Mathematics of the Color Wheel

Mathematics of the Color Wheel

In order to master color mixing, you need to understand the mathematics of the color wheel.

There are three primary colors: yellow, red, and green - a triad. If you mix these three colors together in equal proportions, you get a neutral gray color.

Each primary color has an opposite color, also called its complementary color . What is an opposite or complementary color?

A complementary color is made by mixing the two remaining primaries. For example, the opposite color of red is a mixture of blue and yellow, which is green. 

Can you guess what the opposite colors are for the other two colors? These resulting hues are known as secondary colors.

Now, why is this important?

Pure pigments tend to be very bright, yet in nature, we rarely see such intense colors, so we need to learn how to "soften", or "mute", bright unnatural colors. This is where complementary colors come in: adding a bit of green to red, for instance, nudges it closer to a neutral gray, making it appear less intense.

But that’s just the beginning, the color wheel holds even more valuable insights, but we’ll explore those next time. For now, grab three colors - such as blue cobalt, yellow (not lemon), and neutral red - and experiment!

Summary

Complementary colors mute each other, helping you create more natural, balanced tones.