Lets take a look at the color wheel!

Most people have probably seen the

color wheel before. But perhaps its never been explained. This lesson
will help you understand the color wheel and begin to see the true colors
around you. Lets get started!
A Lesson in: THE COLOR WHEEL
WEdesignstudios.com
Theres a lot happening on the full color wheel, so lets take a look at
the primary colors: Red, Yellow and Blue. Primary colors are the three
basic colors that our eyes can see. These three colors can not be created
by combining other colors.
However, with these three colors you can make an endless array of other
colors. It is totally possible to create a painting with all the colors of
the rainbow using only red, yellow, blue and a little bit of white. You can
create all of the darks and lights you need by altering the color ratios!
Red
blue Yellow
Next, lets look at the secondary colors: Orange, Green and Purple.
These three colors are created by combining the primary colors.
By using just the primaries you can have a total of six colors!
VIOLET orange
green
Yellow + red
= orange = violet = green
red + blue blue + Yellow
Now lets check out the rest of the colors. These other colors are called
tertiary colors. They are created by combining a primary with a secondary
color.
Notice that the primary colors are listed as the first color in the combi-
nation. They are listed first because they are the dominant color. This
doesnt mean that when you mixed up your paints you added more red
than orange. What it means is that orange is made using yellow and red
and therefore the resulting tertiary color you mix up will have more red.
Think about it, there is no possible way to create a red/orange that is
predominantly orange.
red orange
red violet
blue violet
yellow
orange
yellow
green
blue
green
Next well look at the complimentary colors. They are the colors across
from one another on the color wheel:
Together, these two opposite colors can do a variety of things.
For example they compliment each other, they look good together. They
offer balance and make each other appear brighter. And when com-
bined equally they create a neutral grey/black or brown.
Red + Green
Yellow + Purple
Blue + Orange
One of the best things you can do with complimentary colors is create a
wide range of different colors by combining more of one than the other.
When you do this you will be able to change the hue of the dominant color.
For example, if you want to create a darker red, add a bit of green.
Youll be surprised by how the color changes:
However, be aware that the way the red is darkened depends on the type
of green used. If the green is more of a yellow-green, the resulting red
will have a more orange look to it. If the green is more of a blue-green,
the resulting red will have a more purple look to it. This is true with all
the colors on the color wheel and presents a great opportunity to experi-
ment and see just how many values you can create.
yellow green
blue green
+
+
+ =
=
=
By using the information on the color wheel you can begin to train your
eye to see colors in a whole new way. Lets take a look at this leaf for
a moment:
Upon first seeing it, most would say it was green. But take a moment
to really look at it. Can you see the yellow in it? What about the blue?
If you were to draw this leaf with colored pencils, you wouldnt just
color it flat green. You may add some brilliant blue to help define an
edge, or color an entire area yellow because thats the color it really is,
even though your mind sees it as all green. The more you observe your
surroundings the greater the variety of colors you will notice in everyday
objects.
For most people who arent familiar working with color, their first instinct
may be to add black to a color to make it darker. When you are paint-
ing or drawing, you may see a shadow on a red table cloth and want to
add black to make it darker. But really take a look. If you just add a
bit of green to that red, you will achieve a much more realistic shadow.
Try it out! I never use black in my paintings and drawings, even if I
am painting an object that is black. I find that I can create a much
richer, interesting black by combining colors rather than just using what
comes out of a tube. It provides variation, which is a more accurate
portrayal of the object. If you look at a dark or black object, its not
all black. You will notice different colors. Begin to train your eye to
look for these different colors.
Understanding the color wheel and how different colors work together will
inform your art and design. It also comes in handy when putting together
an outfit! Print out the chart on the next page and keep your color
wheel by your desk, in your creative space or on your fridge. Get to know
it well. Color is everywhere, so take notice and enjoy it!
Email:
Laura@wedesignstudios.com David@wedesignstudios.com
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