The Circle of Color, or Color Wheel, is an abstract illustration of color hues organized around a circle, showing the relationship between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Different fields have slightly different definitions of the term "circle of color" and "circle of color", and although some sources use the two terms interchangeably, many scholars prefer to stick with the name "circle of color", especially when referring to Newton's work. . Newton first introduced the color circle in his work Opticks, which was intended to demonstrate the properties of light and its effect on the mixing of colors.
Newton's color circle shows the relationship between spectral colors, and in particular how to predict the production of colors by the addition and mixing of colors.
Newton's color circle focused on spectral colors and provided a predictive model for color mixing. This model shows the relative relationship between different colors based on the center of gravity of the colors. Unlike later color circles, Newton's color circle was not divided into equal parts; the size of the divisions was based on differences in the musical scale.
Currently, most color circles are based on three primary colors, three secondary colors, and six intermediate colors (or tertiary colors) that form a total of 12 major divisions. Artists' color circles often use blue, red, and yellow as primary colors, with corresponding secondary colors being green, orange, and violet. In painting and pigment colors, the mixing of these colors does not rely on simple arithmetic relationships, as the mixing results may vary from medium to medium.
Through the addition and mixing of colors, we can not only understand the nature of color, but also explore the application of color in design and art.
The color circle setting helps us understand the contrast and interaction of colors. On the color circle, complementary colors are located on opposite sides of the circle and when mixed in the correct proportions, they produce a neutral gray or white. This principle of color matching can help us understand how external light sources affect our color vision and cause fascinating optical illusions.
In practice, artists and designers use the color circle to choose color schemes. A color scheme is the choice of colors in a design, combined logically to create an appealing effect. From basic color combinations to more complex schemes like complementary, analogous, and monochromatic, the color circle offers a wealth of inspiration for design.
Whether it is the texture of color or its application in visual art, the matching of colors always has important aesthetic value.
The perception of color is not only about physical properties, but also about psychology. Newton's research solidified the scientific understanding of color, and later scholars, such as Goethes and Hegel, went further to explore how color affects human emotions and cognition. Through different color combinations, designers can manipulate the audience's emotions and create specific visual effects.
ConclusionNewton's color circle is not just a simple depiction of color relationships, but reveals the deeper optical and psychological phenomena behind colors. The application of color is not limited to artistic creation, but also goes deeper into scientific research and psychological experiments. They make us think about how colors affect our lives and emotions, and even shape our worldview. After all, has our perception of color changed over time and with technology?