What is a primary color?
A primary color is a base color that cannot be obtained by mixing other shades. It serves as a starting point for creating all other colors, called secondary or tertiary colors.
When we talk about primary colors, we refer to a small universal group of three fundamental shades.
Primary colors in painting
In painting and the visual arts, the 3 primary colors are:
These three colors are the basis of the so-called subtractive color theory. They have been used for centuries in artistic education, decorative painting, and colorimetry.
In other words, if you are wondering: what are the primary colors? or what are the primary colors?, the answer in painting is: red, yellow, and blue.
Mixing primary colors: all combinations
One of the most frequent questions concerns the mixing of primary colors and the shades obtained. Here is the complete table:
- Red + Yellow = Orange
- Red + Blue = Purple
- Yellow + Blue = Green
These three shades are called secondary colors.
Mixing the three primaries
When mixing the three primary colors together (red + yellow + blue), you get a brown or dark gray color, depending on the proportions.
Shades obtained with secondary mixes
- Orange + Blue = Brown
- Green + Red = Brown
- Purple + Yellow = Brown / Warm Gray
Thus, with only the primary colors, it is possible to create all other colors in the palette, including neutral tones like beige or gray.
Primary colors in light (additive synthesis)
In physics and optics, the system changes. We then talk about light primary colors. The 3 primary colors in light are:
- Red
- Green
- Blue
Their superposition gives white light.
Examples of mixing in light:
- Red + Green = Yellow
- Green + Blue = Cyan
- Blue + Red = Magenta
This model is used for television screens, computers, and smartphones.
Differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors
- Primary colors: Red, Yellow, Blue (painting) or Red, Green, Blue (light).
- Secondary colors: Orange, Purple, Green.
- Tertiary colors: a mix of a primary and a secondary (example: yellow-orange, blue-green, red-purple).