Color Blending Tool: Mix and Combine Colors Online
Create beautiful color combinations by blending two colors with various blend modes. Perfect for designers, artists, and developers looking to create harmonious color palettes.
Color Inputs
Blend Settings
Result Preview
#000000Understanding Color Blending
Color blending is a fundamental technique in digital design and art that allows you to combine two or more colors to create new ones. By using different blend modes and adjusting the blend ratio, you can create an infinite variety of color combinations for your projects.
Whether you're designing a website, creating digital art, or developing a brand identity, understanding how colors blend together is essential for creating visually appealing and harmonious designs.
- 16 different blend modes including Multiply, Screen, and Overlay
- Adjustable blend ratio with real-time preview
- Copy resulting color code with one click
- Visual gradient representation of the blend
- Support for hex color codes
- Select your first color using the color picker or hex input
- Select your second color using the color picker or hex input
- Choose a blend mode from the dropdown menu
- Adjust the blend ratio slider to control the mix
- Copy the resulting color code by clicking the copy button
Color Blend Modes Explained
Different blend modes produce different results when combining colors. Understanding these modes can help you achieve the exact color effect you're looking for in your designs.
Normal
Simply shows the top color without any blending effect.
Multiply
Multiplies the colors, resulting in a darker color. White leaves the color unchanged, black results in black.
Screen
Multiplies the inverse of the colors, resulting in a lighter color. Black leaves the color unchanged, white results in white.
Overlay
Combines Multiply and Screen modes. Light parts become lighter, dark parts become darker.
Darken
Selects the darker of the two colors at each pixel position.
Lighten
Selects the lighter of the two colors at each pixel position.
Color Dodge
Brightens the base color to reflect the blend color. Blending with black produces no change.
Color Burn
Darkens the base color to reflect the blend color. Blending with white produces no change.
Hard Light
Similar to Overlay, but with the base and blend colors swapped. Good for adding strong highlights.
Soft Light
Softer version of Hard Light. Good for adding subtle highlights and shadows.
Difference
Subtracts the darker color from the lighter one. Blending with white inverts the base color; blending with black produces no change.
Exclusion
Similar to Difference but with lower contrast. Blending with white inverts the base color; blending with black produces no change.
Hue
Applies the hue of the blend color while preserving the saturation and luminosity of the base color.
Saturation
Applies the saturation of the blend color while preserving the hue and luminosity of the base color.
Color
Applies the hue and saturation of the blend color while preserving the luminosity of the base color.
Luminosity
Applies the luminosity of the blend color while preserving the hue and saturation of the base color.
Applications of Color Blending
Color blending is used across various design disciplines to create visually appealing and effective designs. Here are some common applications:
Web Design
Create harmonious color schemes for websites, buttons, and UI elements.
Graphic Design
Develop color palettes for logos, branding materials, and marketing collateral.
Digital Art
Blend colors to create realistic shadows, highlights, and transitions in digital paintings.
UI/UX Design
Generate accessible color combinations with proper contrast for interfaces.
Photography
Create color grading effects and adjust color balance in photos.
Print Design
Ensure colors will blend properly when printed using different techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions About Color Blending
What is color blending?
Color blending is the process of combining two or more colors to create a new color. Different blend modes use different mathematical formulas to determine how the colors interact. This is commonly used in graphic design, digital art, and web design to create new colors, effects, and transitions.
What's the difference between the various blend modes?
Each blend mode uses a different algorithm to combine colors. For example, 'Multiply' darkens colors by multiplying their values, 'Screen' lightens colors, 'Overlay' preserves highlights and shadows, and 'Difference' shows the difference between colors. The choice of blend mode depends on the specific effect you want to achieve.
How does the blend ratio work?
The blend ratio determines how much each color contributes to the final result. A ratio of 50% means both colors contribute equally, while a ratio of 25% means the first color contributes 75% and the second color contributes 25%. Adjusting the ratio allows you to fine-tune the blended result.
When would I use color blending in design?
Color blending is useful in many design scenarios: creating gradient transitions, developing color palettes, adjusting overlay effects, designing UI elements with proper contrast, creating digital artwork, photo editing, and developing consistent brand color variations for different applications.
Can I blend more than two colors?
This tool is designed for blending two colors at a time. However, you can take the result and blend it with another color to achieve a blend of three or more colors. This sequential blending approach allows you to create complex color combinations.
How do I choose the right blend mode for my project?
The best blend mode depends on your specific needs. For darkening colors, try Multiply or Color Burn. For lightening, use Screen or Color Dodge. For contrast effects, try Overlay or Hard Light. For color theory applications, the Hue, Saturation, Color, and Luminosity modes are particularly useful. Experiment with different modes to find the perfect blend for your project.
Color Theory and Blending
Color blending is deeply rooted in color theory, which is the study of how colors interact with each other. Understanding color theory can help you create more effective and harmonious color combinations.
The three primary aspects of color theory that affect blending are:
- Hue: The pure color itself (red, blue, yellow, etc.)
- Saturation: The intensity or purity of the color
- Luminosity: The brightness or darkness of the color
When blending colors, these three aspects interact differently depending on the blend mode you choose. Some blend modes affect only the hue, while others might affect saturation or luminosity.
Start Blending Colors Today
Our free online color blending tool makes it easy to experiment with different color combinations and blend modes. Whether you're a professional designer or just starting out, you can use this tool to create beautiful color palettes for your projects.
Try different blend modes, adjust the blend ratio, and discover new color combinations that you might not have thought of before. The possibilities are endless!