Color Wheels Explained: What Are Color Wheels And How Do Color Wheels Differ?

 

What Are Color Wheels?

A color wheel, sometimes referred to as a color circle, color disc or color scale, is a visual method to organized color hues in the form of a circle. Each color wheel represents an arrangement of colors and color combinations within a color spectrum that is based on their mutual relationships. By using color wheels, it becomes easier to describe and communicate colors and color relationships in more reliable way. It might come as a surprise that there is not a single method or solution to organize colors in a color wheel. For example, a color wheel based on the RYB color model is not the same as one that is based on the CMY model or RGB model. The choice for one color wheel or another depends largely on the intended use, for example, designing a print for a garment would require a different color model than drawing a web illustration. However, even though the underlying models are different, most color wheels have similar structural elements. Commonly, the structure of a color wheel consists of three primary colors, three secondary colors and six tertiary colors. Other important structures are color triads, analogous colors and complementary colors.  

 

What Are Primary Colors?

A general approach to primary colors is that they are defined as the colors that cannot be created by combining or mixing other colors in a color wheel. However, as the underlying system of a color wheel varies, what the exact primary colors of a color wheel are depends on the underlying color model. For example, three commonly used models are described in the table below.

Color Model

Type Of Model

Primary Colors

RGB

 

Additive

 

Red
Green
Blue

RYB

 

Subtractive

 

Red
Yellow
Blue

CMY

 

Subtractive

 

Cyan
Magenta
Yellow

 

What Are Secondary Colors?

Secondary colors are colors that are formed by combining or mixing two primary colors. This means that secondary colors can be described by referencing to these two primary colors.

Color Model

Type Of Model

Secondary Colors

RGB

 

Additive

 

Cyan (obtained by mixing blue and green)
Magenta (obtained by mixing red and blue)
Yellow (obtained by mixing red and green)

RYB

 

Subtractive

 

Orange (obtained by mixing yellow and red)
Green (obtained by mixing blue and yellow)
Purple (obtained by mixing red and blue)

CMY

 

 

Subtractive

 

 

Red (obtained by mixing magenta and yellow)
Green (obtained by mixing cyan and yellow)
Blue (obtained by mixing magenta and cyan)

 

What Are Tertiary Colors?

Tertiary colors are colors that are created by mixing one primary and one secondary color. Just like secondary colors, tertiary colors can also be described based on two primary colors which have either a more dominant or smaller role.
Note: the names in the table below used for describing the tertiary colors in RGB and CMY color models are not fixed.

Color Model

Type Of Model

Tertiary Colors

RGB

 

 

 

 

Additive

 

 

 

 

Orange (obtained by mixing red and yellow)
Chartreuse green (obtained by mixing yellow and green)
Spring green (obtained by mixing cyan and green)
Azure (obtained by mixing cyan and blue)
Violet (obtained by mixing blue and magenta)
Rose (obtained magenta and red)

RYB

 

 

 

 

 

Subtractive

 

 

 

 

 

Red-orange (sometimes referred to as vermilion)
Yellow-orange (sometimes referred to as amber)
Yellow-green (sometimes referred to as chartreuse green)
Green-blue (sometimes referred to as teal)
Blue-purple (sometimes referred to as violet)
Purple-red (sometimes referred to as magenta)

CMY

 

 

 

 

Subtractive

 

 

 

 

Orange (obtained by mixing red and yellow)
Chartreuse green (obtained by mixing yellow and green)
Spring green (obtained by mixing cyan and green)
Azure (obtained by mixing cyan and blue)
Violet (obtained by mixing blue and magenta)
Rose (obtained magenta and red)

 

What Is A Color Triad?

A color triad refers to a set of three hues spaced apart 120 degrees on a color wheel. Even though a color wheel knows many different triads, the starting point of all triads are the primary and secondary color triads. As is the case with primary, secondary and tertiary colors, how color triads are spaced apart and which colors form a triad depends on the underlying color model.

Color Model

Type Of Model

Color Triads

RGB

 

Additive

 

Red, green blue
Cyan, magenta, yellow

RYB

 

Subtractive

 

Red, yellow, blue
Green, orange, violet

CMY
 

Subtractive

Cyan, magenta, yellow
Red, green, blue

 

What Are Analogous Colors?

Analogous colors are colors adjacent or near to each other on the color wheel. These colors connect well with each other and together have a sense of visual unity. Analogous colors are often described as a set of colors containing a dominant color (usually a primary or secondary color), a supporting color (usually a secondary or tertiary color) and a third color which tends to be a mix of the dominant and supporting color or an accent color. Examples of analogous colors are:

  • Red, orange, red-orange
  • Blue, purple, blue purple
  • Green, teal, teal-green

 

What Are Complimentary Colors?

Complementary colors are pairs of hues that provide a strong contrast and appear opposite of each other on a color wheel. Complementary colors enhance each other’s intensity when placed together and tend to have a bold look and feel. Again, which pairs of colors are seen as complementary colors depends on the underlying color model.

Color Model

Type Of Model

Complementary Colors

RGB

 

Additive

 

Red-cyan
Green-magenta
Blue-yellow

RYB

 

Subtractive

 

Red-green
Yellow-purple
Blue-orange

CMY

 

Subtractive

 

Red-cyan
Green-magenta
Blue-yellow

 

What Are Additive Color Models?

In additive color models, colors are created by adding or mixing different amounts of light colors together. Additive color models start with black and add different colors in the mix to produce a wide spectrum of colors. Because additive color models use transmitted light, their colors appear much brighter and have a larger visible spectrum compared to subtractive colors as these colors rely on pigments and reflection. Additive colors are mainly used for digital devices (i.e. phones, cameras, computer monitors, televisions, etc.). An example of such an additive color model is the RGB model.

 

What Are Subtractive Color Models?

In subtractive color models, colors revolve around pigments. These models are based on the absorption of certain wavelengths from white light and while reflecting back others. Because ink pigments are more limited in number than transmitted light, subtractive color models offer a smaller visible color spectrum compared to additive color models. Subtractive color models are mainly used for printing and dyeing. Examples of subtractive models are CMY, CMYK and RYB.

 

What Are Color Wheels Used For?

Color wheels are widely used in numerous fields and applications. Among other things, color wheels are frequently used for creating color schemes (i.e. certain color combinations) for specific designs and projects. Also, color wheels are especially helpful in communicating and recreating colors and color combinations as their clear and organized structure makes them rather reliable. As a result, using a proper color model will make it easier to repeat or recreate the same process again and therefore delivers more predictable and stable results.

 

Summary

Color wheels are visual methods to organize color hues and their mutual relationships along a circle. As there are multiple approaches to create a color wheel, the exact structure and lay-out of a color wheel depends on the underlying color model (e.g. RGB, RYB or CMY). Even though the underlying colors differ, most color wheels have in common that they have three primary colors, three secondary colors and six tertiary colors. The underlying color models can either by additive (e.g. RGB) or subtractive (e.g. RYB or CMY). Additive color models are models that are based on colors that can be obtained by adding or mixing different light colors together. On the other hand, subtractive models are based on pigments and the subtraction of light. Selecting one or the other model depends in practice mostly on the intended use. Lastly, even though color wheels are arguably the most famous and widely used representation of color relationships, alternative methods to organize, classify and use colors exist as well.

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