Dark violet
The traditional violet found in paints and coloured pencils before the 1970s
Dark violet is the version of violet seen in artists' paints, coloured pencils, and crayons, matching how the colour appeared before brighter, more luminous violets became common. Its look is deeper and less intense than the 'electric' violet seen on screens, as it is made with pigment rather than light.
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- Dark violet matches the violet found in artists' paints before the 1970s
- It is less bright than 'electric violet' seen on screens
- Also called pigment violet in art materials
- Adding white to dark violet pigment creates a brighter violet
What colour is Dark violet?
Dark violet is a deep, strong shade of violet, close to what artists and children would find in paints, coloured pencils, or crayons before the 1970s. It is less bright than the 'electric' violet that can be shown on digital screens, because it is based on pigments rather than light. This colour sits between blue and purple, but is richer and darker than many other violets.
Where does Dark violet come from?
The name 'dark violet' refers to its appearance as a deeper, less luminous version of violet. It is also called pigment violet, as it matches the way violet was made with traditional art materials. Before the 1970s, this was the standard violet in art supplies. The rise of psychedelic art led to brighter, lighter violets becoming common in pigments and pencils.
How Dark violet is defined
Dark violet as a web colour is set by a specific digital value, but as a pigment it comes from mixing traditional violet pigments. Before brighter options were available, this was the closest match to violet artists could achieve with physical materials. To mimic the brighter 'electric violet' in pigment, artists add white to dark violet.
Where Dark violet is used
This shade was widely used in painting, coloured pencils, and crayons, especially before the 1970s. It is still found in many traditional art materials and is also defined as a web colour for digital use. Artists who wanted a more luminous violet would mix in white to lighten dark violet pigments.
Purple around the world
What the purple and violet family means from country to country.
In Holy Week, members of religious brotherhoods walk in procession in robes and pointed hoods, many of them purple, the colour of penance. A purple band also marked the flag of the Second Republic.
Sacred and holyPolitics and protestSource: Holy Week in SpainSuffragettes campaigning for women's votes wore purple, white and green: purple for dignity, white for purity and green for hope.
Politics and protestCourageSource: SuffragetteA child born to a reigning Byzantine emperor was called porphyrogennetos, born in the purple. The birth took place in a palace room lined with purple stone.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Born in the purpleIn the elections of 2005, voters dipped a finger in purple ink to prevent double voting. The stained finger, held up for cameras, became a sign of the vote.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Election inkPurple dye from the murasaki plant was costly and hard to make. In the court rank system set up under Prince Shotoku, the highest officials wore purple caps.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Twelve Level Cap and Rank SystemThe Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon made Tyrian purple from sea snails. The dye was so costly that it became the colour of kings and Roman emperors.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Tyrian purpleShades and relatives of Dark violet
Dark violet is often confused with electric violet, which is much brighter and can only be shown with light on screens. Since the 1970s, pigments labelled 'violet' may be lighter and more vivid, matching the electric version. Adding white to dark violet pigment can create a closer match to these newer, brighter violets.
Colours that go with Dark violet
Harmonies are worked out from the value #9400D3. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Dark violet
What colour is dark violet?
Dark violet is a deep, strong shade of violet, less bright than the 'electric' violet seen on screens. It is the traditional violet found in paints and coloured pencils before the 1970s.
Where does the name 'dark violet' come from?
The name comes from its appearance as a deeper, less luminous version of violet, and it is also known as pigment violet because it matches the colour made with traditional art materials.
How is dark violet different from electric violet?
Dark violet is made with pigments and appears less bright, while electric violet is produced with light on screens and is much more luminous. Artists can lighten dark violet pigment by adding white to approximate electric violet.
Where is dark violet used?
It is used in painting, coloured pencils, crayons, and as a web colour for digital design. Before the 1970s, it was the standard violet in art supplies.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Shades of violet" (the section "Pigment violet (web color dark violet)"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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