Green is a secondary color that is made by mixing the primary colors blue and yellow. It sits in the center of the color wheel, with warm colors like red and orange on one side, and cool colors like blue and purple on the other. When it comes to color theory, opposite colors on the wheel are considered complementary colors. This means they neutralize each other when mixed, resulting in a gray or brown shade. So what color does green neutralize? The direct complementary or opposite of green on the color wheel is red. Mixing green and red paint or light will neutralize both colors.
The Color Wheel
The color wheel is a visual representation of color theory and how colors interact. The primary colors are red, blue and yellow. Secondary colors like green, orange, and purple are made by mixing two primary colors. Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary and secondary color. Colors adjacent to each other on the wheel, like blue and green, are analogous colors. They create harmony and gradient when used together. However, opposite colors like green and red neutralize each other. This is because they contain completely different wavelengths of light that cancel each other out.
| Primary Colors | Secondary Colors | Tertiary Colors |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Green | Red-orange |
| Blue | Orange | Blue-green |
| Yellow | Purple | Yellow-orange |
When looking at the color wheel, red and green are located opposite each other. This means they complement and neutralize each other. The same logic applies to yellow and purple, and blue and orange. All opposite colors cancel each other out.
Color Mixing Basics
Mixing paint colors is a common way to demonstrate how opposites neutralize each other. Take green and red paint and mix them together, and you’ll end up with a brown or gray color. The green and red pigments absorb each other’s light wavelengths, muting the brightness of both colors. With light mixing, such as on a computer screen, mixing full green and full red light will result in black or a very dark gray. This concept applies to all opposite colors.
Another way opposite colors neutralize is by balancing each other. So if you have a bright red couch, adding green pillows will make the red appear more muted and neutral. The green balances the brightness of the red. This is why choosing complementary colors is an important interior design technique for balance.
| Color 1 | Color 2 | Mixed Color |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Red | Brown/Gray |
| Orange | Blue | Brown/Gray |
| Yellow | Purple | Brown/Gray |
As seen in the table above, opposite colors result in a brown or gray when mixed together, either with paint, light, or placed side by side. The colors balance and mute each other.
Advanced Color Theory
When looking at more advanced color models like RYB or CMYK, the same concept applies – opposites neutralize.
With RYB primary colors, the complement of green is red-violet. Mixing a green and red-violet paint will create a neutralized muddy brown.
In CMYK printing, green is made from cyan and yellow inks. The opposite of green is magenta ink. Mixing cyan, yellow and magenta inks in equal amounts results in gray.
So regardless of the color model, the complementary color that neutralizes green is the one located opposite it on the color wheel or model. Red, red-violet, and magenta are all examples of direct complements to green based on various color systems.
Real World Examples
There are many real world examples of how the complementary color red neutralizes green:
- Makeup – Green tinted foundations are neutralized with a red corrector underneath.
- Landscaping – Red flowers help balance bright green bushes and shrubs.
- Interior design – A red couch looks more subdued against a green wall.
- Clothing – Red pants offset a green top.
- Photography – Red filters are used to absorb excess green light.
- Food coloring – Adding a drop of red food dye will tone down bright green icing or cake batter.
Red is a direct complement that can neutralize and balance the brightness of green in any situation. This helps create more pleasing balanced colors.
Exceptions
It’s worth noting that not all shades of red will neutralize all shades of green. For example, a bright kelly green may be too vibrant to be fully neutralized by a pale pinkish red. The intensities need to be similar for the colors to completely cancel out.
Additionally, brown contains undertones of both red and green. So in some cases mixing the two can yield a brownish muddy color rather than pure grey. Mixing paint is the best way to control the balance and ensure a neutralized shade.
With light mixing, very pale tints of green and red will not create black, but rather a light beige or tan when blended. So the saturation of the colors impacts how much they neutralize each other. But in general, full strength green and full strength red will create a neutral gray or black.
Conclusion
When looking at the color wheel, red sits directly opposite green. This means it is green’s complementary color and will neutralize it when mixed. The brightness of green and red cancel each other out, resulting in a muted gray, brown or black shade. This applies to mixing paint, light, or pairing red and green objects together. Red is able to balance out and neutralize the intensity of green due to being a full complementary color. Understanding color relationships helps create beautiful palettes and color combinations.