There are three primary colors in light that, when mixed together, form other colors. These primary colors in light are green, red and blue. For example, by mixing and matching the different wavelengths of light, someone can take green and red and make yellow. It is this constant mixing of light wavelengths that allows for different colors to appear.

Each primary color, when mixed with another primary color, makes a totally different color. The following are the different possible colors that can be made when mixing the different primary colors together:

  • Blue mixed with Red: Magenta
  • Blue mixed with Green: Cyan
  • Red Mixed with Green: Yellow
  • Red mixed with Green mixed with Blue: White

These are known as additive colors. The general purpose is that, by mixing the different colors together, or adding the three primary colors together, you can walk away with white light. White light is the addition of all different colors of light combined together. When there is no light whatsoever, the outcome is black.

What are the Traditional Subtractive Colors?

When using paints, there are three other primary colors. The primary colors in paint are red, blue and yellow. When mixed, they form other colors that are, interesting enough, the colors that are found in additive mixing.

The three secondary colors that are formed by mixing the three primary colors are:What are the Primary Colors?

  • Red mixed with Blue: Violet
  • Red mixed with Yellow: Orange
  • Blue mixed with Yellow: Green
  • Blue mixed with Red mixed with Yellow: Black

This is a form of subtractive coloring that is used to teach art education. By adding more points together, more light is removed from the scenario and therefore, the color changes. By mixing all of the three colors together, the outcome is a black because there is nowhere for light to be absorbed properly.

What are the Primary Colors in Printing?

When using colors for the printing world, there are three other primary colors. The primary colors in printing are cyan, magenta and yellow. When mixed together, these form different colors that a printer can use to make any number of colors for the printing world.

The three secondary colors that are formed by mixing the three primary colors are:

  • Cyan mixed with Magenta: Green
  • Cyan mixed with Yellow: Blue
  • Magenta Mixed with Yellow: Red

In the printing world, there is typically an entirely separate black cartridge because the mixing of these three colors would, in fact, create a sludge rather than perfect black.