The color between purple and red on a color wheel is magenta.
Understanding the Relationship Between Colors
Colors are often arranged on a color wheel to show their relationships and transitions. When considering the spectrum of visible light wrapped into a circle, or colors arranged for mixing purposes, the space between purple (or violet) and red is occupied by colors that blend the two.
Magenta: The Bridge Color
According to the provided information, magenta serves as this transitional color:
- In the Munsell color system, this color is specifically referred to as red-purple.
- When the visible light spectrum is formed into a color wheel, magenta (which is an additive secondary color) is found precisely midway between red and violet.
This position on the color wheel highlights magenta's unique nature as a color that bridges the gap between the cool tones of purple and the warm tones of red. It's not a spectral color itself but exists on the non-spectral line connecting the ends of the visible spectrum when wrapped into a circle.
Practical Examples
- Printing: Magenta is one of the four primary colors (CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) used in color printing, essential for creating a wide range of hues.
- Light: As an additive secondary color, magenta is produced by mixing equal amounts of red and blue light. This is why it appears between red and violet (blue/purple end of the spectrum) on a color wheel based on additive mixing.
Understanding the color wheel helps visualize how colors flow into one another, positioning magenta as the key color that lies directly between purple and red.
