What Color Does Cyan and Magenta Make?

Cyan#00FFFF
+
Magenta#FF00FF
=
#C6AEFF
Blue / Violet

#C6AEFF

Blue / Violet

HEX#C6AEFF
RGBrgb(198, 174, 255)
HSLhsl(258°, 100%, 84%)
CMYKcmyk(22%, 32%, 0%, 0%)
CIELABLab(75.8, 24.8, -37)

Pantone (approx.)

264 CApproximate (ΔE 7.3)
270 CApproximate (ΔE 7.8)
271 CApproximate (ΔE 10.4)

RAL (approx.)

RAL 7040Window greyFar (ΔE 18.4)
RAL 4011Pearl violetFar (ΔE 21.3)
RAL 7001Silver greyFar (ΔE 21.7)

Pantone and RAL codes shown are mathematical approximations calculated by color distance (ΔE CIEDE2000). They are not officially certified values.

About This Color Combination

Cyan and magenta are two of the three subtractive primaries used in CMYK printing, and combining them produces a vivid blue or violet. This pairing is fundamental to modern color reproduction: every printed photograph and magazine page relies on cyan-magenta overlaps to render blues. The resulting hue is cleaner and more intense than most pigment-mixed blues because both parent colors are highly saturated.

Usage Tips

In digital art and print design, understanding the cyan-magenta interaction is critical for accurate color proofing and CMYK separations. Screen printers and risograph artists exploit this overlap to create rich electric blues without a dedicated blue ink. In painting with process-color acrylics, mixing cyan and magenta yields a brilliant blue that rivals ultramarine. Shift the ratio toward magenta for violet tones or toward cyan for a cleaner, truer blue.

Try It Yourself in the Color Mixer

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