What this digital mix represents
This tool performs a straightforward weighted blend of red, green, and blue channel values. At 50%, each output channel is halfway between the two inputs. That is easy to reproduce in code and useful for rough UI ramps, overlays, and transition planning.
Digital channel mixing is not the same as mixing paint. Light, display pixels, translucent layers, and pigments follow different physical or mathematical models. Blue and yellow screen values do not reliably become the green you expect from paint, and real pigments have their own spectral behavior.
Straight sRGB interpolation can also look uneven because sRGB numbers are not perceptually uniform. Use the scale to explore, then check the visual spacing and contrast. For a rigorous design system, consider building the final ramp in OKLCH while controlling lightness and chroma explicitly.
How to use the color mixer
- Choose the two endpoint colors from your palette or brand system.
- Move the ratio toward the color that should dominate the result.
- Copy the single mixed HEX when you need one intermediate token.
- Use the six-step row to inspect whether the transition looks even and keeps the intended hue.
- Run text and UI combinations through the contrast checker before assigning semantic roles.
Useful reasons to mix colors
| Situation or input | Result or choice | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Brand color + white | Lighter tint | Useful for a quiet selected surface, but verify that text placed on it remains readable. |
| Brand color + black | Darker shade | Can create hover or pressed candidates without choosing an unrelated dark color. |
| Two palette accents | Bridge color | An intermediate can smooth a data scale, illustration, or motion transition. |
Practical tips for a better result
- Keep the endpoints visible in documentation; a middle color without context is hard to maintain.
- Do not assume equal numeric steps look equally spaced—judge the complete scale visually.
- Use opacity blending in the final CSS when the real design depends on the surface underneath.
- Avoid using a decorative blend scale as a categorical data palette; categories need distinct colors.
What this tool cannot know
A useful result includes knowing the limits of the calculation.
- The result is an opaque sRGB channel blend, not alpha compositing.
- It does not simulate paint, ink, dye, or subtractive spectral mixing.
- The six-step scale is numeric and may need perceptual correction for a production design system.
Frequently asked questions
Will mixing blue and yellow make green?
Not necessarily. This is sRGB channel interpolation, not pigment mixing. The result depends on the exact endpoint values and can look gray or muted.
What does a 70% mix mean?
The result uses 70% of the second color’s channel values and 30% of the first color’s values.
Can I use the blend row as a design-system scale?
It is a useful draft. Review perceptual spacing, gamut, and contrast; a final scale is often better tuned in OKLCH.