Color mixing

Subtractive

When color is created by mixing pigments of various color.

How it affects UI design

Subtractive mixing is not supported in digital devices, but many people have a subtractive color mixing mental model, as many people's interaction with color is with physical mediums.

CSS color-mix can approximate mixing methods for various color spaces, including those modeled after subtractive properties of reflected light. Not all browsers support color-mix.

Sources:

  1. Linda Holtzschue (2017). Understanding color: an introduction for designers. 5th edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Pages 86, 233
  2. Bruce MacEvoy. Additive & subtractive color mixing. Handprint.com. https://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/color5.html#theorysub
  3. Subtractive color. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtractive_color