How does color mixing work?

Digital color mixing blends two colors by averaging their RGB or HSL values. This tool shows the midpoint color plus a gradient of intermediate steps, letting you find the perfect blend between any two colors.

What is the difference between additive and subtractive mixing?

Additive mixing (light/screens) combines RGB values — mixing all colors makes white. Subtractive mixing (paint/pigments) absorbs light — mixing all colors makes black/brown. This tool uses additive mixing for screen colors.

Color Mixer — Blend Colors Free

What Is the Color Mixer?

Blend two colors together and explore the resulting spectrum. Mix in RGB, HSL, or OKLCH color spaces with adjustable ratios.

Why Use This Tool?

Understanding how colors combine is fundamental to palette design. Different color spaces produce different blending results — mixing in OKLCH produces perceptually smoother transitions than RGB.

How to Use This Color Mixer

Select two base colors — Pick or paste hex codes for the two colors you want to mix.
Adjust the mix ratio — Use the slider to control the blend — 50% gives you an equal mix, while lower/higher values weight toward one color.
View the result — See the mixed color in real time, along with its hex, RGB, and HSL values.
Copy the mixed color — Click the swatch to copy the result, or use the CSS color-mix() function output.

Tips and Best Practices

→ Use CSS color-mix() for native mixing. Modern CSS supports color-mix(in srgb, red 50%, blue) directly in stylesheets — no preprocessor needed.
→ Mix in different color spaces. Mixing in sRGB vs. OKLCH vs. LAB produces different results. OKLCH produces more perceptually uniform mixes, while sRGB can create muddy midpoints.
→ Create harmonious palettes by mixing. Start with two brand colors and generate intermediate shades by mixing at different ratios — this creates a naturally harmonious color scale.
→ Use mixing for subtle hover states. Mix your primary color with white (10–20%) for a lighter hover state, or with black for a darker pressed state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does RGB mixing look different from HSL mixing?

RGB averages the red, green, and blue channels independently, which can produce desaturated midtones. HSL preserves saturation by interpolating hue, saturation, and lightness separately, often producing more vibrant results.

What is OKLCH mixing?

OKLCH is a perceptually uniform color space. Mixing in OKLCH produces results that look evenly blended to the human eye, unlike RGB where equal numerical steps don't correspond to equal visual changes.

Can I use color-mix() in CSS?

Yes. The CSS color-mix() function is supported in all modern browsers. Syntax: color-mix(in srgb, #FF6B6B, #0575E6) blends two colors at 50/50.

How does CSS color-mix() work?+

CSS color-mix() blends two colors in a specified color space. Syntax: color-mix(in srgb, #FF0000 50%, #0000FF). The percentage controls the mix ratio. It's supported in all modern browsers and eliminates the need for preprocessor color functions.

What color space should I mix colors in?+

sRGB is the default and most compatible. OKLCH produces more perceptually uniform results — the midpoint between two colors looks more natural to human eyes. For design work, OKLCH is generally preferred; for compatibility, use sRGB.

Why does mixing complementary colors create brown or gray?+

Complementary colors (like red and green) are on opposite sides of the color wheel. Mixing them equally combines all primary channels, which approaches gray or brown — the center of the color space. To avoid muddy mixes, use colors closer together on the wheel or mix with unequal ratios.

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Built by Derek Giordano · Part of Ultimate Design Tools

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