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In the [[arts]] of [[painting]], [[graphic design]], [[color printing]], [[television]], web design, and  [[photography]],  color theory is a body of practical guidance to '''color''' mixing and the visual impact of specific color combinations. Although color theory principles first appear in the writings of [[Leone Battista Alberti]] (c.1435) and the notebooks of [[Leonardo da Vinci]] (c.1490), a tradition of "colory theory" begins in the 18th century, initially within a partisan controversy around [[Isaac Newton]]'s theory of color (''Opticks'', 1704) and the nature of so-called [[primary color]]s. From there it developed as an independent artistic tradition with only superficial reference to [[colorimetry]] and vision science.

In the [[arts]] of [[painting]], [[graphic design]], [[color printing]], [[television]], web design, and  [[photography]],  color theory is a body of practical guidance to '''color''' mixing and the visual impact of specific color combinations. Although color theory principles first appear in the writings of [[Leone Battista Alberti]] (c.1435) and the notebooks of [[Leonardo da Vinci]] (c.1490), a tradition of "colory theory" begins in the 18th century, initially within a partisan controversy around [[Isaac Newton]]'s theory of color (''Opticks'', 1704) and the nature of so-called [[primary color]]s. From there it developed as an independent artistic tradition with only superficial reference to [[colorimetry]] and vision science.

==Color abstractions==

==Color abstractions==

In [[painting]] and other visual arts, two-dimensional color wheels or three-dimensional [[color solid]]s are used as tools to teach beginners the essential relationships between colors. The organization of colors in a particular color model depends on the purpose of that model: some models show relationships based on [[Color vision|Human color perception]], whereas others are based on the color mixing properties of a particular medium such as a computer display or set of paints.

In [[painting]] and other visual arts, two-dimensional color wheels or three-dimensional [[color solid]]s are used as tools to teach beginners the essential relationships between colors. The organization of colors in a particular color model depends on the purpose of that model: some models show relationships based on [[Color vision|Human color perception]], whereas others are based on the color mixing properties of a particular medium such as a computer display or set of paints.

Unfortunately, when used in practice, the [[CMYK|CMY]] primary colors often result in color mixtures that lack vibrancy or are relatively unsaturated, especially in the secondary colors: oranges, greens and purples.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} During the 18th century a specific expedient for this problem intended to preserve the theoretical importance of primary colors was devised: the three primary colors were "split" into a warm and cool pair. Thus, primary yellow was split into a "warm" (orangish) and "cool" (greenish) pair of yellows; red was split into a warm (scarlet) and cool (carmine) pair, and blue into warm (ultramarine) and cool (cerulean). Now saturated mixtures were made by mixing the adjacent primary pairs: saturated orange from warm yellow and red (orangish yellow and scarlet). Dull mixtures were made by mixing opposing members of the pair: dull orange from cool yellow and cool red (greenish yellow and carmine).

Unfortunately, when used in practice, the [[CMYK|CMY]] primary colors often result in color mixtures that lack vibrancy or are relatively unsaturated, especially in the secondary colors: oranges, greens and purples. During the 18th century a specific expedient for this problem intended to preserve the theoretical importance of primary colors was devised: the three primary colors were "split" into a warm and cool pair. Thus, primary yellow was split into a "warm" (orangish) and "cool" (greenish) pair of yellows; red was split into a warm (scarlet) and cool (carmine) pair, and blue into warm (ultramarine) and cool (cerulean). Now saturated mixtures were made by mixing the adjacent primary pairs: saturated orange from warm yellow and red (orangish yellow and scarlet). Dull mixtures were made by mixing opposing members of the pair: dull orange from cool yellow and cool red (greenish yellow and carmine).

This system is still popular among contemporary painters, as it is basically a simplified version of Newton's geometrical rule that colors closer together on the hue circle will produce more vibrant mixtures. However, with the range of contemporary paints available, many artists simply add more paints to their palette as desired for a variety of practical reasons. For example, they may add a scarlet, purple and/or green paint to expand the mixable [[gamut]]; and they include one or more dark colors (especially "earth" colors such as yellow ochre or burnt sienna) simply because they are convenient to have premixed. Printers commonly augment a CYMK palette with [[spot color|spot]] (trademark specific) ink colors.

This system is still popular among contemporary painters, as it is basically a simplified version of Newton's geometrical rule that colors closer together on the hue circle will produce more vibrant mixtures. However, with the range of contemporary paints available, many artists simply add more paints to their palette as desired for a variety of practical reasons. For example, they may add a scarlet, purple and/or green paint to expand the mixable [[gamut]]; and they include one or more dark colors (especially "earth" colors such as yellow ochre or burnt sienna) simply because they are convenient to have premixed. Printers commonly augment a CYMK palette with [[spot color|spot]] (trademark specific) ink colors.

The color wheel harmonies have had limited practical application, simply because the impact of the color combinations is quite different, depending on the colors involved: the contrast between the complementary colors purple and green is much less strident than the contrast between red and turquoise. They can suggest useful color combinations in fashion or interior design, but much also depends on the tastes, lifestyle and cultural norms of the consumer. When the schemes have proven effective, this is often because of fundamental contrast is between warm and cool hues (in this instance meaning hues on the opposite sides of the color wheel), contrast of value with darks and lights, contrast of saturated and unsaturated colors, or contrast of extension, when one color is extended over a large area contrasting another color extended over a very small area.

The color wheel harmonies have had limited practical application, simply because the impact of the color combinations is quite different, depending on the colors involved: the contrast between the complementary colors purple and green is much less strident than the contrast between red and turquoise. They can suggest useful color combinations in fashion or interior design, but much also depends on the tastes, lifestyle and cultural norms of the consumer. When the schemes have proven effective, this is often because of fundamental contrast is between warm and cool hues (in this instance meaning hues on the opposite sides of the color wheel), contrast of value with darks and lights, contrast of saturated and unsaturated colors, or contrast of extension, when one color is extended over a large area contrasting another color extended over a very small area.

In the 20th century color theory attempted to link colors to particular emotional or subjective associations: red is an arousing, sensual, feminine color; blue is a contemplative, serene, masculine color, and so on. This project has failed for several reasons, the most important being that cultural color associations play the dominant role in abstract color associations, and the impact of color in design is always affected by the context.<ref>{{cite book|title=If it's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die|first=Patti|last=Bellantoni|publisher=[[Elsevier]], [[Focal Press]]|year=2005|isbn=0-240-80688-3}}</ref>

In the 20th century color theory attempted to link colors to particular emotional or subjective associations: red is an arousing, sensual, feminine color; blue is a contemplative, serene, masculine color, and so on. This project has failed for several reasons, the most important being that cultural color associations play the dominant role in abstract color associations, and the impact of color in design is always affected by the context.

==Current status==

==Current status==