Color Theory Basics

Color theory is the science of colors and how they interact. It's a fundamental concept in art, design, and technology. Here are the basics of color theory:

Colors

Colors are primarily divided into three categories:

Primary Colors: Red, Blue, and Yellow. These colors cannot be created by mixing other colors.
Secondary Colors: Orange, Green, and Violet. These are created by mixing two primary colors.
Tertiary Colors: Red-Orange, Yellow-Orange, Yellow-Green, Blue-Green, Blue-Violet, and Red-Violet. These are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color.

Color Schemes

A color scheme is a predefined set of colors used in design. Some common color schemes include:

Complementary Colors: Opposite each other on the color wheel, such as red and green.
Analogous Colors: Next to each other on the color wheel, such as blue and green.
Triadic Colors: Three colors that are evenly spaced on the color wheel, such as red, blue, and yellow.

Color Harmony

Color harmony is the pleasing arrangement of colors. It's important in creating a balanced and visually appealing design.

Resources

For more information on color theory, check out our Color Theory Deep Dive.