Split-Primary Colors

The color wheel below demonstrates each of the primary colors, yellow, red, and blue, divided into warm and cool versions of each. As a visual artist it is important to understand that each primary color can have a warm and a cool aspect.

This is visualized in the color wheel. As you can see, the yellow is divided in half, the left side the warmer version of yellow and the other side the cooler version. The warm version has more red added to it and the cool version more blue.  The other primary colors, red and blue, are also divided into warm and cool versions. The warmer red has yellow added and the cooler red has more blue.  The blue has red added to create the warmer version, while the cooler version has more yellow.

Having a good understanding of warm and cool colors can add to the emotional communication of your painting. For example, warm colors are associated with fire, sunlight, energy, and cool colors with snow, shadows, somberness. There are many opinions on the psychology of color. However, it should be recognized that different people and cultures respond differently to the same color.

From a technical standpoint, it is important to understand the use of warm and cool colors in composition.  Used correctly, the color can manipulate the eye into perceiving: perspective, distance or the closeness of objects, or forms in a painting. Cool colors recede and warm colors tend to come forward.