http://www.english.janpaulwittebol.com It was Isaac Newton who first introduced the color wheel - based on red, yellow and blue - back in 1666. Ever since that time there have been many scientists and artists making their own variation of this concept resulting in a lot of lively debate. So what is the problem? Well, the problem is that the exact same color can appear completely different depending on the colors that surround it, meaning that you always have to look at a color in context with the other colors. By using the color wheel it becomes easier to understand the relationships between those colors including locating a color’s compliment. Knowing this complimentary color is essential for the painting process in order to get a harmonious color balance in the painting. The color theory in a nutshell: First we have the primary colors: Red, yellow and blue. These are the 3 pigment colors that can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. All other colors are derived from these 3 original colors. In the second place we have the secondary colors: Green, orange and purple. Colors such as red-orange, red violet, yellow-green, yellow orange, blue-violet, and blue green, are mixed from the primary and the secondary colors and they are called the tertiary colors. Complimentary Colors: All the colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel are complimentary colors, each the compliment of the other. When a color is mixed with it's complimentary color, it will begin to grey, producing a semi-neutral color. When more of the compliment is added, the mix reaches a point where the colors grey each other out, and neither color can be seen. This they call neutral. Placing complimentary colors next to each other, enhances both, making both colors seem more vibrant and intense. When building up a painting you should always make a good use of the neutral colors just mentioned above. You always start with an underpainting of various sh...