Tertiary colors are the six colors you get by mixing a primary color with the secondary color next to it on the color wheel: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet and red-violet.
If you have ever wondered why a paint by numbers kit comes with so many shades of green or orange, tertiary colors are a big part of the answer. Below we explain where they come from, how they relate to analogous colors, and how to use both in your own paintings. For the bigger picture, see our guide on how colors are classified.
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colors
- Primary colors: red, yellow and blue. You cannot mix them from other colors.
- Secondary colors: orange, green and violet. Each is made by mixing two primaries.
- Tertiary colors: the six colors in between, made by mixing a primary with a secondary next to it.
Put all twelve together in a circle and you have the classic color wheel painters have used for more than two hundred years.
The 6 Tertiary Colors and How to Mix Them
- Red-orange: red + orange. Think sunsets, autumn leaves and terracotta.
- Yellow-orange: yellow + orange. A warm golden tone, like marigolds or late afternoon light.
- Yellow-green: yellow + green. Fresh spring leaves and limes.
- Blue-green: blue + green. Teal and turquoise, the color of tropical water.
- Blue-violet: blue + violet. Deep indigo, great for night skies.
- Red-violet: red + violet. Magenta and plum shades.
The name always starts with the primary color. You will sometimes see them written the other way round, such as orange-red, but the color is the same.
What Are Analogous Colors?
Analogous colors are three to five colors that sit side by side on the color wheel, such as yellow, yellow-orange and orange, or blue, blue-green and green. Because they share a common color, they always look calm and natural together.
You see analogous colors everywhere in nature: the greens and blues of a pond, or the reds, oranges and yellows of a fall forest. Monet used them constantly. His water lily paintings are built almost entirely from neighboring blues, greens and violets.
Analogous vs Complementary Colors
- Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel. They create harmony and a soft, peaceful mood.
- Complementary colors sit opposite each other, like blue and orange or red and green. They create contrast and make each other look brighter.
Many great paintings use both: an analogous base with a small touch of a complementary color to make the eye jump. Van Gogh's Café Terrace at Night is a good example, with warm yellows and oranges set against a deep blue sky.
How to Use Tertiary and Analogous Colors in Your Painting
- Pick a color family. Choosing a design built on analogous colors, such as a seascape or a forest, is an easy way to get a harmonious result.
- Use tertiaries for depth. A tree painted only in green looks flat. Add yellow-green where the light hits and blue-green in the shadows.
- Keep neighboring shades apart on your palette. Numbered pots of similar greens are easy to mix up, so work one number at a time.
- Add one accent. If a painting feels dull, a small area of the complementary color brings it to life.
Want to see color theory in action? Our paint by numbers kits for beginners come with every color already mixed and matched, so you can focus on how the shades work together.
FAQs
How many tertiary colors are there?
There are six: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet and red-violet.
Is brown a tertiary color?
Not on the standard color wheel. Brown is usually made by mixing complementary colors, or all three primaries, which is why some older books call it a tertiary.
What are examples of analogous colors?
Yellow, yellow-orange and orange; blue, blue-green and green; red, red-violet and violet. Any three or more neighbors on the color wheel count.
