The combination of blue and green makes a new color called blue-green or cyan. When blue and green light mixes together, the result is a bright cyan color. When blue and green pigments or paints are combined, they make a more muted blue-green shade. The exact hue that results depends on the proportion of blue and green used. Equal parts blue and green creates a balanced cyan. More blue shifts it toward a greenish-blue cyan. More green results in a bluish-green cyan.
The Color Wheel
On the traditional color wheel used by artists, blue and green are located next to each other. The color directly between them is cyan. In color theory, colors opposite each other on the wheel are called complementary colors. Blue and green are not precisely opposite, but they are close to being complementary. Their combination reinforces the vibrancy of each color.
Light vs. Pigment
When working with light such as on TV screens or theater lighting, combining colors is additive. The more colors you add, the closer you get to white light. Starting with blue light and adding green light makes cyan. Add red light to cyan and you get white light.
With paints and pigments, combining colors is subtractive. The more you mix together, the darker the result. Cyan paint absorbs red light and reflects blue and green. When all colors are combined, you get black.
Cyan in Nature
In nature, cyan is a rare color since blue and green pigments don’t often occur together in plants and minerals. One exception is the cyanide crystal, which is colorless but refracts blue and green light. Animals like peacocks and butterflies can create cyan through structural colors that reflect blue and green from microscopic structures on their feathers and wings.
Cyan in Art
Cyan has been used in art for thousands of years, but early artists didn’t have a name for the color. In ancient Egyptian art, blue and green pigments were often mixed, resulting in blue-green colors. During the Renaissance, painters began systematically mixing colors and recognized cyan as its own distinct hue. The Impressionists greatly expanded the artistic use of broken color, mixing small brushstrokes of blue, green, and other colors to capture light effects. This led to widespread use of vivid cyans.
Cyan Dyes and Pigments
Early cyan dyes were derived from plants. Woad and indigo produced blues while organic yellow dyes mixed with blue created greenish cyans. In the 18th century, chemists created the first synthetic cyan dye, a copper and arsenic compound called Scheele’s green. In the 19th century, synthetic blue and green aniline dyes enabled consistent cyan colors. Modern phthalocyanine pigments allow pure cyan colors unavailable with organic pigments.
Cyan in Printing
Cyan, magenta, and yellow are the primary colors used for color printing and photography. Using cyan ink allows a full range of blue, green, and cyan colors to be reproduced. Before synthetic cyan pigments, printers hand-mixed blue and green inks which made color reproduction unreliable. Cyan is especially important for reproducing greens since green inks are still difficult to formulate. For painting, cyan is considered a secondary color created by mixing two primaries, but in printing it is a primary.
Cyan in Modern Life
Cyan has many uses in science and technology. Cyanotype photography relies on photosensitive iron compounds to create monochrome cyan prints. Cyan is used in color coding wires and measuring pH. The bright glow of cyan fluorescent protein has allowed scientists to study cell functions. Cyan is also an attractive color for marketing and design. Light cyans suggest spring and renewal while deeper cyans are cool and futuristic. Cyan pigments in architecture and art create sensations of tranquility and spirituality. Whatever the use, cyan continues to fascinate us centuries after its discovery.
Cyan Color Theory
Here is a summary of some key color theory facts about cyan:
| Complementary color | Red |
| Analogous colors | Blue, green |
| RGB values | R = 0, G = 255, B = 255 |
| CMYK values | C = 100, M = 0, Y = 0, K = 0 |
| Hex code | #00FFFF |
Cyan vs. Blue and Green
Cyan is made of equal parts blue and green light. Here’s how it compares to its components:
| Color | Hue | Brightness |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 210 degrees | 51% |
| Cyan | 180 degrees | 100% |
| Green | 120 degrees | 59% |
Cyan is brighter than either blue or green due to the additive mixing of light. It sits directly between blue and green on the color wheel.
Shades of Cyan
There is an endless variety of cyan shades depending on the ratio of blue to green. Here are some common terms for different cyans:
| Aqua | Light cyan tinted toward green |
| Blue-green | Cyan balanced between blue and green |
| Cerulean | Medium cyan with slight greenish tint |
| Teal | Darker cyan, bluish-green |
| Cyan (printer’s cyan) | Pure cyan, no blue or green bias |
Cyan Color Palettes
Cyan mixes well with many colors. Here are some examples of attractive color palettes featuring cyan:
Cyan and red: The high contrast creates vibrant, energetic color schemes.
Cyan, orange, and raspberry: These analogous colors have a fun retro feeling.
Light cyan and dark blue: This monochromatic palette is cool and sophisticated.
Cyan, lavender, mint: Pastel versions of these colors give a springtime mood.
Teal, gold, and tan: Earth tones complement the deeper cyan for an organic look.
Psychology of Cyan
Cyan color psychology:
– Fresh, clean, and tranquil
– Associated with water, sky, spring
– Considered refreshing, cool, calming
– Gives feelings of harmony and equilibrium
– Sometimes perceived as cold or clinical
Lighter cyans promote feelings of relaxation and renewal. Darker cyans are grounding and promote stability. Bright cyans in design grab attention while soft cyans recede into the background.
Conclusion
When blue and green light or pigments combine, they produce the vibrant secondary color cyan. This color has been rediscovered by generations of artists and designers. Cyan sits in the transition zone between warm and cool colors, incorporating aspects of both. With endless nuance between its components, cyan continues to fascinate and inspire those who work with color. Whether as a glowing liquid, a glowing computer screen, or a glowing natural wonder, cyan represents the bridge between blue stability and green growth.
