COLOR VOCABULARY

Color - An element of art that refers to reflected light.

Color wheel - Invented by Sir Isaac Newton, the color wheel represents the color
spectrum bent into a circle.
Primary colors - The most basic colors: red, blue, and yellow. These colors cannot be
produced by mixing but are used to mix all other colors.
Secondary colors - Colors that are made by mixing equal parts of two primary
colors. Orange, green, and purple are secondary colors.
Tertiary colors - Colors that are made by mixing equal parts of a primary color and
a secondary color. Red-purple, blue-purple, red-orange, yellow-orange, blue-green,
and yellow-green are tertiary colors
Neutral colors - Black, white, and gray are neutral colors. When these colors with
colors on the color wheel they affect the value and intensity of the color.
Color Schemes
Monochromatic - literally means one (mono) color (Chroma). So a monochromatic
color scheme is made up of one color and is shades and tints.
Complementary colors - Colors that are positioned directly across from each
other on the color wheel. Ex. Blue and orange, red and green, yellow-green and red-
purple
Analogous colors - are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. Ex.
Blue, blue-green, green, and yellow-green; red, red-purple, purple, blue-purple.
Color triads - consist of three colors found on the color wheel that are equally
spaced apart from each other. Ex. Red, blue and yellow or orange, green and purple.
Split-complementary - a color scheme that is made up of a color and its
complements closest analogous colors. Ex Blue, yellow-orange and red-orange. Red-
orange, red-purple, green
Warm colors - colors that are usually associated with warm things. Ex. Red, yellow,
orang
Cool colors - colors that are usually associated with cool things. Ex. Blue, purple,
green