Colors play an important role in our lives. We are surrounded by colors everywhere we go. Colors influence our moods, emotions, and behaviors. They are also an important part of art, design, and fashion.
There are primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors. Primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. They cannot be created by mixing other colors. Secondary colors are orange, green, and purple. They are created by mixing two primary colors. Tertiary colors are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color that is adjacent to it on the color wheel.
What are intermediate colors?
Intermediate colors, also known as tertiary colors, are the colors formed by mixing a primary and secondary color. There are 9 intermediate colors that complete the color wheel and fall between the primary and secondary colors.
The 9 intermediate colors are:
- Yellow-orange
- Orange-red
- Red-purple
- Blue-purple
- Blue-green
- Green-yellow
- Yellow-green
- Red-orange
- Purple-blue
These 9 colors blend the primary and secondary colors together to create subtle variations. Let’s take a closer look at how each intermediate color is created.
How are intermediate colors created?
Intermediate colors are created by mixing adjacent primary and secondary colors on the color wheel. Each intermediate color consists of a primary color and the secondary color that lies next to it.
Here is how each of the 9 intermediate colors is created:
| Intermediate Color | Created By Mixing |
|---|---|
| Yellow-orange | Yellow + Orange |
| Orange-red | Orange + Red |
| Red-purple | Red + Purple |
| Blue-purple | Blue + Purple |
| Blue-green | Blue + Green |
| Green-yellow | Green + Yellow |
| Yellow-green | Yellow + Green |
| Red-orange | Red + Orange |
| Purple-blue | Purple + Blue |
As you can see, each intermediate color consists of a primary color and the secondary color that is next to it on the color wheel. For example, yellow and orange are adjacent colors, so mixing them creates the intermediate color yellow-orange.
Color wheel showing intermediate colors
Here is a color wheel showing where the 9 intermediate colors fit:
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As you move around the color wheel, each intermediate color lies between a primary and secondary color. Knowing how to mix the intermediate colors helps artists and designers gradually transition from one color to the next.
Characteristics of intermediate colors
Intermediate colors blend the characteristics of their parent primary and secondary colors. Here are some notable features of intermediate colors:
- They have a lower color intensity than primary and secondary colors.
- They are not as vivid as primary or secondary hues.
- They have a muddy or grayish tone since they mix a primary and secondary together.
- They create subtle variations between the main colors.
- They provide gradation between different color families.
Intermediate colors have a lower chroma and seem somewhat dull compared to pure primary and secondary hues. They are not as bold but have their own unique characteristics.
Uses and applications of intermediate colors
Here are some of the main uses and applications of intermediate colors:
- Shading and highlighting – Artists use intermediates to shade and highlight, creating subtle transitions between lighter and darker values.
- Gradual color changes – Intermediates allow gradual color changes in designs, paintings, illustrations, etc. They create nuance and prevent harsh jumps between hues.
- Color mixing – Intermediate colors help with mixing to achieve precise color shades. Mixing intermediates requires less adjustment than mixing primaries.
- Nature themes – Intermediate earth tones mimic natural colors like stone, wood, foliage, etc. They capture organic nuance.
- Subtle accents – Using intermediates as accents adds subtle interest without being overpowering.
- Bridge colors – Blended intermediates can bridge between complementary colors creating pleasant transitions.
Intermediates bring nuance, gradation, and subtlety to designs and artwork. Blending intermediate hues creates elegant combinations.
Intermediate color schemes and examples
Intermediate colors can be used in various color schemes and combinations:
- Monochromatic – Multiple intermediates from a single primary or secondary color (e.g. light blue to mid blue to dark blue).
- Analogous – Intermediates adjacent on the wheel used together (e.g. orange, yellow-orange, yellow).
- Complementary – Intermediate with its complement (e.g. blue-green and red-orange).
- Triadic – 3 equidistant intermediates on the wheel (e.g. red-orange, yellow-green, blue-purple).
- Tetradic – 2 pairs of complementary intermediates (e.g. purple-blue and yellow-orange, red-orange and blue-green).
Here are some examples of intermediate colors used in various contexts:
- A painting of a sunset could blend red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, and yellow.
- A retro graphic design may use red-purple, purple-blue, blue-green, and green-yellow.
- An earthy product package could incorporate yellow-orange, orange-red, red-purple, and blue-purple.
- A nature photograph highlights greens, using green-yellow, yellow-green, blue-green.
- A textile design combines analogous yellow-orange, orange, red-orange.
Intermediate color combinations create natural, nuanced palettes that are visually pleasing.
Mixing intermediate colors
It takes some practice to mix intermediates accurately. Here are some tips:
- Start with a small amount of each parent color.
- Add more of the dominant color you want.
- Adjust by adding the lesser color until balanced.
- Aim for a hue between the two parent colors.
- Mixing complementary parents takes more blending to neutralize them.
- Mixing analogous parents requires less adjustment.
- White paint lightens and greys the mixture.
- Black paint darkens and mutes the mixture.
Checking a color wheel helps identify the needed parent colors. Allow mixtures to dry to see the true resulting intermediate color. With practice, you’ll learn how to create all 9 intermediates.
Intermediate vs primary, secondary, and tertiary colors
It’s easy to confuse intermediate colors with primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Here’s a comparison:
- Primary – Red, blue, yellow. Pure hues that cannot be mixed.
- Secondary – Orange, green, purple. Created by mixing two primaries.
- Intermediate – Red-orange, yellow-green, etc. Created by mixing a primary and secondary.
- Tertiary – Different tones of a primary or secondary created by adding white/black.
Primaries and secondaries are pure, vivid hues. Intermediates are subtle blends of a primary and secondary. Tertiaries are color shades.
Conclusion
The 9 intermediate colors – yellow-orange, orange-red, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green, green-yellow, yellow-green, red-orange, and purple-blue – fill the gaps between the primary and secondary colors on the color wheel. Intermediates blend the characteristics of the two parent colors they are mixed from. They have lower color intensity but create nuanced gradations. Intermediate colors are widely used in art, design, and other fields to create subtle color transitions.
With some practice mixing parent primaries and secondaries, you can learn to create flowing intermediate color combinations.
