What are Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colors ?

What are Primary,
Secondary & Tertiary Colors ?

Primary Colors

In theory, the Primary Colors are the beginning of every other hue imaginable. The primary pigments used in the manufacture of paint come from the pure source element of that Hue. There are no other pigments blended in to alter the formula.

Primary colors are the three colors that cannot be obtained by mixing any other colors.  Secondary colors are obtained by mixing two primary colors.  Tertiary colors are made by combing a primary color with its closest neighboring secondary color (on either side when viewing the color wheel).

Think of the three Primaries as the Parents in the family of colors.

Primary,
Secondary & Tertiary Colors

In paint pigments, pure Yellow, pure Red, and pure Blue are the only hues that can't be created by mixing any other colors together. Printer inks and digital primaries are referred to as Yellow, Magenta and Cyan.

Secondary Colors

When you combine any two of the Pure Primary Hues, you get three new mixtures called Secondary Colors.

Think of the three Secondaries as the Children in the family of colors.

Yellow + Red = ORANGE

Red + Blue = VIOLET or PURPLE

Blue + Yellow = GREEN

Tertiary Colors

When you mix a Primary and its nearest Secondary on the Basic Color Wheel you create six new mixtures called Tertiary colors.

Think of the six Tertiary Colors as the Grandchildren in the family of colors, since their genetic makeup combines a Primary and Secondary color.

Yellow + Orange = YELLOW-ORANGE
Red + Orange = RED-ORANGE
Red + Violet = RED-VIOLET
Blue + Violet = BLUE-VIOLET
Blue + Green = BLUE-GREEN
Yellow + Green = YELLOW-GREEN

This totals twelve basic colors that allows you to mix an endless variety of hues, tints, tones and shades.

Most artists don't actually mix every color themselves from scratch. It's far simpler to work with astandard palette of six or twelve pre-mixed paint tubes. Just keep them as pure and unmixed as possible.