Color Theory
Basics
Directions
Let's learn about....
Main Menu
Primary Colors
Secondary Colors
Quiz
For Teachers
←Click to get
started!
You've seen the color wheel before
right?
This is a simple version of the color wheel
This basic color wheel is made up of primary
colors and secondary colors.
There are
3
Primary Colors
What is a primary color?
Primary colors are a group of colors which
are used to make most other colors.
You can not mix colors to make primary
colors.
Red is a
Primary Color
Tomatoes are red
Firetrucks are red
Cherries are red
Yellow is a
Primary Color
The sun is yellow
Lemons are yellow
School busses are yellow
Blue is a
Primary Color
Blueberries are blue
The sky is blue
The ocean is blue
Quick!
Which object should be
Red?
What color is the sun?
There are
3
Secondary Colors!
Orange is a
Secondary Color
Orange is made by
mixing red and yellow
Orange
Oranges are orange
Pumpkins are orange
Carrots are orange
So orange is a
Secondary Color made
by mixing red and yellow.
Purple is a
Secondary Color
Purple is made by mixing red and blue
Click to play
Purple
Eggplants are purple
Violets are purple
So purple is a Secondary
Color made by mixing red
and blue
Green is a
Secondary Color
Green is made by mixing yellow and blue
Green
Limes are green
Grass is green
Clovers are green
So green is a
secondary color
made by mixing yellow
and blue
Help me out!
When I want green, what colors do I mix?
Blue and Red
Red and Yellow
Yellow and Blue
Complementary Colors
A complementary color is a color that lies on the
opposite side of a color on the color wheel
Let’s see some
examples
Example
Red is a complementary color of green.
And green is a complementary color of red.
Example
Blue is a complementary color of orange.
And orange is a complementary color of blue.
Can you guess what color is
complementary to yellow?

Hint: look at the color wheel!
red
orange
purple
Let’s see what you have learned!
Feel free to go back to a
lesson if you’re having trouble.
When I mix red and blue what do I get?
When I mix red and yellow, what
color do I get?
What color does blue and yellow
make?
Red is a….
Primary color
Secondary color
Purple is a…
Primary color
Secondary color
Orange is the
complementary color of…
Red
Blue
Purple
Which object is usually green?
Red is the
complementary color of…
Blue
Orange
Green
The three primary colors are…
Red, Blue and Purple
Yellow, Blue and Red
Orange, Green, and Purple
The three
secondary colors are…
Red, Green, and Orange
Orange, Green, and Purple
Blue, Red, and Yellow
You did it!
Target Audience
Learner Environment
Objectives
Standards
Resources
Learner Environment
• This activity can be done as a small (2-5) group
activity, an individual activity with the student
alone at the computer, or a student with an
adult as a helper.
• This can be done in the classroom, computer
lab, or at home for a homework project.
Target Audience
• 1st and/or 2nd graders
• Middle class to lower class
• Boys and girls
• Urban/ suburban/ rural
• Some previous knowledge of the color wheel
Objectives
• Students will successfully be able to identify
primary, secondary, complementary colors with
100% accuracy.
• Students will be able to identify which primary
colors make up secondary colors with 100%
accuracy.
Standards
•
2.7 Students apply the elements and principles and
discriminate various lines, shapes, forms, textures,
colors, and space. They identify two and threedimensional works of art, visual characteristics of
media, and utilize appropriate media and processes in
artwork, demonstrating safe and proper use of
materials.
•
2.8 Students identify connections between visual art
and other disciplines, and they create artwork using
content and sign systems from other subject areas.
Resources
http://www.itsjust4me.com/usermods/elmosworld.htm
http://www.sodahead.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grover.JPG
http://www.cinnamonhearts.com/Cherries04.htm
http://photo-dict.faqs.org/phrase/399/lemon.html
http://www.thewritingnut.com/blog-challenge/az-day-25-yellow-symbolisms/
http://www.baltimoreeats.com/article.php?id=19
http://www.dawgsports.com/2007/6/26/0124/02387
http://cenvironment.blogspot.com/2010/07/final-recommendations-of-ocean-policy.html
http://nailartstamp.com/My_Homepage_Files/products.htm