Art History: Color Theory and the Color Wheel
Exploring primary, secondary, warm, and cool colors
Art History: Color Theory and the Color Wheel
Exploring primary, secondary, warm, and cool colors
Art History - Grade 2-3
- 1
The three primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Name one primary color and describe where you might see it in a painting.
Primary colors cannot be made by mixing other colors.
One primary color is red. An artist might use red to paint an apple, a flower, or a bright sunset. - 2
When an artist mixes red and yellow, what secondary color is made?
When an artist mixes red and yellow, the secondary color orange is made. - 3
Look at a color wheel. Which color is usually between yellow and blue when those colors are mixed together?
Think about the color of grass or leaves.
Green is usually between yellow and blue because yellow and blue mix to make green. - 4
Circle the warm colors in this list: red, blue, orange, green, yellow, purple.
The warm colors are red, orange, and yellow. These colors can remind people of fire, sunlight, or heat. - 5
Circle the cool colors in this list: red, blue, orange, green, yellow, purple.
Cool colors often feel calm or peaceful.
The cool colors are blue, green, and purple. These colors can remind people of water, grass, shade, or the sky. - 6
An artist paints a sunny beach using yellow sand, orange sunlight, and red umbrellas. Are these mostly warm colors or cool colors?
These are mostly warm colors because yellow, orange, and red are warm colors. - 7
An artist paints an ocean scene using blue water, green seaweed, and purple shadows. Are these mostly warm colors or cool colors?
Think about colors that remind you of water and shade.
These are mostly cool colors because blue, green, and purple are cool colors. - 8
Purple is a secondary color. Which two primary colors mix together to make purple?
Red and blue mix together to make purple. - 9
Complementary colors are across from each other on the color wheel. Red and green are complementary colors. How might an artist use red and green together in a picture?
Colors across from each other can look bright and strong together.
An artist might use red and green together to make parts of a picture stand out, such as red flowers with green leaves. - 10
Choose one color from the color wheel. Write the color name and tell how it could make a picture feel.
An example answer is blue. Blue could make a picture feel calm, cool, or peaceful.