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What is a Color Wheel Drawing?

Published in Color Theory 2 mins read

A color wheel drawing is a visual representation of how colors relate to one another.

Understanding the Color Wheel

The color wheel, often referred to as a color circle, is fundamentally a circular arrangement of colors organized by their chromatic relationship to one another. This arrangement helps artists, designers, and enthusiasts understand how colors mix and interact.

Structure of the Color Wheel

The structure is based on specific color relationships:

  • Primary Colors: These are the foundational colors from which all others can be mixed. On a standard color wheel, the primary colors are typically red, yellow, and blue. They are positioned equidistant from each other around the circle.
  • Secondary Colors: Created by mixing two primary colors. These include green (yellow + blue), orange (red + yellow), and violet (blue + red). Secondary colors are placed on the wheel between the two primary colors they are mixed from.
  • Tertiary Colors: Formed by mixing a primary color with an adjacent secondary color. Examples include red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, and red-violet. Tertiary colors sit between their parent primary and secondary colors on the wheel.

Essentially, a color wheel drawing is the act or product of illustrating this specific circular model that maps out the spectrum of colors based on these relationships. It's a practical tool used for learning color theory, planning color schemes, and understanding color harmony and contrast.

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