There are no colors that can mix into primary colors, but how can a color form if it’s not mixed with other colors?

Question

I don’t get it.

In: 3

Answer 1

First, I think we should explore the difference between color, as it exists in the visible spectrum of light and color in pigment mixing, that you would use to create paint colors.

When you put white light through a prism you get bands of colors. We usually say these are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Our eyes and brains interpret these as colors.

When mixing pigments, combinations of red, yellow and blue can create many other colors, including secondary colors on the color wheel. This is sort of a simplification of color mixing though, because cyan, magenta and yellow pigments actually can produce more hues when mixed. That is why printers use these pigments to create all others hues. We produce pigments from different things like plants, chemicals, etc. There are a variety of hues of pigment that can correspond to a color in the light spectrum.

Color pigments and the colors in the light spectrum are related because the color pigments absorb certain bands of light and reflect other ones. When we mix pigments together we change how light is absorbed and reflected, which changes how our eyes perceive that color.

Answer 2

First, I think we should explore the difference between color, as it exists in the visible spectrum of light and color in pigment mixing, that you would use to create paint colors.

When you put white light through a prism you get bands of colors. We usually say these are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Our eyes and brains interpret these as colors.

When mixing pigments, combinations of red, yellow and blue can create many other colors, including secondary colors on the color wheel. This is sort of a simplification of color mixing though, because cyan, magenta and yellow pigments actually can produce more hues when mixed. That is why printers use these pigments to create all others hues. We produce pigments from different things like plants, chemicals, etc. There are a variety of hues of pigment that can correspond to a color in the light spectrum.

Color pigments and the colors in the light spectrum are related because the color pigments absorb certain bands of light and reflect other ones. When we mix pigments together we change how light is absorbed and reflected, which changes how our eyes perceive that color.