Color Theory - Part C

The primary colors of pigment are blue, yellow, and red, while the primary colors of light are blue, green, and red. Pigment-generated colors are subtractive: combining the primary colors results in a dark shade. Light-generated colors are additive, so combining the primary colors results in white. Mixing together two primary colors creates secondary colors. For example, orange, a secondary color, is the combination of red and yellow. Tertiary colors are created when a secondary color wheel is included when mixing. Different hues of violet, for example, are achieved when red and blue are then mixed with a third color. Additionally, color can affect our perception based on what a given color is personally, culturally, or generally related to. Some colors convey a sense of excitement or creativity (red and purple, respectively), which can influence one’s opinion of a design or logo comprised of such colors. Some, such as holiday colors, have additional cultural connotations (black and orange for Halloween, red and green for Christmas) while others (green and earth tones) are associated globally with nature. Other colors can affect a given color as well by virtue of their contrast. Surrounding colors will determine the intensity of a given color.

   Grey Scale

   Monochromatic

   Complementary