🎨 Color Mixer
How does light mix differently from paint? Drag the circles and find out!
How Color Mixing Works
Starts with black and adds light. Red + Green = Yellow. Red + Blue = Magenta. All three = White. Used by screens & projectors.
Starts with white and removes light. Cyan + Magenta = Blue. Cyan + Yellow = Green. All three = Black. Used by printers & paint.
Old art classes taught Red-Yellow-Blue. But science uses Cyan-Magenta-Yellow - the true opposites of RGB. CMYK printers use all four (K = black ink).
In RGB: overlap all three circles to make white. In CMY: overlap all three to make black. Notice how the center result is always the opposite!
About the Interactive Color Mixer
Welcome to the free online Color Mixer, the ultimate interactive lab for exploring the science of light and pigment! Have you ever wondered why mixing red and green light creates a brilliant yellow, while mixing red and green paint usually results in a muddy brown? This tool allows you to dive into the two fundamental pillars of color theory: Additive (RGB) and Subtractive (CMY). By dragging vibrant, overlapping circles across your screen, you can visualize how digital devices use Red, Green, and Blue light to create the white light and millions of colors you see on your phone. Switch modes to explore the world of print and physical art, where Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow pigments are used to subtract light and form the perfect shade. It is a must-use resource for designers, science students, and curious learners who want to see real-world physics in action right in their browser.
Mastering how we perceive color is just the first step in understanding the complexities of human vision. If you want to see how your brain can be tricked by shifting patterns and hues, explore our fascinating collection of Optical Illusions to see if you can trust your own eyes. If you are interested in the physics of how light travels, bends, and breaks through different mediums, spend some time in our Online Laser Refraction Simulator.
For those who enjoy the more technical side of the scientific spectrum, you can investigate the chemical building blocks of the universe with our Interactive Periodic Table, or visualize the rhythmic patterns of energy with the Pendulum Wave Simulator. Whether you are designing a digital masterpiece or studying for a physics exam, FlipNSpin offers a massive directory of free tools designed to help you see the world in high definition!