How to Make Shades of Purple Colour with Acrylic Paints

Purple has been a colour of imagination, royalty and creativity. Even when you paint a dreamy sunset, some delicate flowers, or an abstract canvas, purple and its several shades can add depth and mood to your painting. This is where things get good, though, because purple is no longer one colour. It is an entire palette of colors that you can paint yourself using acrylic paints.

We will proceed step by step in this blog to show how to create the various shades of purple using acrylic paints, and how to infuse those shades into your painting.

The Basics: Mixing Purple

To create the base purple shade, all you need is red and blue acrylic paint. Mix them in equal parts, and you’ll have a standard, rich purple. But the magic begins when you start playing with the ratios.

• More red = warmer, pinkish purple
  

• More blue = cooler, deeper purple

This simple adjustment already gives you variety to work with.

How to Make Lighter Shades of Purple

Want a softer, pastel-like purple? Add a little white acrylic paint into your purple mix. The more white you add, the lighter and creamier your shade will become. These tones are perfect for dreamy skies, flowers, or whimsical characters.

How to Make Darker Shades of Purple

For deeper, dramatic shades, mix a bit of black acrylic paint or dark blue into your purple. Be cautious with black just a tiny touch is enough. These darker purples are perfect for shadows, night skies, or moody, atmospheric art.

Adding Warmth or Coolness to Purple

The beauty of acrylics is the flexibility to adjust tones:

• Add a touch of yellow or orange → warmer, earthy purples
  

• Add a touch of green or turquoise → cooler, mystical purples
  

This is where you can truly experiment and create unique shades that feel personal to your art style.

Tips for Perfect Purple Mixing

1. Always start with small amounts of paint. You can adjust the shade more easily this way.
   

2. Use a palette knife instead of a brush for smoother blending.
   

3. Test shades on a scrap sheet before applying them to your canvas.

Bring Your Purples to Life with Quality Paints

The richness of your purple shades depends not only on your mixing skills but also on the quality of paints you use. Cheap paints often turn muddy when blended, while premium acrylics retain their vibrancy and smooth texture.

That’s why we recommend using Drawlish Premium Acrylic Paints specially designed for artists who want bold, long-lasting colours. Whether you’re mixing light pastels or deep, royal tones, our paints give you the perfect balance of pigment and smoothness.

Explore the full range of colours at Drawlish.com and start creating your own unique shades of purple today!