Red and orange are two vibrant warm colors. When mixed together, they produce a reddish orange color that is known as vermilion (or more commonly referred to as burnt sienna). Vermilion is a secondary color created by mixing primary colors yellow and blue, and it can be mixed with many other colors to create a wide variety of hues.
If you’re looking to make a muted shade of orange, you can combine it with blue and green. Blue and orange are complementary colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel, meaning they can enhance each other when used together. For example, painters such as Vincent van Gogh often used azure and orange in their paintings to create striking contrasts.
As you continue to increase the proportion of red to orange, you’ll eventually come to shades like safety orange and coquelicot. These vivid colors exude passion, energy, and a sense of adventure. They are frequently associated with high visibility and safety, and they’re often used in road signs and protective gear.
You can also use these colors to add vibrancy to your designs. Just be sure to complement them with neutrals such as white, tan, or gray so they don’t overwhelm the viewer’s eyes. You can also try using complementary colors in your design if you’re trying to make certain elements stand out, such as text or images. Complementary colors are those on the opposite side of the color wheel from each other, and they can work well together when used in a limited number of ways.