The theory of colour - part 2

The Theory of Colour - Part 2

The Colour Wheel

As we have already learnt, it wasn't until the 17th Century that we began to understand the science behind colour, thanks to the work of Isaac Newton. As a means of explaining his colour theory, he invented the colour wheel to visually represent the colours he had discovered. This has been interpreted by many different artists ever since. It is a simple diagram that comprises of:

• three primary colours: red, blue and yellow
• three secondary colours: orange, green and purple
• six tertiary colours: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-purple, red-purple. These are formed by mixing a primary with a secondary.

Using the Colour Wheel

The colour wheel will be a great friend to you when you're planning your schemes and will help you combine colours successfully.

• Colours that sit diagonally opposite each other are complementary contrasts. For example, red sits opposite green.
• There are variations within these combinations, so if you choose a blue-red, your green wants to be a more yellow-green.
• You can also get further balance by relating them in weight, combining a mid-green with a mid-red.
• Neutral tones made from black and white, as well as browns and beiges, can be used to underpin these highlight colours.
• All neutral tones contain undertones, and when pairing them with stronger colour, I would recommend choosing a neutral that contains a complementary undertone. For example, blue would work well with a white that contains a hint of yellow undertone.
• If you want to warm up a cool tone, you can opt for a shade that is closer to it's warmer neighbour. For example, going for a blue that contains some red. The same logic can be applied in reverse to cool down a hot tone.

Your Assignment

Using the colour wheel, experiment with creating complementary schemes and explore the variations available in terms of tonality, weight and temperature.

Further Reading

Moses Harris' Prismatic colour wheel

Learn about Professor Munsell's colour system