William F.

Powell’s
Color Locator Wheel
& separate Value Chart
125 Artist’s Colors placed in their
correct positions on the Color Wheel
Includes:
Color Wheel with colors placed in Correct Color Families
Color Value Chart showing colors in their correct positions
according to light and dark values

Color instructions including:

･How to use the Color Wheel Primary Color
･How to grey colors naturally YELLOW
･Mixing color complements
YYYO Y YYYG
･Using analagous colors YYO CYL
YYG
･Keeping color brilliance YO BY
CL
HY YG
OY GY
CYM CHYL
OOY IY ZY
G
CYD CYP
AN CHY
CYO
OOOY CHYD
CYMB
LY
MY GO HG
CO YO BYL
PCNYG
Secondary RS
Color ORANGE O YOX
YOL
JB
CINGL

BYD SG EG
OOOR CHO
OVG
NY RU
CHG COBG
SW CGL CGD
OOR BU COG
NYR CINGD
TQG
HO TVL
ICB GE
OR ROX IOR BS TPE NEUTRAL
GRAY AREA PCNG
FL MB
NATURAL P
DUV MN COLOR
RO ERL TQ
VDB
MR
PGY TQB CEBH
MOR TLT
PPP CEB
RRO CRL IR IND
VR BM
CRV PB AB
V ALM MV
CMN
RRRO AV ROC BMA DOP
GV
Using the Color Wheel Toward
Yellow YO
1. Finding Color Families:
© 1972, 1998 William F. Powell. All rights reserved. OY Color family names are noted on the
OOY outside of the wheel. These names refer to
Five areas to consider: OOOY the corresponding pie-shaped areas within
1. Finding which color family a color fits into. CYM the wheel. For instance, an orange color
2. Determining the chroma (brilliance) of a color. Orange CO that is more reddish in hue would be
3. Finding the value (lightness or darkness) of a color. CYO positioned within a family area moving
4. OOOR
Selecting color complements & creating natural greys. towards red. An orange that is more on the
5. Using the wheel to develop color palettes yellowish side would be placed within a
OOR family area moving towards yellow. Study
Toward
YO the simplified color wheel section at left and
OY Red
OOY OR HO note color changes and positions within
family areas.
OOOY
Orange CO 2. Determining Color Chroma:
The more chromatic (brilliant) colors are closer to the outside of the color wheel while those not as brilliant are
OOOR closer to the center. This has nothing to do with the "hiding power of a color (the ability to cover or devour other
BU colors). That is determined by color strength along with opacity. Notice on the simple chart at left that the
brilliant color, cadmium orange, is placed close to the outside of the wheel. The less brilliant colors, burnt umber
OOR
and burnt sienna are deeper into the wheel. Though the chroma differs, these colors are close in their positions
BS within color family areas.
OR Color elevation
compares color value
Note: The three colors shown above are generally within the (lightness or darkness)
to the vertical value
orange family. However, since burnt sienna (BS) contains more scale in the center of
red than burnt umber (BU) it appears warmer and is placed the color wheel
slightly lower within a color family containing a bit more red.

3. Finding color values: Color values can be compared to a

colorless black and white value scale as shown at right and on the Color
Value Chart. The simplified diagram at right shows the color wheel
tipped to form a flat disk or ellipse. Several sample colors are shown on
this wheel in their color family position (pie division) and position relating
to each color's brilliance (closeness to wheel's edge or center). More Brilliant colors
are closer to the
outside of the wheel.
Each extended color sphere represents the color's value position relative Less brilliant are
to the black to white value scale placed through the center of the wheel. nearer the inside.
Lighter colors are placed higher on the scale and darker colors are lower.

4. Using the wheel to select complementary colors: The color wheel is a valuable tool for planning color compositions. It also
aids in finding complementary colors for mixing natural greys. Two colors directly across the color wheel from one another are known as direct
complements. Direct complements neutralize (grey) one another better than any other colors on the wheel. Mixing varying amounts of each color results
in a wide variety of greys. For instance, red and green are direct complements. Notice the subtle color changes in the sample chart below.

Yellow Both Add RED to GREEN in increased amounts

Color wheel showing Add GREEN to RED in increased amounts colors
two direct neutralized

Green
Move the arrows
clockwise around NEUTRAL

the wheel to Pure Red + Red + Red + Red + Colors Green + Green + Green + Green + Pure
Red Green More More More Greyed More More More More Green
select other pairs Green Green Green Naturally Red Red Red Red
GREY
of direct color
complements. When two direct complements are intermixed, the colors neutralize one another. This is a
Red Blue
natural method of greying colors. For instance, the more red we add to its direct complement
green, the less green it appears. As more red is added, the green begins to take on a
brownish appearance. As you can see above, the same rule in reverse applies to the
complement, red.
5. Using the wheel to develop color palettes: The color wheel can be a very useful tool in selecting color palettes. The two
examples below show several combinations that can serve as a beginning palette.
Yellow Yellow
Yellow Yellow Split complements are Yellow Yellow Double complements are
Orange Green Orange Green made up of two sets of true
made by selecting the two
colors on either side of a complements with a dividing
Orange Green direct complement. This
Orange Green color in between. This color
NEUTRAL provides a wider range of NEUTRAL plan gives an even greater
Red color mixes and neutral Red range of color selection and
Orange Blue Orange Blue
Green greys. Here the red can be Green mixing.
GREY
GREY greyed using either of the
split complements. Move Move the diagram clockwise
Red Blue the diagram clockwise for Red Blue for more complementary
other split complementary combinations.
Red Blue Red Blue
Purple Purple color combinations. Purple
Purple
Purple Purple
William F. Powell's Color Value:
Primary Color
Color Locator Wheel
The color positions on this chart show placement within a color

YELLOW family and chroma, according to how vivid a color is. These
positions have no bearing on the value (lightness or
125 Artist's Colors Positioned by Color Family and Chroma darkness) of a color. Color Value positions are
© 1972, 1998 William F. Powell. All rights reserved.
YYYO Y YYYG shown on the separate Value / Chroma Chart.
YYO CYL
YYG
Color Positions: YO CL YG Determination:
Colors on this chart have been positioned according BY HY Color positions on this and accompanying
to their hue (color name), chroma (how chromatic OY CHYL GY charts and lists have been determined
or vivid) each one is and also placement within CYM BYL ZY by combining information regarding
a color family such as Y - yellow, YO - OOY IY CYP GGY color, color families, (color
yellowish orange, RO - reddish orange, CYD CHY catagory hue), chroma, and
CYO AN
BBG - bluish blue green, etc. color value, .
OOOY CHYD
CYMB
LY GGGY
MY GO HG
CO YO
Secondary
ORANGE O G GREEN Secondary
RS PCNYG
CINGL
JB
Color YOX
YOL Color
BYD
OOOR OVG
SG EG
PGL GGGB
CHO
NY RU
CHG COBG
SW CGL CGD SEVG
Color Chroma: OOR BU COG GGB Warm & Cool Colors:
NYR CINGD
The more vivid, or chromatic TQG Colors on the left (red) side
colors are positioned toward HO TVL of the color wheel are
ICB
the outside of the wheel. OR ROX IOR BS TPE NEUTRAL
GE VG GB considered to be warm
GRAY AREA PCNG
The less vivid colors are FL MB colors while the ones on
closer to the center. DUV MN
NATURAL PG the right (blue) side are
COLOR
RO ERL TQ BG cool colors.
VDB
MR
PGY TQB CEBH
CRL MOR TLT SEVB
CEB
RRO IR PPP
IND
BBG
VR BM
CRV PB AB
V ALM MV
RRRO
CMN
AV ROC BMA
GV BBBG
DOP
CHV
PR KB
Primary CRD

B BLUE Primary
CR PCNB
R
RM

Color RED
AZB
MLL
ACR
PCNR MLD CVL
FUB
Color
UVD UB
RRRP CRM
MMG
CVD
MVE COB BBBP
RD AC
MRS MBS
PEB
RRP CMAZ UR
CV UBD NB BBP
GL UV
M
Mixing Primary & Secondary Colors: RP BP
PMV Mixing Tertiary Colors:
Yellow, red and blue are the three primary colors.
All other colors are created by mixing them. Orange, PR PB A third type of color mixture is known as a tertiary
purple and green are secondary colors created by mixing PPR PPB color. Tertiary colors are made by mixing a primary
PPPR PPPB
two primary colors. For instance, the two primary colors
yellow and red make the secondary color, orange. The more
P and a secondary color together. For instance, by
mixing the primary color red and the secondary color purple
red the mix contains, the more reddish the orange. The more
PURPLE together, a tertiary color of redish-purple or purplish-red is
yellow, the more yellowish the orange. Those qualities determine Secondary created depending upon the color ratios used in the mixture.
a color's position within a color family. Color
 William F. Powell's Color Value Locator Chart
125 Colors Placed According To Value
© 1972, 1998 William F. Powell. All rights reserved.

Color positions on this chart show placement within a value range and Colors on the left side of this chart are considered warm colors, while the
relative reference to chroma as shown on the Color Locator Wheel. ones on the right are considered cool.
These positions do not show a color's position within a color family.
10
16 12 8 4 Chroma Scale Chroma Scale 4 8 12 16

CYP
CYL
AN BYL 9 LY HY
PPP CHYL
BY ICB CL
JB ZY
CYMB
BYD 8
YO NY
CYO CYD CHY NYR

CYM CHYD YOL 7 CINGL

IY
GO FL
CHO
PR PCNYG
TQG EG
CO ALM
YOX CGL

RD
MY
CVL 6 TQB
HG
SEVG
HO CEBH
MLL COBG
IOR TQ
TPE AZB
CRL ERL
MOR SW COG CINGD
DUV MMG 5 SG
VG PGL
V MVE
CHV RS COB
RM
CRV GV SEVB CV
ACR ROC CEB
MRS RU
CMAZ CMN BS 4 GE
TVL MB
NB PEB
IR MBS
BMA
CRM CVD UB
MR TLT PG PCNB
GL PCNR VR BU

PMV
CRD
BM VDB
3 OVG AB
UV
UBD
PGY
AV
AC PB UVD
M CGD FUB
CR IND
UR MN
ROX 2
MV CHG KB
PCNG

MLD
DOP 1

Color is a phenomenon of light; without light there is no color. Graduated tones from black to 0 The colors on this chart have been positioned using lightness-darkness ratios and color tones
white (0 - 10) are known as a value scale. On a value scale, white is considered to be "light" and along with visual interpretation.
black is considered to be "dark." Dark is the absence of light and, therefore, the absence of color. Value
Colors also vary in value and can be positioned in relation to one another on the value scale. The Scale A painting done solely in white, black and different values of grey is known as an achromatic
lighter a color, the higher it is in value; the darker the lower the value. painting. Paintings with tints, tones and shades (along with various intensities) of a single
color are known as monochromatic paintings.
William F. Powell’s Color Name





Acronym
Color


Media Color Name





Acronym
Color


Media
Color Locator Wheel
















Family
















Family
125 Artist’s Color Names, Chrome Orange


CHO



OOOR


O New Blue





NB




PB



O

Symbols & Media Chrome Oxide Green

COG



G




OAW Olive Green




OVG



GY



OAW
Chrome Yellow


CHY



YYYO

O
W Pale Portrait Pink



PPP



RRRP/RRP

A
Colors Listed in Alphabetical Order Chrome Yellow Deep

CHYD



YO



O

W Payne’s Grey




PGY



BBBP/B

O
A W
with Acronym & Media Chrome Yellow Lemon

CHYL



Y




O
W Permanent Blue



PEB




BP



O
A W
©1972, 1998 William F. Powell. All rights reserved. Cinnabar Green Light

CINGL


GY



O Permanent Green Light

PGL




G




O
A W
Instructions Cinnabar Green Deep

CINGD


GGGB


O Permanent Rose



PR




RRRP


O
W
Select a color on this list, then use the acronym to locate the Cobalt Blue



COB


BBP/BBBP

O
A W Phthalocyanine Blue

PCNB



B




OAW
color position on the Color Locator Wheel and the Color Cobalt Green



COBG


G




O
A W Phthalocyanine Green
PCNG



GB



O
A W
Value Locator Chart. Also shown are letter symbols which Cobalt Rose





CR




RP



O Phthalocyanine Red

PCNR



RRP



O
W
describe media in which I have used each color: Cobalt Violet





CV




PPPR


O
A W Phthalocyanine Yellow
O - Oil paint, A - Acrylic paint , W - Watercolor paint. Cobalt Violet Dark



CVD



PPR



O

Green






PCNYG


YG



O
W
Cobalt Violet Light


CVL



PPPR


O Prism Violet




PMV



P




A
Color Name





Acronym
Color


Media Dioxazine Purple



DOP



PPPR


OA Prussian Blue




PB




B




O
A W

















Family Dutch Vermillion

DUV



OR/RO

O Prussian Green




PG




BG



O
W

Emerald Green



EG




G




O
A W Raw Sienna





RS




YYO


O
A W
Acra Red








ACR


RRRP


O A
English Red Light Raw Umber





RU




OY



O
A W
Acra Violet






AV


RRRP


A


(Light Red)




ERL




RO



O Red Ochre






ROC



RRP



O


Alizarin Crimson




AC


RP


O A W
Flesh







FL




OOOR


O
A Red Oxide






ROX



OR/RO

A
Almond








ALM

RRRP

A
French Ultramarine Blue
FUB



PB



O
W
Rose Dore






RD




RRP



O
W
Antwerp Blue






AB

B/BBBG
O W
Geranium Lake



GL




RP



O
W Rose Madder





RM




RRRP


O
W
Aureolin







AN


YYO
O W
Golden Ochre





GO




YYO


O Sandalwood





SW




OOOY/O

A
Azure Blue







AZB

PB

A
Green Earth




GE




GGB


O
W Sap Green






SG




GGGY

O
A W
Brilliant Yellow





BY



YYYO
A
Grey Violet





GV




PPB



O Sevre’s Blue





SEVB



BBG


O
Brilliant Yellow Deep


BYD


OOY

O
Hansa Orange




HO




OR




A Sevre’s Green





SEVG



GGGB


O
Brilliant Yellow Light


BYL


YYYO/Y
O
Hansa Yellow




HY




YYYG

O
A Taupe








TPE



OOOY

A
Brown Madder





BM



RP


O
W

Hooker’s Green



HG




YYG


AW Terra Verte Light



TVL



GGGB


O
W
Brown Madder Alizarin


BMA


PR


O
Ice Blue







ICB



GGB/GB


A Turquoise






TQ




BBG/BG

O
A W
Burnt Sienna






BS



OR/RO
O
A W
Indian Red





IR




R




O
W Turquoise Blue




TQB


BBG/BBBG
O


Burnt Umber






BU

OOY/OOOY

O
A W
Indian Yellow




IY




YYYO

O
W Turquoise Green




TQG



GB



O
A
Cadmium Barium Yellow
Indigo








IND



PPB



O W Twilight







TLT




BP




A


Medium






CYMB

Y




O
Indo Orange Red


IOR




OR



A Ultramarine Blue



UB




BP



OAW
Cadmium Green Light


CGL


GGGY

O


Juan Brilliant




JB




Y




O Ultramarine Blue Deep

UBD



PPB



O
W
Cadmium Green Deep


CGD


GGGB


O
King’s Blue




KB



BBP/BP


O

Ultramarine Red




UR




PPR



O


Cadmium Lemon


CL



Y




O
W
Lemon Yellow



LY



YYYG


O
W Ultramarine Violet



UV




P




O
A
Cadmium Orange


CO



O




O
A W
Madder Lake Deep


MLD


PR




O Ultramarine Violet Deep
UVD



PPB



W
Cadmium Red Deep

CRD


RRP



O
A W
Madder Lake Light


MLL


RP




O Van Dyke Brown



VDB



R




O
W
Cadmium Red Light

CRL


RRO


O
A W
Magenta






M




PPR




O
A Venetian Red





VR




RRRO


O
A W
Cadmium Red Medium

CRM


RRP



O
A W
Manganese Blue



MB



BG




O AW Vermillion






V





RRRO


O
W
Cadmium Red Vermillion

CRV


R




O
Maroon






MN



RO




A Viridian Green




VG




GB



OAW
Cadmium Yellow Deep


CYD


YO



O
A W
Mars Orange





MOR


RRO



O Yellow Ochre





YO




OY



OAW
Cadmium Yellow Light

CYL


YYYO

O
A W
Mars Red





MR



RRO



O Yellow Ochre Light


YOL



YYYO

O
A
Cadmium Yellow Medium
CYM


YYO


O
A W
Mars Violet





MV



PPR




O Yellow Oxide





YOX



OOY


A
Cadmium Yellow Orange

CYO


OY



O
Mars Yellow




MY



OOOY


O
A Zinc Yellow





ZY




YYYG

O


Cadmium Yellow Pale


CYP


YYYG

O
W

Mauve








MVE


P





O
W
Carmine








CMN


R




O
W

Mauve Blue Shade


MBS

PPPB/PPB


O


Carmine Alizarin


CMAZ

PR



O
Mauve Red Shade



MRS

PPR/PPPR


O


Cerulean Blue




CEB


BBBG


O
A W
Medium Magenta


MMG


PR




O
A
Cerulean Blue Hue


CEBH

BBBG/BBG
O
A
Naples Yellow



NY



OOOY


O
A W
Chinese Vermillion

CHV

R/RRRP


O
Naples Yellow Red


NYR


OOOY/O

O


Chrome Green



GHG

GGY



O