Intermediate colors, also known as tertiary colors, are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. This simple process results in a wider range of hues than using only primary or secondary colors.
Understanding Primary and Secondary Colors
Before diving into intermediate color creation, let's quickly review the basics:
- Primary Colors: These are the foundational colors that cannot be created by mixing other colors. They are typically red, yellow, and blue.
- Secondary Colors: These colors are formed by mixing two primary colors in equal proportions. Mixing red and yellow creates orange; yellow and blue create green; and blue and red create violet (purple).
Creating Intermediate Colors: A Step-by-Step Guide
To make an intermediate color, you simply combine one primary color with one adjacent secondary color. For example:
- Blue-violet: Mix blue (primary) with violet (secondary).
- Red-violet: Mix red (primary) with violet (secondary).
- Red-orange: Mix red (primary) with orange (secondary).
- Yellow-orange: Mix yellow (primary) with orange (secondary).
- Yellow-green: Mix yellow (primary) with green (secondary).
- Blue-green: Mix blue (primary) with green (secondary).
The exact shade of the intermediate color will depend on the ratio of primary to secondary color used. More of one color will shift the resulting hue towards that color.
Examples and Practical Applications
Intermediate colors offer a wider palette for artists, designers, and anyone working with color. They provide subtle variations and transitions between primary and secondary colors, adding depth and complexity to projects. Consider these examples:
- Painting: Creating a sunset using red-orange and yellow-orange provides a more realistic and nuanced effect than simply using red and yellow.
- Graphic Design: Using blue-green and yellow-green in a logo can create a calming and natural feel.
- Fashion: Blending red-violet and blue-violet in a textile design adds richness and sophistication.
Intermediate colors–also called Tertiary colors–result from one primary color and one secondary color being mixed together. The six intermediate colors are: blue-violet; red-violet; red-orange; yellow-orange; yellow-green; and blue-green.
