Green is a primary color that can be found in nature and is used frequently in design. Understanding what colors contain green can help artists, designers, and anyone looking to use color more effectively. In this article, we’ll explore what colors include green and how those colors are used.
Overview of Green
On the visual spectrum, green falls in the middle, between blue and yellow. In the traditional RYB (red, yellow, blue) color model, green is a secondary color, created by mixing yellow and blue. In modern RGB (red, green, blue) and CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color systems, green is one of the primary colors.
Green is strongly associated with nature, growth, renewal, health, and the environment. It’s considered a cool, calming color and is often used to represent nature, wealth, stability, and tranquility. Darker shades of green are also seen as traditional and conservative.
In design and art, green is extremely versatile and can be paired with many other colors. It’s popular in interior design, fashion, marketing, packaging, and web design.
Secondary Colors with Green
Secondary colors are created by mixing two primary colors together. The three secondary colors are green, orange, and purple.
Here are the secondary colors that contain green:
Blue-Green
Blue-green is made by mixing blue and green. It’s a cool color associated with water, nature, renewal, and energy. Light blue-green shades are peaceful and calming, while darker shades take on more mystique and sophistication.
Blue-green works well with neutral colors like white, black, gray, and brown. It also pairs nicely with orange, yellow, pink, and purple.
Yellow-Green
Yellow-green results from mixing yellow and green. It’s a bright, cheerful color that conveys growth, harmony, and vitality. Lighter yellow-greens remind people of spring and renewal, while darker shades have an earthy, mossy feel.
Yellow-green combines well with blues, purples, warm neutrals, and other shades of green. It’s commonly used in interior design and advertising.
Tertiary Colors with Green
Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary and secondary color. There are six tertiary colors, three of which contain green. These are:
Yellow-Green
Yellow-green (sometimes called chartreuse) is made by mixing yellow with green. As a tertiary color, yellow-green sits between the primary yellow and secondary green. It’s a vivid, intense color that represents vitality, growth, and harmony.
In design, yellow-green can be paired with blues, neutrals, pinks, and purples. It’s often used in nature-inspired design and marketing.
Blue-Green
Blue-green is a mix of the primary blue and secondary green. It’s associated with water, nature, plants, and renewal. Light blue-greens are soothing and calming, while darker shades have more depth.
Blue-green is extremely versatile and works well with neutrals, oranges, yellows, pinks, and purples. It’s widely used in interior design.
Green-Yellow
Green-yellow comes from mixing green with yellow. It’s a bright, vibrant tertiary color that conveys youth, vibrancy, and clarity. Lighter shades remind people of new growth and renewal.
Green-yellow pairs nicely with blues, purples, and pinks. It’s a fun accent color that adds energy to any design.
Tints of Green
A tint is created when white is added to a pure hue. This lightens the color and decreases saturation. Some examples of green tints are:
Mint Green
Mint green is a pale, cool green with strong associations of freshness and clarity. It works well in bathrooms, kitchens, or paired with pink.
Honeydew
Honeydew is a very pale, sweet green reminiscent of the melon of the same name. It has a soft, soothing effect.
Lime Green
Lime green is a bright, vivid green, lighter and more yellow than traditional green. It conveys energy and vitality.
Seafoam Green
Seafoam green is a pale, blue-tinged green that reminds people of ocean waves. It’s a popular color for beach house decor.
Shades of Green
A shade is produced when black is added to a pure color. This darkens the color and lowers brightness. Some shades of green are:
Forest Green
Forest green is a very dark shade reminiscent of pine trees. It feels traditional and masculine.
Army Green
Army green is a drab olive shade associated with military uniforms and gear. It conveys ruggedness and durability.
Jade
Jade is a rich, jewel-toned shade of green. It represents luxury, wealth, and sophistication.
Sage
Sage is grayish muted green that calls to mind the culinary herb. It’s earthy and soothing.
Tones of Green
A tone is produced by adding both gray and the original hue to a pure color. This creates soft, muted shades.
Olive
Olive is a dusky, grayish green reminiscent of olives. It has a natural, neutral effect.
Moss
Moss green has brownish-gray undertones, evoking mosses found in nature. It feels earthy and rustic.
Emerald
Emerald is a luxurious mid-tone green, darker than mint but lighter than forest green. It conveys wealth and prestige.
Avocado
Avocado is muted, yellow-tinged green, similar to the color of avocado flesh. It has retro, 70s connotations.
Complementary Colors
Complementary colors are located directly across from each on the color wheel. They create very striking contrasts when paired together. The complementary color of green is red.
Green and red are bold, high contrast opposites. They represent conflicting concepts like organic vs. man-made, nature vs. civilization. When combined carefully, they can convey excitement and make things stand out.
Some color combinations that include green and red are:
- Emerald and crimson
- Forest green and scarlet
- Mint and cherry red
- Lime green and ruby
These pairings work well in designs where you want high visual contrast, like warning signs, holiday motifs, posters, and website CTAs. However, red and green should be balanced carefully to avoid clashing.
Split Complementary Colors
The split complementary color scheme uses one base color and two colors on either side of the complement. For green, this would be:
- Green
- Red-orange
- Red-violet
This creates a more subtle and pleasing contrast than a straight complementary pairing. It provides enough contrast to make things stand out without being jarring.
Some examples of green split complementary schemes are:
- Hunter green, vermilion, and magenta
- Mint, peach, and raspberry
- Lime, orange-red, and burgundy
The split complementary color scheme works well for graphic design, web pages, interior design, and displays where you want a vibrant, exciting color palette.
Analogous Colors
Analogous colors sit directly next to each other on the color wheel. Analogous color schemes tend to be pleasant and harmonious because the colors are so closely related.
For green, this would include:
- Green
- Yellow-green
- Blue-green
Some examples of analogous palettes with green are:
- Forest green, olive, teal
- Lime, chartreuse, seafoam
- Hunter green, avocado, turquoise
Analogous colors work extremely well together in all kinds of designs. They create a cohesive, harmonious look and feel.
Triadic Colors
A triadic scheme uses three colors evenly spaced around the color wheel. For green, this includes:
- Green
- Red
- Purple
Some examples of triadic schemes with green are:
- Jade, scarlet, and violet
- Mint, crimson, and lilac
- Pine green, ruby, and orchid
Triadic color harmonies are vibrant, energetic, and contrasting. Carefully balancing the colors is important to avoid visual tension. But triadic schemes can be striking when skillfully executed.
Tetradic/Rectangle Colors
Tetradic color schemes use four colors arranged into a rectangle on the color wheel. Tetrads create bold, edgy visual effects.
For green, a tetrad might include:
- Green
- Red
- Blue
- Orange
Some examples include:
- Mint, scarlet, navy, peach
- Moss, crimson, cobalt, amber
- Lime, vermilion, lapis, tangerine
Tetrads pack a visual punch, but balancing the colors is key. Used skillfully, tetrads can be very dramatic and eye-catching.
Conclusion
Green is an extremely versatile color that appears in many shades, tints, tones, and color harmonies. Key types of colors that contain green are:
- Secondary colors like blue-green and yellow-green
- Tertiary colors including green-yellow and blue-green
- Tints like mint, honeydew, and seafoam green
- Shades like sage, jade, and army green
- Tones including moss and olive green
- Complementary, triadic, analogous, and tetradic harmonies
Green is endlessly mixable, pairing nicely with bright warm tones as well as muted cool tones. Whether you seek harmonious, vibrant, retro, or luxurious color schemes, there are many options with green. Understanding the wide range of greens and color relationships opens up a world of possibilities for graphic, interior, fashion, and web designers alike.
