What You Need to Know about Color Theory

Acrylic painting is fun and to get a good idea of the basics you can have a look at How To Paint With Acrylic Paint. Of course part of the acrylic painting will be mixing colors and for that you will have to know some color theory.

Here are a few questions. Is white a color? What about black? Do you remember your primary, secondary, and tertiary colors? You may not realize what you need to know about color theory if you decide to take up painting. However, what you know and remember can definitely affect the finished artwork.

Color theory is simply the guidance necessary to mix colors, and the impact color combinations can have on the person looking at a piece of artwork. Some believe color theory began as early as the mid-to-late 1400s, but most agree it developed with the declaration of primary colors. In case you don’t remember, the primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. They cannot be created by mixing colors. It is from these colors, however, that all other colors have their origin.

When you mix two primary colors you arrive at a secondary color. Red and blue makes purple, red and yellow makes orange, and blue and yellow makes green. Once you mix three colors together, such as orange, orange, and yellow, you get a tertiary color. Which tertiary color you get will depend on which primary colors you combine and in which proportion.

Most people consider black and white to be colors. Actually they’re not. You can’t make black or white by mixing other colors together. These are considered hues or shades. When you add black to a color, you darken that color; conversely, when you add white, you lighten the original color.

Colors also have a tendency to be either warm or cool. Reds and yellows, as a general rule, are considered warmer colors. Blues, on the other hand, are considered cooler colors. While there are different types of primary colors, you will always get a secondary color when mixing two primary colors together.

To help you determine what colors you will receive when combining a particular set of paints, you may want to create a color wheel or chart. Begin with a triangle on a sheet of paper. At each point paint one of the primary colors from your set. In the middle of those two colors, on each side of the triangle, mix equal amounts of the primary colors to make the secondary color.

Keeping track of which primary colors you’re using when creating a new color is helpful. You’ll want to list which colors you began with and then in which proportions so you’ll be able to duplicate the color in the future. Look at the colors opposite of each other on your color wheel; those are called complimentary colors. So, the complimentary color for red is green, blue is orange, and yellow is purple.

Why do you need to know about color theory and how will it help you as a crafter or artist? Knowing what colors are needed to create other colors can help when painting, using colored pencils, or deciding which colors to combine for your home décor. Now, what can you do with this new knowledge?