Color Theory

The basics in color for Art 1

Hue

Hue is what makes a color identifiable and different from any other color.

Primary Colors

The basic three colors. These colors are yellow, blue, and red, and cannot be made by the artist.

Secondary Colors

Secondary colors come from mixing primary colors together. These colors are green, blue, and orange.

Tertiary Colors

The third level of the color wheel. On this level, primary colors mix with adjacent secondary colors to make colors all around the wheel.

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Here's what you get: 

blue (primary) + green (secondary) = *blue-green*

blue (primary) + purple (secondary) = *blue-violet*

red (primary) + purple (secondary) = *red-violet*

red (primary) + orange (secondary) = *red-orange*

yellow (primary) + orange (secondary) = *yellow-orange*

yellow (primary) + green (secondary) = *yellow-green*

Quaternary Colors

Created by mixing a primary or secondary color with its adjacent tertiary color.

Value

Relative lightness or darkness (whiteness or blackness), irrespective of it’s saturation.

Tint

A color plus white. The addition of white makes the color paler and less saturated.

Shade

A color plus black.

Monochromatic Colors

Colors are all the hues (tints and shades) of a single color.

Relaxed Monochromatic Colors

Colors that are all the hues (tints and shades) of a single color.

Complementary Colors

Any two hues that sit directly opposite each other on the color mixing wheel.

Split Complementary Colors

Colors that come in sets of three: One hue combined with hues on either side of it’s complementary colors.

Analogous Colors

Related colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. They usually combine harmonies of colors.

Warm Colors

Colors that are more red or yellow on the color wheel.

Cool Colors

Colors that sit on the blue and green side of the color wheel.

Saturated colors

Intense colors full of intensity and vibrancy.

De-saturated Colors

When you add black or gray to a color. Brown is a good color for making them *less* intense and vibrant.