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**Quick Start:** Want to master color theory? This comprehensive guide teaches you color theory basics, fundamentals, and practical applications for design, art, and digital projects.

## What Will You Learn?

* What is Color Theory?
* What are the use cases for Color Theory?
* How do I use Color Theory?
* What are the fundamentals of Color Theory?
* Where can I learn more about Color Theory?

## Color Theory Basics: Understanding the Fundamentals

Learn Color Theory for fun and profit! Do you like math, art, and the pursuit of balance? If so, follow along as the highlights of Color Theory are revealed. This color theory tutorial will guide you through the essential concepts every designer needs to know.

### Primary Use Cases

* Communicate effectively with your audience
* Super-charge the aesthetics of your design project
* Add harmony to your creations.
* [Data visualization] in diagrams, charts, and graphs

## Use The Right Tool

The color theory provides a couple of primary ways of managing your color.

### CMYK

The Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK) color model is a subtractive color model based on the CMY color model used in color printing and is also used to describe the printing process itself.

Use the [CMKY color model] when printing data visualizations.

### RBG

The Red, Blue, and Green (RGB) color model is additive, where red, green, and blue light reproduce a broad array of colors.

Use the [RBG color model] when presenting on digital displays.

## Definitions in Color

Let's start with some definitions.

### Color

> The property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way the thing reflects or emits light.

### Hue

> The most noticeable color that stands out to the eye, or the dominant color

### Value

> Lightness or darkness is of a color relative to others around it. The lightness or darkness of a hue. The
> closer to black, the lower the value

### Tint

> A hue plus a value.

### Shade

> A hue plus black.

### Tone

> A hue plus gray.

### Saturation/Chroma

> [Saturation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorfulness) is the state or process that occurs when no more of
> something can be absorbed, combined with, or added. As black, white, or gray add to a pure hue, the
> hue's brilliance becomes neutralized.

### Primary Colors

> [Primary colors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_color) are any group of colors from which all other
> colors can be obtained by mixing. Primary colors cannot be created by combining any different colors. If you
> combine the full range of _RBG_, you will end up with white. You can think of them as prime numbers. A
> prime number cannot be created by multiplying two numbers together.

### Secondary Colors

> A [secondary color](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_color) is a result of combining equal parts of two
> primary colors.

### Tertiary Colors

> A [tertiary color](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tertiary_color) is produced by an equal mixture of a primary
> color with a secondary color adjacent to it on the color wheel.

### Color Temperature

> [Color temperature](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature) is a powerful method of
> communication with color.
>
> _Absolute Warm:_ Yellows, oranges, and reds
>
> _Absolute Cold:_ Blues
>
> Color temperature is relative to the colors around it.
>
> Red is warmer than yellow.
>
> Blue is colder than cyan.
>
> Colors opposite on the color wheel are warm and cold, respectively

## Color Schemes

[Color Schemes] or color palettes are the choices of colors used in various artistic and design contexts. It's easier to learn color theory with an understanding of color schemes. If you are excited and want to get started with color theory, try out [Adobe's Color Wheel application].

### Monochromatic Colors

[Monochromatic colors] are a single hue's colors (tints, tones, and shades).

{{< figure src="images/monochromatic-colors.png" alt="Monochromatic Colors" >}}

### Complementary

[Complementary colors] are for mixing colored light; Newton's color wheel is often used to describe complementary colors, which cancel each other's hue to produce an achromatic (white, gray, or black) light mixture.

{{< figure src="images/complementary-colors.png" alt="Complementary Colors" >}}

### Split-Complementary Colors

[Split-Complementary colors] are a three-color combination consisting of a base color and two colors that are 150 degrees and 210 degrees apart from the base color.

{{< figure src="images/split-complementary-colors.png" alt="Complementary colors" >}}

## Double Split Complementary Colors

A double complementary scheme is when two hues (colors) are next to each other on the color wheel and are paired with two adjacent hues on the opposite side. This overall creates a color palette of four adjacent but opposite hues such as blue-green, blue, orange, and red-orange.

{{< figure src="images/double-split-complementary-colors.png" alt="Double Split Complementary Colors" >}}

### Achromatic Colors

[Achromatic colors] lack strong chromatic content and are said to be unsaturated, achromatic, or near neutral.

{{< figure src="images/achromatic-colors.png" alt="Achromatic Colors" >}}

### Analogous Colors

[Analogous colors] (also called Dominance Harmony) color schemes are groups of colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel, with one being the dominant color, which tends to be a primary or secondary color, and two on either side complementing, which tend to be tertiary.

{{< figure src="images/analogous-colors.png" alt="Analogous Colors" >}}

### Triadic

[Triadic colors] are a three-color combination consisting of a base color and two colors that are 120 degrees and 240 degrees apart from the base color.

{{< figure src="images/triadic-colors.png" alt="Triadic Colors" >}}

### Color Scheme Definitions

With a view of color schemes under our belt, we can learn color theory further with color scheme definitions.

#### Analogous Palettes

> Analogous palettes are colors next to each other on the color wheel.

A common trait connects these colors> and instills a sense of calming harmony with related hues.

#### Harmonious Palettes

> Harmonious colors are natural variations of similar colors that create a calming sense of harmony.

#### Monochromatic Palettes

> Monochromatic palettes use variations of a single hue. This palette is calming, minimalist, and visually unobtrusive.

Ensure there is enough difference in the value between colors for the best results.

## Conclusion: Mastering Color Theory Fundamentals

Learning Color Theory is required for graphics designers, print designers, and other professionals presenting data in color to convey a message. Learning color theory will help you get your point across more effectively if you're a technology professional. It gives you an art appreciation and the foundation for creating compelling visual designs. 🎨

For more design fundamentals, check out our guide on [data visualization techniques]({{< ref "learn-data-visualization" >}}). <!-- Draft-only link removed: learn-software-design-patterns -->

## Learn Color Theory - Beyond the Basics

📹 Videos

* [Color Theory Fundamentals] - Pluralsight
* [Graphic Design Foundations: Color] - LinkedIn
* [The Beginner's Guide to Color Theory for Digital Artists] - Udemy
* [Color Theory: The Mechanics of Color Applied and Theoretical Color] - The Gnomon Workshop

📚 Books

* [Design Elements, Color Fundamentals] - Amazon
* [How Color Works: Color Theory in the Twenty-First Century] - Amazon

## Related Content

* [Smashing Color Theory Blog Posts - Maggie Maggio]
* [How to learn the color theory - Quora]
* [What is the best online material to learn color theory? - Quora]
* [Color Theory Class - Learn Color Theory Online Free | Alison]
* [Learn Color Theory - Best Color Theory Tutorials | Hackr.io]
* [Red, White, and Blue - Seven rules about color palettes that everyone (including non-designers) should know]

{{< partial "category_footer" >}}

[data visualization]: /blog/2020/10/17/learn-data-visualization/
[cmky color model]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMYK_color_model
[rbg color model]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RGB_color_model
[color schemes]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme
[adobe's color wheel application]: https://color.adobe.com/
[monochromatic colors]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme#Monochromatic
[complementary colors]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme#Complementary
[split-complementary colors]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme#Split-Complementary
[achromatic colors]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme#Achromatic
[analogous colors]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme#Analogous
[triadic colors]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme#Triadic
[color theory fundamentals]: https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/color-theory-fundamentals
[graphic design foundations: color]: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/graphic-design-foundations-color
[the beginner's guide to color theory for digital artists]: https://www.udemy.com/course/colortheory/
[color theory: the mechanics of color applied and theoretical color]: https://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/tutorials/color-theory-the-mechanics-of-color
[design elements, color fundamentals]: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Elements-Color-Fundamentals-Understanding/dp/1592537197/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=color+fundamentals&qid=1602927826&sr=8-2
[how color works: color theory in the twenty-first century]: https://www.amazon.com/How-Color-Works-Twenty-First-Century/dp/0190297220/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&keywords=%22color+theory%22&qid=1603024254&s=books&sr=1-17
[smashing color theory blog posts - maggie maggio]: https://maggiemaggio.com/color/workshops/tutorials/smashing-color-theory-blog-posts/
[how to learn the color theory - quora]: https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-learn-the-color-theory
[What is the best online material to learn color theory? - Quora]: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-online-material-to-learn-color-theory
[color theory class - learn color theory online free | alison]: https://alison.com/course/colour-theory-for-artists-and-designers
[learn color theory - best color theory tutorials | hackr.io]: https://hackr.io/tutorials/learn-color-theory
[red, white, and blue - seven rules about color palettes that everyone (including non-designers) should know]: https://medium.springboard.com/a-designers-guide-to-selecting-colors-for-your-product-9944756838d4