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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAs hinted at above there are a few different colour systems:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- RGB (red, green, blue) is the system used for colours created by light<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) is the system used for printing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- RYB (red, yellow, blue) is the system used by artists for painting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
We shall, therefore, stick to discussions based around the RYB (red, yellow, blue) system used for painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Colour Wheel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/colour-wheel.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAbove is the famous colour wheel which I am sure we have all seen many a time. We have to start from the basics though so bear with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Primary colours<\/strong> are the three colours that are the building blocks from which all other colours are made: red, yellow and blue. Primary colours are colours that cannot be made by mixing other colours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secondary colours <\/strong>are made by mixing two primary colours together: red and yellow make orange; yellow and blue make green, and blue and red make purple. The secondary colours sit in between the primary colours on the colour wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tertiary colours<\/strong> are made by mixing equal amounts of a primary and secondary colour together and fill in the gaps around the wheel between the primary and secondary colours as demonstrated by the colour star below. Magenta, Vermilion, Amber, Chartreuse, Teal and Violet are the six tertiary colours indicated below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/colour-star-1024x1024.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFor an in-depth colour wheel, listing actual watercolour paint pigments and where they sit around the wheel, check out this incredible graphic<\/a> by Bruce MacEvoy of handprint.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Disclaimer: this colour wheel is not for the faint-hearted!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Complimentary Colours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Complimentary colours are colours that sit directly opposite each other on the colour wheel. Painting complementary colours side by side, or using them together in a painting will make them look bold and more vibrant. You can layer complementary colours to tone each other down. If you mix them they will make a strong brown or grey tone, which is fine if that\u2019s what you are trying to achieve. However, avoid this if that\u2019s not the colour you wish to achieve as you could end up with unintentional mud!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Analogous Colours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Analogous colours are three colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel, such as red, red-orange and orange. They can work harmoniously together as they are from the same colour \u2018family\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Analogous_Color.gif\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMonochromatic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Using a monochromatic colour scheme means using various tints and shades of one hue. Don\u2019t know what any of those words mean?? Read on\u2026!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Colour Theory Terms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When discussing colour theory there are a few terms that are helpful to know the definition of (and can become easily muddled).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hue<\/strong> – can be explained as \u201cpure\u201d colour, in the sense that no white, grey or black has been added to the colour to effect it. Black, white and grey are not hues (but they are still considered colours). Hues have a saturation of 100% while black, grey and white have a saturation of 0%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Value<\/strong> – refers to the lightness or darkness of a colour. The term indicates how close to white or black a colour is. In the context of watercolour painting we do not use white to make a colour lighter (as artists may if they were painting with oil or acrylic), we add water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saturation<\/strong> – the term is used to definite the intensity and brilliance of a colour. It is measured in percentage. As mentioned above pure colour, or hues, have 100% saturation. If you decrease the saturation, colours become more washed out. You may have seen this effect when editing a photo on your smartphone or computer. If you boost the saturation level the image becomes brighter and more intense but if you reduce the saturation levels the colours in the image become faded and less vibrant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tint <\/strong>– refers to a hue with white added to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tone <\/strong>– refers to a hue with neutral grey added to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shade<\/strong> – refers to a hue with black added to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nWant to learn travel sketching in ink & watercolour?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nColour Temperature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The colour wheel can be split in half where one side contains warm colours and the other contains cold colours as per below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/colour-wheel-warm-cold-1060x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAs you can see the wheel is cut in half between the reds and the greens. Warm colours and cold colours evoke a certain atmosphere. When used together they can create a sense of drama or balance and contrast, depending on how they are used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary colours cannot be considered pure colours. All reds, blues and yellows have a slight temperature to them, they can be considered warm or cold too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When looking at a colour such as red we can consider whether it\u2019s a warm red or cold red. Is it a more orange-red (warm) or is more purple-red (cold)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As such a system was developed called the \u2018split primary system\u2019 which is now a popular method for artists to select which colours they include in their palettes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat is the Split Primary Colour System?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The split primary system refers to splitting the primary colours into two: a warm version and a cold version. As such on a palette we would have one warm red and one cold red, one warm blue and one cold blue and one warm yellow and one cold yellow – so 6 colours in total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This system is useful because it allows for a wider range of colours to be mixed. As Jane Blundell<\/a> explains, it\u2019s difficult to get a full range of colour and be able to produce bright, mid and neutral secondaries from just one red, one blue and one yellow. This is why we need two different versions of each primary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the leading books on the matter is \u2018Blue and Yellow Don’t Make Green\u2019 by Michael Wilcox (which you can find here<\/a> on Amazon). Michael Wilcox changed the way we thinking about the standard red, blue, yellow primary system of colour mixing by introducing the split primary system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, you can see some extracts of a longer training course by Michael Wilcox himself explaining the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part 1 is more to do with the history of painting, how paints were created and how this affected how colours were used historically. It\u2019s interesting, however, Part 2 is where the real meat of this subject is and he really gets into explaining how the split primary system works and how you can use it to mix the right colour every time and avoid mixing muddy colours. It\u2019s a tad science-y but he explains the theory clearly and it makes total sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part 1<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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