Combining color wheels depends on whether you're working with light (additive color mixing) or pigment (subtractive color mixing). The result is different for each.
Additive Color Mixing (Light)
Additive color mixing involves combining different wavelengths of light. This is typically used in screens, displays, and stage lighting. The primary colors are red, green, and blue (RGB).
- Red + Green = Yellow
- Green + Blue = Cyan
- Blue + Red = Magenta
- Red + Green + Blue = White
When combining light, you are adding more light, hence the term "additive." Adding all three primary colors results in white light.
Subtractive Color Mixing (Pigment)
Subtractive color mixing involves mixing pigments, such as paints or inks. This is used in printing, painting, and dyeing. The primary colors are typically considered red, yellow, and blue (RYB) in art, but cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY) are more accurate for printing and digital design. CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) is commonly used in printing for richer blacks and cost savings.
- Red + Yellow = Orange
- Yellow + Blue = Green
- Blue + Red = Purple (Violet)
- Cyan + Magenta = Blue
- Magenta + Yellow = Red
- Yellow + Cyan = Green
- Cyan + Magenta + Yellow = Black (theoretically, a muddy brown in practice)
With pigment, you are subtracting wavelengths of light that are absorbed, and reflecting the remaining ones. Mixing all three primary colors theoretically results in black, as all wavelengths are absorbed. In practice, you usually get a muddy brown because pigments are not perfectly pure.
Color Wheel Variations and Their Combination
The color wheel itself is a visual representation of color relationships. You don't directly "combine" color wheels in the same way you combine colors, but you can reference different color wheels (like RYB and CMY/CMYK) to understand different color mixing results and to choose appropriate colors for various applications. For instance, an artist might use the RYB wheel for traditional painting, while a graphic designer uses the CMYK wheel for print projects. The principle of color relationships (complementary, analogous, triadic, etc.) holds true regardless of which color wheel you use, but the specific colors and mixing outcomes will differ. Understanding the differences between the color wheels enables you to better predict results when mixing.
In summary, how you combine color wheels really depends on whether you are mixing light or pigment. For light, you add colors to create brighter colors, culminating in white. For pigment, you subtract colors to create darker colors, ideally culminating in black (though in reality, often a muddy brown).
