Color Wheel A tool to use to understand the uses of color.

Color Wheel

Color Wheel Hue-Separates one color from another and represents the name of colors. The color wheel is divided into three categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Primary Color – natural colors; red, yellow, & blue Hues Primary Color – natural colors; red, yellow, & blue These colors are considered to be foundation colors because they are used to create all other colors.

Secondary Colors – equal mixture of two primary colors; Hues Secondary Colors – equal mixture of two primary colors; Red & Yellow = Orange Yellow & Blue = Green Red & Blue = Purple/Violet

Color Wheel Tertiary color – equal mixture of a primary and secondary color. Example: These colors are red-orange, red-violet, yellow-green, yellow-orange, blue-green and blue-violet

Intensity (chroma) Value – brightness or darkness of a color. -Neutral colors: Black, white, gray -Black: lowers -White raises

Color Wheel Tone – add gray to make a color dull; dusty rose is a tone of pink. Color Harmonies – combinations of color that are pleasing to the eye.

Color Wheel Value Tint – Add white to make a color brighter, pink is a tint of red

Color Wheel Shade – add black to make a color darker, burgundy is a shade of red.

Colors are also divided into cool and warm categories. Cool and Warm Colors Colors are also divided into cool and warm categories. The cool colors are green, blue and violet. Moves objects away. Warm colors are red, orange and yellow. Move colors toward people.

Color Schemes

Color Schemes Related Color Monochromatic - one hue with its tints, shades and tones, ex. Red, pink, mauve, burgundy. Analogous - This scheme uses adjacent hues. -three or more hues that are next to each other on the color wheel. Ex. Yellow – green, yellow & yellow – orange, red, red-orange, and red-violet.

Color Principles (Contrasting) Complementary – two colors opposite each other on the color wheel. Ex. Red and green.

Complementary Colors If two hues are opposite each other on the color wheel they are considered to be complementary colors. When used together in a design they make each other seem brighter and more intense. (example: red and green)

Split-Complementary any color with the two colors on each side of its complement. Ex. Yellow with blue-violet and red-violet.

Split Complementary This color scheme uses three colors: any hue and the two adjacent to its complement. (example: red, yellow-green, and blue-green)

Color Principles Triadic – three colors that are equally spaced on the color wheel. Ex. Yellow, red and blue.

Triadic This scheme also uses three colors. They are evenly spaced from each other. (example: red, yellow, and blue)

Double Complement This color scheme uses two pairs of complements. (example: yellow and violet, blue and orange)

Tetrad This scheme uses four colors evenly spaced on the color wheel. A primary, secondary and two tertiary colors are used. (example: red, green, yellow-orange, and blue-violet)

Alternate complementary

Polychromatic – three or more unrelated colors, select tints, shades & tones