Yellow is a bright, sunny color that evokes feelings of happiness and optimism. There are many different shades of yellow, ranging from light pastels to deep golds. Determining which specific shades qualify as “yellow” can be subjective, but there are a few key characteristics that define true yellow tones.
Primary Yellow
On the color wheel, primary yellow sits directly between red and green. It is the purest and brightest shade of yellow. There are no hints of other colors mixed in. Some examples of primary yellow shades include:
- Lemon yellow
- Canary yellow
- Sunflower yellow
These vibrant yellows are named after lemons, canaries, and sunflowers respectively. They have a warm, summery feeling and really pop against other colors. Primary yellow is the typical “school bus yellow” that comes to mind when people think of the color.
Secondary Yellow
Secondary yellows are created by mixing the primary colors yellow and green. This results in yellow-greens that are duller and less saturated than primary shades. Common secondary yellows include:
- Chartreuse
- Green-yellow
- Lime yellow
Chartreuse is named after the French liqueur of the same name. It is a bright, almost neon yellow-green. Green-yellow is more subdued while lime yellow has a bolder green tint. Both evoke the colors of nature like limes and leaves.
Tertiary Yellow
Tertiary yellows are made by combining the primary color yellow with secondary colors like orange and green. This creates shades that are still vibrant but not as pure as primary yellow. Some tertiary yellows are:
- Apricot
- Amber
- Goldenrod
Apricot is a warm peachy-yellow named after the fruit. Amber is a golden yellow associated with the fossilized resin. Goldenrod is a greenish-yellow that matches the wildflower of the same name. These tertiary yellows bridge the gap between orange, yellow, and green.
Yellow Pigments
In art and design, different pigments are used to create yellow colors. Common yellow pigments include:
- Cadmium yellow
- Chrome yellow
- Hansa yellow
Cadmium yellow is a bright, pure yellow made with cadmium sulfide. Chrome yellow contains lead chromate and has a deeper, slightly orange tone. Hansa yellow uses organic compounds for an intense, clean yellow.
These pigments produce varying shades when mixed with other colors. Cadmium yellow mixed with white makes a true primary yellow. Chrome yellow mixed with black makes olive green. Hansa yellow mixed with phthalo blue makes a bright green.
Warm and Cool Yellows
Yellow shades can also be categorized by their warmth or coolness. Warm yellows lean towards red/orange while cool yellows lean towards green/blue.
Some warm yellow shades are:
- Gold
- Mustard
- Saffron
Gold and saffron yellows evoke metals, spices, and autumn leaves. Mustard yellow reminds people of the condiment made from yellow mustard seeds.
Some cool yellow shades are:
- Lemon chiffon
- Maize
- Blonde
Lemon chiffon is a very pale, desaturated yellow. Maize is light yellow like corn husks. Blonde yellow reminds people of yellow-toned hair.
Light and Dark Yellows
The brightness and saturation of yellow can also vary, resulting in lighter or darker shades.
Some light yellows include:
- Butter
- Banana
- Daffodil
Butter and banana yellow are tinted with a hint of white. Daffodil yellow is bright like the flower but still light. These pale yellows are cheerful and uplifting.
Some dark yellows include:
- Ochre
- Mustard
- Gamboge
Ochre is an earthy, mineral-like yellow. Mustard is richer than classic bright mustard yellow. Gamboge is a greenish hue named after the pigment derived from the gamboge tree.
Common Objects Associated with Yellow
Certain objects in everyday life are linked to the color yellow and can help identify yellow shades.
| Object | Yellow Shade |
|---|---|
| Lemons | Lemony yellow |
| Bananas | Banana yellow |
| Rubber ducks | Ducky yellow |
| Sunflowers | Sunflower yellow |
| School buses | School bus yellow |
| Mustard | Mustard yellow |
Lemons and bananas are bright, primary yellows. Rubber ducks and some toys are a bright, cheery yellow. Sunflowers and school buses are a warmer, golden yellow. Mustard the condiment inspired a distinctly green-tinged yellow.
Yellow in Nature
In the natural world, many plants, animals, and minerals exhibit shades of yellow, including:
- Daffodils
- Bees
- Amber
- Citrine gemstone
- Yellow poplar tree
- Great kiskadee bird
- Yellow tang fish
- Corn
- Lemons
- Bananas
Daffodils and citrine are light yellow. Bees, the great kiskadee bird, and the yellow tang fish have vivid primary yellow coloration. Amber is fossilized tree resin and a deep gold tone. The yellow poplar tree has greenish-yellow leaves. Corn, lemons, and bananas are all edible examples of yellow plants.
Yellow in Branding and Design
In marketing and graphic design, yellow grabs attention and communicates positivity. Some iconic uses of yellow include:
- McDonald’s golden arches
- Best Buy logo
- IKEA shopping bags
- Post-It Notes
- Yellow cabs
McDonald’s and Best Buy use a warm, golden yellow; IKEA and Post-It have a brighter lemon yellow. Taxis in many cities like New York and London are a signature yellow.
Geographical Associations with Yellow
Certain places around the world are closely tied to specific shades of yellow:
- Naples Yellow – A warm, earthy pigment made from volcanic clay near Mount Vesuvius in Naples, Italy.
- Ochre – An ancient clay earth pigment, originally mined by the Ochre Cliffs of Roussillon, France.
- Maize – The pale corn color associated with the Midwest farmlands of America.
- Saffron – The distinctive yellow spice from the Crocus sativus flower, cultivated in southern Europe.
- Amber – Fossilized tree resin found along the Baltic coasts of countries like Poland and Russia.
- Canary Yellow – Referencing the yellow canary birds of the Canary Islands, Spain.
These natural yellow hues became associated with the geology, agriculture, fauna, and culture of different regions over time.
Yellow in Various Cultures
Yellow has symbolism attached to it in cultures and traditions across the globe:
- In China, yellow represents royalty and power.
- In Egypt, yellow symbolized eternal life and was closely tied to gold.
- In Japan, yellow is associated with courage and has honorific meaning.
- In Mexico, yellow represents death and mourning.
- In Western cultures, yellow signifies joy, optimism, and imagination.
While yellow evokes positive concepts like sunshine and vitality in many societies, in some cultures it has very different connotations related to religion, the afterlife, mysticism, and mythology.
Yellow in Art History
Many famous artists incorporated different shades of yellow into their paintings. Some notable examples include:
- Sunflowers (1888) – Vincent Van Gogh used vivid yellows for his iconic still life painting of sunflowers.
- The Starry Night (1889) – Van Gogh painted the moon and stars with light lemon yellow.
- Wheatfield with Crows (1890) – In another Van Gogh landscape, yellow wheat fields contrast dark blue skies.
- Vase of Sunflowers (1881) – Paul Gauguin painted a ceramic vase holding golden yellow sunflowers.
- The Egg (1911) – In this dreamlike work, Franz Marc used golden yellow to portray an mythical, abstracted animal.
Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Franz Marc used the color yellow extensively in theirPost-Impressionist and Expressionist works to capture light as well as emotion and imagination.
Conclusion
In summary, yellow is a dynamic color with many shades ranging from the primary lemon yellow to the secondary lime green. Yellow can be warm or cool, light or dark, natural or artificial.
It has a complex symbolism across cultures. From the sunflower fields of Van Gogh to the golden arches of fast food, different yellow hues convey joy and optimism while retaining links to nature.