The color wheel is a visual representation of color theory that shows the relationships between colors. Early versions of the color wheel emerged in the 18th century and have evolved over time as our understanding of color theory has developed. The original color wheel is credited to Sir Isaac Newton, who in 1666 first mapped the color spectrum into a circle. Since then, many artists, scientists and theorists have expanded on Newton’s color circle to create more complex color wheels.
Newton’s Color Circle
In 1666, Sir Isaac Newton conducted his famous prism experiments, in which he refracted sunlight into a rainbow spectrum and mapped the visible colors in a circular diagram. Newton’s color circle was the first circular diagram showing the visible spectrum of colors, arranging the colors in the order of the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Newton associated each color with a musical note, creating a chromatic scale. His color circle demonstrated that color is found in a continuous spectrum and that the primary colors are red, yellow and blue. This was foundational in the development of color theory.
Goethe’s Theory of Color
In 1810, German writer and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published his Theory of Colours. This influential work contained an extensively researched critique of Newton’s color theory.
Goethe rejected Newton’s particle theory of light and instead viewed color as arising from the dynamic interplay of light and dark. He created a color wheel showing the transition from light to dark in the spectrum. Goethe’s color wheel arranged colors in oppositional pairs, such as yellow and violet or orange and blue.
| Light spectrum colors | Dark spectrum colors |
| Yellow | Violet |
| Orange | Blue |
Goethe’s color theory introduced the idea of a color’s ‘luminance’ (lightness) and ‘saturation’ (purity). This influence later color models by Munsell, Ostwald and others.
The RYB Color Model
Many early color wheels were based on red, yellow and blue (RYB) as the primary colors. This model evolved from Newton’s original color circle and became popular during the 18th-19th centuries.
The RYB color wheel arranges primary and secondary colors as follows:
| Primary | Secondary |
| Red | Orange |
| Yellow | Green |
| Blue | Violet |
The RYB color model works well for mixing paint pigments. However, later color science showed that magenta, yellow and cyan are the true primary colors for light. This led to the development of new color models.
Munsell’s Color System
In the early 20th century, artist and professor Albert H. Munsell created one of the first systematic approaches to defining colors based on hue, saturation and lightness. He published his Munsell Book of Color in 1915.
Munsell’s system organized five principal hues into a modified color wheel: red, yellow, green, blue and purple. Neutral gray values were placed in the center, while saturation increased outwards from the center. This three-dimensional model influenced modern color space concepts.
The CMY and CMYK Color Models
In the 1930s, new color models emerged based on cyan, magenta and yellow as the primary colors of pigmented inks and dyes. This reflected the growing printing and marketing industries.
The CMY color model forms the basis of most printing systems today. When black (K) is added to expand contrast, the color model is called CMYK. Both models allow a wide range of colors to be reproduced using just these 4 inks.
| Color Model | Primaries |
|---|---|
| CMY | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow |
| CMYK | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black |
Modern CMY and CMYK color wheels show how these muted primaries combine to form brighter secondary and tertiary colors.
The RGB Color Model
The RGB (red, green, blue) color model was developed for television and computer displays in the late 1960s. Red, green and blue are the primary colors perceived by the human eye that allow us to see the full range of hues.
By mixing varying intensities of red, green and blue light, all the colors seen on a screen can be reproduced. RGB forms the basis for color graphics and imaging today.
The RGB color wheel shows the primary and secondary colors of this additive model:
| Primary | Secondary |
| Red | Yellow |
| Green | Cyan |
| Blue | Magenta |
The HSV/B Color Model
HSV (hue, saturation, value), also known as HSB (hue, saturation, brightness) is a cylindrical-coordinate color model that emerged in the 1970s. It models colors similarly to how the human eye tends to perceive color.
In the HSV color wheel, the hue circles the vertical axis, while saturation increases towards the edges and value increases upwards. This mimics how colors appear brighter, darker or more saturated in nature. HSV provides an intuitive model for color selection applications.
The CIELAB Color Space
Developed in 1976, CIELAB (also known as CIE L*a*b* or sometimes Lab color space) is a 3-dimensional model used today to define colors objectively. It is able to define millions of discernible colors based on how human vision interprets lightness, red/green and yellow/blue components.
Colors can thus be precisely defined using measurable CIELAB coordinates. This allows the definition of color differences and color matching across different mediums and materials. CIELAB forms the foundation for many modern applications in imaging, graphics, color management, vision research and other fields.
Conclusion
The color wheel has evolved from Newton’s original color circle based on the visible spectrum into complex, multidimensional models that precisely define colors according to human perception. The development of the color wheel reflects increasing understanding of color theory, vision science, technology and practical applications across many fields.
From early RYB and CMY models to sophisticated spaces like CIELAB, color wheels remain a visual tool to conceptualize color relationships. The color wheel continues to have relevance today, with color science constantly expanding our understanding of how we see, interpret and apply color in the world around us.
