Colour Wheel Art and Design:
As a key element in colour theory, the colour wheel is used traditionally for guidance for colour mixing and colour combination. The first colour wheel was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666 who experimented with prism. His experiments led him to the theory of primary colours, from which all other colours were derived. Newton’s colour wheel evolved over the centuries and has become the basis for the modern colour wheel, which is still widely applied in art and design.
Today’s colour wheel is consists of:
- the primary colour wheel with the three primary colours – red, yellow, and blue.
- the secondary colour wheel with the three secondary colours – green, orange, and purple – which are created when primary colours are mixed.
- the tertiary colour wheel with the six tertiary colours – such as blue-green and red-violet – which are made through mixing primary and secondary colours.
When a line is drawn through the centre of the wheel, the warm colours are separated from cool colours. Warm colours such as reds, oranges, and yellows are usually associated with brightness, energy, and action. Cool colours on the other side such as blues, greens, and purples are generally identified with serenity, calmness, and peace.
Tints, tones, and shades are variations of the colours on the colour wheel. Tints are hues to which white has been added – for example mixing red and white for a pink. A shade is a hue to into which black has been mixed – for example combining red and black for a burgundy. Finally, a tone is a colour to which grey has been added, making colours appear more subtle and les intense.
Three colour schemes have been established for the sake of combining colours: Complementary, analogous, and triadic schemes.
- Complementary colours are found opposite to each other on the colour wheel, for example, red and green, which will lead to a strong contrast.
- Analogous colours are located next to each other on the colour wheel, for example, red, orange, and yellow. Usually, in a design, one colour will dominate and the others will support with an accent.
- Triadic colours are found when evenly spacing on the colour wheel, for example, hues of red, yellow, and blue. They tend to exude a bright and dynamic effect, creating harmony and contrast simultaneously.
Using the colour schemes is not only helpful for artists when laying out their compositions, but also are widely applied in design, e.g., when choosing artwork for interior design.