Objective: Understand how colors relate on the color wheel.
The color wheel organizes colors in a circle. The three primary colors (red, yellow, blue) cannot be made by mixing others. Mixing two primaries gives the secondary colors: orange (red+yellow), green (yellow+blue), and purple (blue+red). Mixing a primary with a neighboring secondary produces tertiary colors like red-orange or blue-green.
Example: Mix equal yellow and blue paint and you get green, a secondary color. Mix that green with more blue and you lean toward blue-green, a tertiary.
Try it: Picture the wheel and name the secondary color you would get by mixing red and yellow, then one tertiary color near it.
Objective: Describe the three properties that define any color.
Every color has three traits. Hue is the color's name or position on the wheel (red, blue, etc.). Saturation is how pure or intense it is; low saturation looks grayish. Value is how light or dark it is, from white to black.
Example: Navy and sky blue share the same hue (blue) but differ in value; sky blue is lighter. A muted dusty blue has lower saturation than a vivid royal blue.
Try it: Think of a bright red and a pink. Note which property (value or saturation) mainly changes between them.
Objective: Identify basic schemes for combining colors pleasingly.
Harmonies are reliable color combinations. Complementary colors sit opposite on the wheel (blue and orange) and create strong contrast. Analogous colors sit next to each other (blue, blue-green, green) and feel calm and unified. A monochromatic scheme uses one hue in different values and saturations.
Example: A sports logo using orange and blue is complementary for punch, while a nature website using greens and yellow-greens is analogous for a soothing feel.
Try it: Choose your favorite color and name its complement (the one opposite it on the wheel).