Color is an all embracing term for any visual sensation derived from light.  Color may be described in fine ways.

Hue

This is the common name for color and indicates its position in the spectrum or in the color wheel.

Primary Colors

Every color is made from these three colors: Red, blue, and yellow.  These are pure colors and thus are the brightest.

Secondary Colors

Secondary colors are made by mixing two primary colors together.  Some colors are stronger and some are weaker so you must use the eye rather than measure.  

*When mixing colors, always add the strong hue to the weak hue.

The three secondary colors are green, orange, and violet.

Tertiary Colors

These colors are made by mixing the adjacent primary and secondary colors.  When naming these colors, the primary goes before the secondary. E.g. Red-violet, blue-green, yellow-orange.

Value

This refers to the degree of lightness or darkness of a color.  By adding white to a hue you lighten it and by adding black to the same hue you can darken it. 

Tint - add white

Shade - add black

Local Value

Pure hues have a value.  e.g. yellow is lightest, and violet is darkest.

Neutral Value Scale

This scale does not have color, i.e.. it consists of white, gray, and black.

Intensity

This refers to the strength of a color determined by its purity.  A vivid/bright color is of high intensity and a dull color is of low intensity.

Neutralized Hue

A hue which has been grayed or reduced in intensity by a mixture with any of the neutrals or with a complimentary color.

Temperature

Through association and experience color has been divided into cold (blue, green, violet) and hot (red, yellow, orange)

Cold-receding, sad, restful

Hot-advance, happy, energy

Weight

Colors have visual weight and must be placed in such a way as to achieve balance in a painting.

Cool and light - light e.g. Picasso

                                        Warm and dark - heavy e.g. Rembrandt

Color Systems

When you are painting a realistic work of art and are reproducing the colors you see in nature, you are using local color.

When not using local color, you can use one of the following color harmonies.

1. Monochromatic - when a single color dominates the paining.  Produces unity and mood e.g. Picasso's blue period.

2. Analogous - colors which are closely related in hue, found adjacent to each other on the color wheel.  Produces unity but lacks variety.  e.g. Rembrandt - yellow, yellow-orange, orange, red-orange, red.

3. Triad - a group of any three colors spaced an equal distance on the color wheel.  there is a primary triad, a secondary triad, and two tertiary triads.  Give good visual contrast. e.g. Mondrian.

4. Complimentary - any two colors found opposite on the color wheel.  this is a strong, dynamic scheme that attracts attention.  Used in modern graphic design.