secondary color

A secondary color is a color made by mixing two primary colors in a given color space. Examples include the following:

Additive secondaries

Light (RGB)

Light (RYB)

Subtractive secondaries

Pigment (CMY)

This is often referred to as CMYK where K stands for Key (usually black). In theory, solid overlapping layers of C, M, and Y ink produce black. In reality the outcome is dirty brown unless mixed exactly evenly so the black ink replaces the other three layers. See under color removal.

Traditional Painting Prescripts (RYB)

In the RGB color space the colors are added, thus you start with levels of dark colors which are added to produce lighter colors. RYB uses pigments, which are not added, and thus combining colors using the RYB color system will result in a darker color.

Pigment (GVO)

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See also

• Color theory
• List of colors
• Primary color
• Tertiary color
• Neutral color