Color wheel

A color wheel or color circle[1] is an abstract illustrative organization of color

hues around a circle, which shows the relationships between primary colors,
secondary colors, tertiary colors etc.

Some sources use the terms color wheel and color circle interchangeably;[2][3]
however, one term or the other may be more prevalent in certain fields or certain
versions as mentioned above. For instance, some reserve the term color wheel
for mechanical rotating devices, such as color tops or filter wheels. Others
classify various color wheels as color disc, color chart, and color scale
varieties.[4] Boutet's 7-color and 12-color color
circles from 1708
As an illustrative model, artists typically use red, yellow, and blue primaries
(RYB color model) arranged at three equally spaced points around their color
wheel.[5] Printers and others who use modern subtractive color methods and
terminology use magenta, yellow, and cyan as subtractive primaries.
Intermediate and interior points of color wheels and circles represent color
mixtures. In a paint or subtractive color wheel, the "center of gravity" is usually
(but not always[6]) black, representing all colors of light being absorbed; in a
color circle, on the other hand, the center is white or gray, indicating a mixture of
different wavelengths of light (all wavelengths, or two complementary colors,
for example).

The original color circle of Isaac Newton showed only the spectral hues and was
provided to illustrate a rule for the color of mixtures of lights, that these could be
approximately predicted from the center of gravity of the numbers of "rays" of
each spectral color present (represented in his diagram by small circles).[7] The
divisions of Newton's circle are of unequal size, being based on the intervals of a
Dorian musical scale.[8] Most later color circles include the purples, however,
between red and violet, and have equal-sized hue divisions.[9] Color scientists
and psychologists often use the additive primaries, red, green and blue; and often
refer to their arrangement around a circle as a color circle as opposed to a color
wheel.[10]
Wilhelm von Bezold's 1874
Farbentafel

Contents
Colors of the color wheel
The color circle and color vision
Color wheels and paint color mixing
Color wheel software
HSV color wheel
Color schemes
Gallery
 See also
References
External links

Colors of the color wheel

The typical artists' paint or pigment color wheel includes the blue, red, and
yellow primary colors. The corresponding secondary colors are green, orange,
and violet or purple. The tertiary colors are green-yellow, yellow-orange, orange-
red, red-violet/purple, purple/violet-blue and blue-green.

A color wheel based on RGB (red, green, blue) or RGV (red, green, violet)
additive primaries has cyan, magenta, and yellow secondaries (cyan was
previously known as cyan blue). Alternatively, the same arrangement of colors
around a circle can be described as based on cyan, magenta, and yellow
subtractive primaries, with red, green, and blue (or violet) being secondaries.

Most color wheels are based on three primary colors, three secondary colors, and
the six intermediates formed by mixing a primary with a secondary, known as
tertiary colors, for a total of 12 main divisions; some add more intermediates, for
24 named colors. Other color wheels, however, are based on the four opponent
colors, and may have four or eight main colors. A 1908 color wheel with red, green,
and violet "plus colors" and magenta,
Goethe's Theory of Colours provided the first systematic study of the yellow, and cyan blue "minus colors"
physiological effects of color (1810). His observations on the effect of opposed
colors led him to a symmetric arrangement of his color wheel anticipating Ewald
Hering's opponent color theory (1872).

... for the colours diametrically opposed to each other ... are those that reciprocally evoke each other in the eye.

— Goethe, Theory of Colours

The color circle and color vision

A color circle based on spectral wavelengths appears with red at one end of the spectrum and is 100% mixable violet at the other.
A wedge-shaped gap represents colors that have no unique spectral frequency. These extra-spectral colors, the purples, form from
additive mixture of colors from the ends of the spectrum.

In normal human vision, wavelengths of between about 400 nm and 700 nm are represented by this incomplete circle, with the
longer wavelengths equating to the red end of the spectrum. Complement colors are located directly opposite each other on this
wheel. These complement colors are not identical to colors in pigment mixing (such as are used in paint), but when lights are
additively mixed in the correct proportions appear as a neutral grey or white.[11]

For example: the reason that the Wimbledon tennis tournament uses purple on the Wimbledon official logo is that purple is
located almost opposite of green on the color wheel. Purple against green provides good contrast.[12]

The color circle is used for, among other purposes, illustrating additive color mixture. Combining two colored lights from
different parts of the spectrum may produce a third color that appears like a light from another part of the spectrum, even though
dissimilar wavelengths are involved. This type of color matching is known as metameric matching.[13] Thus a combination of
green and red light might produce a color close to yellow in apparent hue. The
newly formed color lies between the two original colors on the color circle, but
they are usually represented as being joined by a straight line on the circle, the
location of the new color closer to the (white) centre of the circle indicating that
the resulting hue is less saturated (i.e., paler) than either of the two source colors.
The combination of any two colors in this way are always less saturated than the
two pure spectral colors individually.

Objects may be viewed under a variety of different lighting conditions. The

human visual system is able to adapt to these differences by chromatic
adaptation. This aspect of the visual system is relatively easy to mislead, and
optical illusions relating to color are therefore a common phenomenon. The
color circle is a useful tool for examining these illusions. A 1917 four-way color circle related
to the color opponent process
Arranging spectral colors in a circle to predict admixture of light stems from
work by Sir Isaac Newton. Newton's calculation of the resulting color involves
three steps: First, mark on the color circle the constituent colors according to their relative weight. Second, find the barycenter of
these differently weighted colors. Third, interpret the radial distance (from the center of the circle to the barycenter) as the
saturation of the color, and the azimuthal position on the circle as the hue of the color. Thus, Newton's color circle is a
predecessor of the modern, horseshoe-shaped CIE color diagram.

The psychophysical theory behind the color circle dates to the early color triangle of Thomas Young, whose work was later
extended by James Clerk Maxwell and Hermann von Helmholtz. Young postulated that the eye contains receptors that respond to
three different primary sensations, or spectra of light. As Maxwell showed, all hues, but not all colors, can be created from three
primary colors such as red, green, and blue, if they are mixed in the right proportions.

Color wheels and paint color mixing

There is no straight-line relationship between colors mixed in pigment, which vary from medium to medium. With a
psychophysical color circle, however, the resulting hue of any mixture of two colored light sources can be determined simply by
the relative brightness and wavelength of the two lights.[13] A similar calculation cannot be performed with two paints. As such, a
painter's color wheel is indicative rather than predictive, being used to compare existing colors rather than calculate exact colors
of mixtures. Because of differences relating to the medium, different color wheels can be created according to the type of paint or
other medium used, and many artists make their own individual color wheels. These often contain only blocks of color rather than
the gradation between tones that is characteristic of the color circle.[14]

Color wheel software

A number of interactive color wheel applications are available both on the Internet and as desktop applications. These programs
are used by artists and designers for picking colors for a design.

HSV color wheel

The HSL and HSV color spaces are simple geometric transformations of the RGB cube into cylindrical form. The outer top circle
of the HSV cylinder – or the outer middle circle of the HSL cylinder – can be thought of as a color wheel. There is no
authoritative way of labeling the colors in such a color wheel, but the six colors which fall at corners of the RGB cube are given
names in the X11 color list, and are named keywords in HTML.[15]
Color schemes
Color schemes are logical combinations of colors on the color wheel.

In color theory, a color scheme is the choice of colors used in design for a range
of media. For example, the use of a white background with black text is an
example of a common default color scheme in web design.

Color schemes are used to create style and appeal. Colors that create an aesthetic
feeling together commonly appear together in color schemes. A basic color
scheme uses two colors that look appealing together. More advanced color
schemes involve several colors in combination, usually based around a single
color—for example, text with such colors as red, yellow, orange and light blue A color wheel based on HSV, labeled
arranged together on a black background in a magazine article. with HTML color keywords

Color schemes can also contain different shades of a single color; for example, a
color scheme that mixes different shades of green, ranging from very light
(almost white) to very dark.

Analogous colors are colors next to each other on the wheel. For example,
yellow and green. Monochromic colors are different shades of the same color.
For example, light blue, indigo, and cyan blue. Complementary colors are colors
across from each other on a color wheel. For example, blue and orange. Triadic
colors are colors that are evenly across from each other, in a triangle over the
color wheel. For example, the primary colors red, yellow, and blue are triadic
colors.[16]

For a list of ways to construct color schemes, regarding properties such as

warmness/achromiticness/complementariness, see color theory.

Analogous color schemes use colors that are next to each other on the color
wheel. They usually match well and create serene and comfortable designs.
Moses Harris, in his book The
Analogous color schemes are often found in nature and are harmonious and Natural System of Colours (1776),
pleasing to the eye.[17] presented this color palette.
Complementary colors are two colors
directly across from each other; for
Gallery example, red and green are
complementary colors. Tetradic color
palettes use four colors, a pair of
complementary color pairs. For
example, one could use yellow,
purple, red, and green. Tetrad colors
can be found by putting a square or
rectangle on the color wheel.
Newton's asymmetric color Goethe's symmetric color
wheel based on musical wheel with 'reciprocally
intervals. Mixing "rays" in evoked colors'
amounts given by the circles
yields color "z" Ignaz Schiffermüller, Versuch eines
Farbensystems (Vienna, 1772), plate
I. Color wheels can be used to create
pleasing color schemes. An
analogous color scheme is made up
of colors next to each other on the
wheel. For example, red, orange,
and yellow are analogous colors.

A color circle based on Human Color Wheel based on

additive combinations of the the hue and light detected on
light spectrum, after Schiffman human skins, after Harbisson
(1990) (2004-2009)

RGB color wheel RYB color wheel

See also
 Color theory
Visual perception
Psychophysics
Color solid
Spectral color
Octave
Color blind
Ishihara test

References
1. Morton, J.L. "Basic Color Theory" (http://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory). Color
Matters.
2. Simon Jennings (2003). Artist's Color Manual: The Complete Guide to Working With Color (https://books.google.
com/books?id=Yz8q9RV05uYC&pg=PA26&dq=color-wheel+color-circle#PPA26,M1). Chronicle Books. ISBN 0-
8118-4143-X.
3. Faber Birren (1934). Color Dimensions: Creating New Principles of Color Harmony and a Practical Equation in
Color Definition (https://books.google.com/books?id=ucTfVJnO-64C&pg=PA56&dq=inauthor:birren+inauthor:fabe
r+color-wheel+color-circle#PPA18,M1). Chicago: The Crimson Press. ISBN 1-4286-5179-9.
4. Joseph Anthony Gillet and William James Rolfe (1881). Elements of Natural Philosophy: For the Use of Schools
and Academies (https://books.google.com/?id=8jYAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA186&dq=color-disc#PPA186,M1). New
York: Potter, Ainsworth.
5. Kathleen Lochen Staiger (2006). The Oil Painting Course You've Always Wanted: Guided Lessons for Beginners
(https://books.google.com/books?id=B4Q05KmkEdUC&pg=PA41&dq=color-wheel+artist+red+yellow+blue).
Watson–Guptill. ISBN 0-8230-3259-0.
6. Martha Gill (2000). Color Harmony Pastels: A Guidebook for Creating Great Color Combinations (https://books.g
oogle.com/books?id=cl6ELZriVe0C&pg=PA6&dq=color-wheel+scientific+traditional#PPA11,M1). Rockport
Publishers. ISBN 1-56496-720-4.
7. Newton, Isaac (1704). Opticks. pp. 114–117.
8. Briggs, David. "Newton's hue system" (http://www.huevaluechroma.com/071.php#Newton_s_hue_system).
9. Steven K. Shevell (2003). The Science of Color (https://books.google.com/books?id=-fNJZ0xmTFIC&pg=PA4&dq
=color-circle+wavelengths+newton+purple#PPA4,M1). Elsevier. ISBN 0-444-51251-9.
10. Linda Leal (1994). The Essentials of Psychology (https://books.google.com/books?id=s9bYhQAypf8C&pg=PA26
&dq=color-circle+psychology+red+green+blue#PPA26,M1). Research & Education Assoc. ISBN 0-87891-930-9.
11. Krech, D., Crutchfield, R.S., Livson, N., Wilson, W.A. jr., Parducci, A. (1982) Elements of psychology (4th ed.).
New York: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 108-109.
12. "Natural Court Colors Give Way to a Kaleidoscope of Shades" (https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/sports/tenni
s/french-open-courts-of-many-colors-in-tennis-world.html?_r=0).
13. Schiffman, H.R. (1990) Sensation and perception: An integrated approach (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley &
Sons, pp. 252-253.
14. Rodwell, J. (1987) The complete watercolour artist. London: Paul Press, pp. 94-95.
15. "Basic HTML data types" (http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/types.html#h-6.5). HTML 4.01 Specification. W3C.
24 December 1999.
16. How to create color palettes (http://burnettsboards.com/2013/05/how-to-create-color-palettes/)
17. del rosario, Sivy. "Color Harmonies" (http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-harmonies.htm).

External links
David Briggs (2007). Hue (http://www.huevaluechroma.com/071.php) in The Dimensions of Colour (http://www.hu
evaluechroma.com/index.php)
 Interactive Color Wheel (https://web.archive.org/web/20150806155705/http://www.colormixture.com/mix) (Color
Scheme Generator)
"Colour Wheels, Charts, and Tables Through History" (http://publicdomainreview.org/collections/colour-wheels-ch
arts-and-tables-through-history/). The Public Domain Review. Illustrated history, with links to mostly public
domain images from digitized historic books.

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