the red food coloring, mixing well after each addition and continue until you get a bright color.
- It is more suitable to use specific food coloring for icing, gel or paste. Traditional liquid dye is not sufficiently concentrated: the amount needed to make the red icing would ruin its taste and texture.
- Generally speaking, you will need about 1.25ml of red dye per 250ml of white icing. If you opt for a tasteless dye, you will need 5 ml for 250 ml of icing.
Step 4. Try mixing red with brown
If you want to make a deep red glaze, but only have red dye, the best way is to add some brown.
- Add the red food coloring to a plate of white icing, following the same procedure as above. Continue until you get a very dark pink or light red.
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Add brown dye and mix. The quantity should be about a quarter of the red one, or a little less. Once mixed, you should get a deep red glaze with some hints of brown.
Similarly, you can mix cocoa powder to darken the color and improve the taste at the same time
Step 5. Experiment with other variations
As with other solvents, you can change the color of the glaze by mixing pure red or "Red-Red" with other colors. Try different combinations, starting with a bowl of freshly made white icing each time.
- Make a burgundy icing using five parts of pink dye and one part of purple;
- Get a garnet red glaze by combining two parts of "Red-Red" and one part of burgundy;
- Create raspberry red by combining "Red-Red" and pink;
- Get the rust by mixing roughly two parts of "Red-Red", five to eight of orange and one part of brown;
- Make a ruby red by adding a small amount of black to the red icing.
Part 4 of 4: Mix the Red Polymer Clay
Step 1. Create a warm red
If you want a warm hue but only have pure red paste, mix it with a hint of orange or yellow.
- Use golden yellow and avoid greenish yellow as it can give red a brown tint. Most orange pastes are fine too.
- To avoid drastically altering the color, mix only a small amount of additional paste to the red paste. Roll up, knead and mix everything until completely blended. If you need to alter the red further, add more paste and repeat the process.
Step 2. Make a colder red
If you need a colder shade, mix the pure red paste with a little blue or purple.
- A warmer blue containing traces of purple is better than a colder shade containing green. Greenish blue can result in a final brown, while most purple pastes fit the case.
- As with the warm red shade, you should create the cool red by adding the paste to the red one gradually.
Step 3. Make the color more intense
You can do this by using some brown or black paste. Regardless of the choice of pasta, you should only add small amounts to prevent the color from changing significantly.
- Adding the brown paste will gradually intensify the color, but will transform it by giving it a brown tinge.
- Adding black paste will darken the red more noticeably, but without altering its hue.
Step 4. Lighten the red
You can do this by using a pinch of white or translucent paste.
- Incorporate small amounts of each type of red pasta. In case the color is not light enough, proceed gradually and in small doses.
- If you add the white paste you will change the brightness of the color and, by adding too much, you will turn it into pink.
- If you add some translucent paste, you will make it less shiny without changing its brightness. You can use up to a third of the total amount of pasta, but overdoing it will give the color a semi-transparent rather than opaque sheen.
