Primary Colours
⭐ MasteredRed, yellow and blue are the primary colours in painting. Mixing them makes secondary colours: orange, green and purple.
Red + blue makes purple.
All about Primary Colours
Primary colours are the basic colours that cannot be made by mixing other colours. In painting, these are red, yellow and blue.
Light works differently from paint. The primary colours of light are red, green and blue, which combine to make white light. Understanding both systems helps artists and designers choose the right colours.
Artists use primary colours as the starting point for almost every painting. By changing how much of each colour they mix, they can create thousands of shades.
🎮 Try it yourself!
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👀 What the animation shows
This animation shows red, yellow and blue paints mixing together. Watch how two primary colours blend into a secondary colour, such as orange, green or purple.
Real-life uses of Primary Colours
- Mixing paint to create new shades
- Designing posters and logos with bright colours
- Choosing colours for a painting or a model
Frequently asked questions about Primary Colours
What are the primary colours?
In paint: red, yellow and blue. In light: red, green and blue.
What colour do you get by mixing all the paints together?
Mixing all paint colours usually makes a muddy brown or grey, because the pigments absorb most of the light.
What are tertiary colours?
Colours made by mixing a primary colour with a neighbouring secondary colour, such as red-orange.