Secondary colors are created by mixing two primary colors. The primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. When you mix two primary colors, you get a secondary color. For example, if you mix red and blue, you get purple. If you mix red and yellow, you get orange. If you mix blue and yellow, you get green. So the three secondary colors are purple, orange, and green. Understanding how secondary colors are made helps explain the basics of color theory.
What are Primary Colors?
The primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. These are called primary colors because they cannot be created by mixing other colors. All other colors are derived from these 3 primary colors.
| Primary Color | Color Wheel Position |
|---|---|
| Red | 0° |
| Yellow | 60° |
| Blue | 240° |
The primary colors sit 120° apart on the color wheel. They form the vertices of the color triangle. All other colors are mixtures of adjacent primary colors.
What are Secondary Colors?
Secondary colors are created by mixing two primary colors equally. There are 3 secondary colors:
| Secondary Color | Mix | Color Wheel Position |
|---|---|---|
| Purple | Red + Blue | 300° |
| Green | Yellow + Blue | 120° |
| Orange | Red + Yellow | 30° |
On the color wheel, secondary colors are midway between the primary colors that make them up. For example, orange is midway between red and yellow at 30° on the wheel.
Mixing Primary Pigments Creates Secondary Colors
When working with paints and pigments, you can demonstrate secondary colors by physically mixing primaries:
| Mix | Makes |
|---|---|
| Red + Blue | Purple |
| Yellow + Blue | Green |
| Red + Yellow | Orange |
For example, mix red and yellow paint, and you get orange paint. The more paint you mix, the darker the secondary shade becomes. Mixing pigments is an easy way to visualize how secondary colors are derived from primaries.
Light Mixing Produces Secondary Color Hues
Mixing colored lights works the same way as mixing pigments. The primary colors of light are red, green, and blue. Mixing two primary light colors produces the following secondary colors:
| Mix | Makes |
|---|---|
| Red + Blue | Magenta |
| Green + Blue | Cyan |
| Red + Green | Yellow |
Televisions and computer monitors create all colors by mixing red, green, and blue light. So understanding how mixing light primaries generates secondaries explains the science behind color TVs and displays.
The Properties of Secondary Colors
Secondary colors have their own unique properties when it comes to color theory:
- Secondary colors are midway between the primaries that create them.
- They occupy the middle level of the color triangle between primaries.
- Mixing equal parts primary colors produces a vivid secondary.
- Mixing unequal parts makes a tertiary color.
- Mixing all 3 secondary colors produces a neutral dark brown.
- Secondary colors are not as visually dominant as primaries.
- They convey warmer, softer qualities than primaries.
Understanding these qualities allows artists to wield secondary colors for specific effects when painting, designing, or mixing pigments.
Harmonious Color Schemes Use Secondary Colors
One common application of secondary colors is in color harmonies. Color harmonies use related colors for aesthetically pleasing effects.
Some examples of harmonies using secondary colors include:
- Analogous – uses colors next to each other on the color wheel, such as red, orange, and yellow
- Complementary – pairs contrasting colors opposite each other, like purple and yellow
- Split Complementary – uses one color plus the two on either side of its complement, like orange, blue, and green.
Secondary colors allow
