Coordinating Colors

The Color Wheel A color circle, based on red, yellow and blue, is traditional in the field of art. Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666. Since then scientists and artists have studied and designed numerous variations of this concept. Differences of opinion about the validity of one format over another continue to provoke debate. In reality, any color circle or color wheel which presents a logically arranged sequence of pure hues has merit.

	PRIMARY COLORS Red, yellow and blue In traditional color theory, these are the 3 pigment colors that can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors.
	SECONDARY COLORS Green, orange and purple   These are the colors formed by mixing the primary colors.
	TERTIARY COLORS Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green and yellow-green. These are the colors formed by mixing the secondary colors.

Color Wheel Pro  is a software tool that helps you create harmonious color schemes based on color theory. Click here to see sample color schemes created with Color Wheel Pro.

Bravenet Tutorial Articles Using combinations of shades and tints of these colors is one way that a designer may choose a color scheme.

Color Matters
Provides information on physiological and psychological effects of color, the role of color in design and art.

Easy RGB
Offers tools that make it easier to work with colors on a computer monitor and match them to colors in the real world, convert color values from one system to another, and find color complements and harmonies.

Handprint
A very comprehensive discussion of color. Contains information on different types of color wheels, color harmonies and schemes, color contrast, perception, and mixing theories.

About.Com: Color Tools and Tips
Software tools, color swatch collections and palettes, tips for managing color in print and on the Web, color theory articles, information about color trends, physiological and psychological effects of color, and more.

Color Systems
Represents a total of 59 illustrated color theories from Antiquity to modern times: a complete cultural history of color.

Color Theory Overview & Tutorial
A collection of essays on the color wheel, color contrast and dominance, color schemes, and primary colors.

Causes of Color
Explains how the human eye sees colors and why the world around us is colored. Here you can find the answers to the questions like 'Why is the sky blue?'

Color Wheels adapted from http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html