So…I am starting a new short series on ThreadBEAR based on colour. Isn’t that exciting?! There is so, so much that can be said about colour, and without a doubt, I will only be scratching the surface in these posts, but exploring the basic relationships within colour can absolutely revolutionise the way you use it, from the way you dress to the way that you create.
In today’s post, we are going back to basics in traditional colour theory. We are looking at the colour wheel! You may remember it from school art lessons? Don’t let those bad school memories put you off – colour is seriously fun! Within this wheel, you will find primary, secondary and tertiary colours.
Now, let’s take a look at what these terms mean…
If you were to grab a set of paints, there is no way you could mix these colours from scratch. These are the only colours that can’t be created through a combination of other colours. All other colours originate from these 3 colours. Many people find inspiration from these colours alone, especially if you look at many artists and designers from the Bauhaus. They look bold, bright and fun.
Secondary colours are created by simply mixing two primary colours together, and can be found between two primary colours on the colour wheel.
You can see here how these secondary colours appear in nature, to great effect. I believe the most beautiful colour palettes can be found in nature.
A tertiary colour is produced by mixing a primary colour with a secondary. These colours remind me so much of Jil Sander’s Spring 2011 collection – one of my favourites from the last few years! The colours just MAKE these outfits.
So, there we go! Your first lesson in colour theory, complete with a few examples of how these can work simply as a colour palette of their own. I hope you enjoyed it!
Next week’s lesson will cover how you can use the colour wheel to find colours that look awesome together, using theories on harmonious colours. This is one of my favourite parts of colour theory – I’m looking forward to it already!
My question to you now is, what is your favourite colour? And what do you like to wear it with? Share it with me in the comments section below.
ThreadBEAR 
You’re right! Not enough attention is given to color. I remember learning about color in school how how different colors could be made from the primary colors. Neat post!
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