The Art & Science of Color

RYB (Subtractive)
Painter’s Primaries
CMY (Subtractive) 
Printer’s Primaries
RGB (Additive)

•  Primaries of paint or any
pigmented color, dye, or ink
•  The secondary hues are
orange, green and violet.
•  Derived from natural colors.
RYB (Subtractive)
Painter’s Primaries

CMY (Subtractive) 
Printer’s Primaries
•  Primaries of printed material
using process inks.
•  Includes offset lithography,
photography, and computer
printing (inkjet, toner)

RGB (Additive)
•  The system of color that uses
light. When all the primaries are
combined, results in white light.
•  Secondary colors are cyan,
magenta, and yellow.
•  Includes computer monitors,
device screens, televisions, and
stage lighting.

Primary and secondary
color mixture using  
RYB (Subtractive) System

Primary and secondary
creates tertiary colors 
RYB (Subtractive) System

Painter’s 
Color wheel 
 
 
Tint: the result
of mixing color
with white 
 
Shade: results
from mixing
color with
black
Tone: color
mixed with
grey

Tint: the result
of mixing color
with white 
 
Shade: results
from mixing
color with
black
Tone: color
mixed with
grey

Complementary colors
 
 
This scheme involves using direct opposites
on the color wheel --- Green/red, blue/
orange, Yellow/violet, etc. These colors
enhance one another, producing an almost
vibratory visual sensation when seen side
by side

Basic Color schemes
This restrained, peaceful color
scheme consists simply of a slice
of the color wheel “pie” -- a single
hue combined with any of its tints
or shade
Meaning “without color”, an
achromatic scheme consists of
black and white, and the vast
range of grays that can be mixed
from them. Variation is possible --
“warm” and “cool” achromatics
are made by adding a hint of red,
yellow, or blue

Primary and Secondary Schemes
• The most basic of color scheme:
the pure hue of red, yellow, and blue
are combined. The elementary
nature of this color scheme makes it
a favorite for children’s books, toys
and bedrooms.
• The secondary color scheme
combines the secondary hues of
orange, green, and violet. It has a
fresh, uplifting quality and can be
made quite subtle by using tints and
shades of the secondary hues

Analogous
Any three hues that are adjacent to
each other on the color wheel
(including their tints and shades) are
considered analogous. These hues
have a harmonious, pleasing effect
on the eye

Split complementary
The split complementary scheme is
often more pleasing than a true
complementary scheme. Choose a
hue; the hues on either side of its
complement create the split
complementary scheme (orange
with blue-green and blue violet, for
example.

Other combinations
Source for color combinations: 
http://colorschemedesigner.com/

Cochineal used as a natural dye in edibles and cosmetics.

The Dutch ﬂag was revised due to instable orange dye.

Napoleon was thought to have died from arsenic
poisoning from the Scheele’s green wallpaper in his room.

The sky is blue due to mie scattering or short wave
lengths of blue light that abound the atmosphere.

Bibliography
• Color Workbook: by Becky Koenig
Prentic Hall
• Color Harmony Workbook: A Workbook and Guide to
creative color combinations
Rockport publishers
• Color : Third edition
Paul Zelanski and Mary Pat Fisher
• Designer’s guide to color 1 - 5: Jeanne Allen
Chronicle Books
• The Secret Language of Color: Joann Eckstut &
Arielle Eckstut (2013)

The Art & Science of Color

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