Color Theory and Mixing

The Color Wheel#

The color wheel is a circular diagram that organizes colors based on their relationships to each other. Understanding the color wheel is the foundation of color theory and helps artists make informed decisions about which colors to use together.

Primary Colors#

Primary colors are the three colors from which all other colors can be mixed. They cannot be made by mixing other colors.

• Red, Yellow, Blue (in traditional pigment/paint color theory)

Secondary Colors#

Secondary colors are made by mixing two primary colors:

• Red + Yellow = Orange
• Yellow + Blue = Green
• Blue + Red = Violet (Purple)

Tertiary Colors#

Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary with an adjacent secondary:

• Red + Orange = Red-Orange
• Yellow + Orange = Yellow-Orange
• Yellow + Green = Yellow-Green
• Blue + Green = Blue-Green
• Blue + Violet = Blue-Violet
• Red + Violet = Red-Violet

Color Relationships#

Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel:

• Red ↔ Green
• Yellow ↔ Violet
• Blue ↔ Orange

Complementary colors create maximum contrast when placed next to each other — they make each other appear more vibrant.

Analogous colors are three or more colors that are next to each other on the color wheel (like yellow, yellow-green, and green). They create harmonious, unified color schemes.

Triadic colors are three colors equally spaced around the wheel (e.g., red, yellow, blue). They create vibrant, balanced compositions.