colormix

Colormix is a term used in color theory and design to describe the process and results of combining colors to produce new hues, tones, or palettes. It encompasses both additive color mixing, as used with light, and subtractive color mixing, as used with pigments and printing.

Additive mixing combines light wavelengths. When red, green, and blue light are combined in varying proportions, they create the full spectrum of colors; mixing all three at full intensity yields white, while the absence of light yields black. Subtractive mixing with pigments follows models such as cyan, magenta, and yellow (and black in CMYK). Combining pigments tends to absorb more light, producing darker colors and different hues than light-based mixing.

In digital contexts, colormix often involves interpolation within color spaces such as RGB, HSL, or Lab. Simple linear interpolation in RGB can produce perceptual differences that are not uniform, so gamma correction and perceptually uniform spaces like Lab are sometimes preferred for blending and palette generation.

Colormix is fundamental for creating color palettes in design, branding, and user interfaces. Designers use harmonies such as analogous, complementary, triadic, tetradic, or monochromatic schemes to achieve balance and contrast. Adjustments to lightness, saturation, and perceived brightness are common to meet accessibility and aesthetic goals.

Applications span graphic design, web and app design, painting, and printing. Practical considerations include device color reproduction, lighting conditions, and human color perception, all of which influence how mixed colors are perceived across media.