The RYB (red, yellow, blue) color wheel is a traditional color model used by artists for mixing pigments. It arranging the primary pigment colors red, yellow, and blue in a triangular format to show their relationship. Understanding the RYB color wheel helps artists visualize color relationships for mixing paints and other pigmented media.
Primary Colors in the RYB System
The primary colors in the RYB color wheel are red, yellow and blue. These colors can’t be created by mixing other colors, but all other colors can be formed by mixing these three pigments. Here’s an overview of each primary:
- Red – A warm, intense color on the color wheel located between orange and violet. Vermilion or cadmium red are common pure red pigments.
- Yellow – A bright, light color between green and orange on the wheel. Lemon yellow and cadmium yellow are classic yellow pigments.
- Blue – A cool, calming color between violet and green on the wheel. Ultramarine and phthalocyanine are commonly used pure blue pigments.
In the RYB system, red, yellow and blue are equidistant on the color wheel, forming a color triangle with 120° between each color. This reflects their balanced nature as primary colors.
Secondary Colors
Mixing two primary colors creates the secondary colors orange, green and violet in the RYB system. Here’s how they are made:
- Orange – Mixing red and yellow pigments makes orange, located between red and yellow on the wheel.
- Green – Mixing yellow and blue makes green, found between yellow and blue.
- Violet – Combining red and blue makes violet, located between red and blue.
Secondary colors are directly between their parent primaries on the RYB wheel, reflecting that they are made by blending those two colors in equal proportions.
Tertiary Colors
Tertiary colors are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color adjacent to it on the wheel. For example:
- Red-violet – Mixing red and violet pigments.
- Blue-violet – Blending blue and violet.
- Blue-green – Combining blue and green.
- Yellow-green – Mixing yellow and green.
- Yellow-orange – Blending yellow and orange.
- Red-orange – Mixing red and orange.
These are called tertiary because they use a “third” color component to modify the primary or secondary color. There are 6 tertiary colors, each named for the primary and secondary colors used to make them.
Color Basics According to RYB
Here are some key color concepts according to the RYB color wheel:
- Color mixing – Using RYB as primaries, all other colors can be obtained by mixing red, yellow and blue pigments.
- Warm and cool colors – Warm colors like red, orange and yellow are on one side of the wheel, while cool colors like blue, green and violet are on the other side.
- Complementary colors – These are colors opposite each other on the wheel, like red and green. They create a striking contrast.
- Analogous colors – Analogous colors are located next to each other on the color wheel, like blue, blue-violet and violet.
- Color harmony – Pleasing color combinations like analogous and triadic (3 colors evenly spaced on the wheel) can be devised.
These core concepts help artists use the RYB color wheel to its full potential for mixing color and creating harmonious color schemes.
RYB vs. RGB Color Models
The RYB color wheel is a subtractive color model used in pigment mixing, while the RGB (red, green, blue) model is an additive color system used with light. Here is a comparison between the two:
| RYB Color Wheel | RGB Color Model |
|---|---|
| Used for mixing paints, dyes and other pigments | Used for mixing light such as on TVs, computer monitors |
| Subtractive – Colors get darker with mixing | Additive – Colors get lighter when mixed |
| Primary colors are red, yellow, blue | Primary colors are red, green, blue |
| Secondaries are orange, green, violet | Secondaries are cyan, magenta, yellow |
While different, these color models are complementary. Modern digital painting software allows artists to work fluidly with both RYB and RGB color mixtures.
History and Origins
The roots of the RYB color wheel can be traced back to 18th century theories on color and perception. Key historical points include:
- 1704 – Isaac Newton publishes first color wheel with seven colors – ROYGBIV.
- 1810 – Phillip Otto Runge develops color sphere with red, yellow, blue as primary pigments.
- 1858 – Moses Harris publishes early color wheel showing red, yellow and blue as primary colors.
- 1872 – Ogden Rood modernizes color wheel theory in his book “Modern Chromatics.”
- Early 1900s – RYB color wheel widely taught in art schools and texts.
While not entirely scientifically accurate, the intuitive simplicity of the RYB color wheel made it a standard for teaching color theory in traditional arts education.
Uses and Applications
Some key uses of the RYB color wheel system include:
- Mixing paint – Allows artists to mix a wide range of hues using only red, yellow and blue pigments.
- Choosing paints – Helps artists select appropriate red, yellow and blue paints as the foundation of a palette.
- Learning color theory – Visualizing color relationships on the wheel builds intuition.
- Color schemes – Provides guidance for picking harmonious or dynamic color combinations.
- Digital painting – Digital artists apply RYB color mixing concepts, even when working in RGB.
- Design – Some designers use RYB schemes for branding, product design, etc.
From traditional painting to modern digital art, the RYB color wheel remains an invaluable tool for both understanding and applying color theory.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Some key pros and cons of the RYB color wheel include:
Benefits
- Intuitive and easy to understand
- Practical for mixing paints and pigments
- Allows a wide range of colors to be mixed from three primaries
- Useful for learning fundamentals of color theory
Drawbacks
- Not scientifically accurate like more modern color models
- Blue pigment needed to make an effective green is lacking
- Mixing highly saturated primaries often makes muddy secondaries
- Harder to mix very dark or very light colors
While imperfect, the RYB color wheel remains popular for its simplicity and practicality when working with paints. Modern color theory has moved beyond RYB, but it still serves an important educational purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the primary colors different in RYB vs. RGB?
RYB primaries are based on pigment mixing, while RGB refers to mixing light. Red, yellow and blue pigments were most easily available historically. Red, green and blue wavelengths correspond with the human eye’s color receptors.
Can you mix any color using RYB primaries?
Yes, RYB allows artists to mix a wide spectrum, but not the deepest blacks, whites or extremely bright/saturated colors. Additional pigments help fill these gaps.
Is the RYB color wheel still used by modern artists?
Many artists still learn RYB as color foundation, but also draw from more modern color theory. RYB remains useful for mixing paints on a palette.
What are the tertiary colors in RYB color wheel?
Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary and adjacent secondary. For example, red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, and red-violet.
How do complementary colors work in RYB?
Complementary colors are located opposite each other on the RYB wheel. Common complements are red/green, yellow/violet, and blue/orange which create high contrast.
Conclusion
While dated, the RYB color wheel remains a valuable tool for learning color theory and mixing paints. The simple, intuitive layout allows artists to visualize essential color relationships. Modern color models have surpassed RYB for scientific accuracy, but it still has great utility when working with traditional pigmented media. For the beginner artist, understanding the basics through the RYB color wheel gives a solid foundation in color.
