Painting a Color Wheel - What are the real Primary Colors?

Hey there, fellow artist extraordinaires! Guess what? I stumbled upon a mind-blowing revelation not too long ago - brace yourselves - Blick now offers the elusive Primary Magenta, Primary Yellow, and Primary Blue! It's like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow! So, if you've been dreaming of guiding your students through the magical world of color wheels, these are the hues you've been searching for. Dive in to discover the secrets of color mixing and the art of crafting a magnificent color wheel!

Unveiling the Truth Behind Primary Colors: Debunking the Myth

Alright, let's debunk the myth of the primary colors! So, many folks out there swear by red, yellow, and blue as the holy trinity of colors. But hey, hold your paintbrushes, that's not entirely accurate! I mean, try blending those three on a color wheel and oh-no, you won't magically summon all the colors of the rainbow. Back in the day, I got a bit rebellious and swapped blue for turquoise and red for magenta, but nope, still no luck in nailing those perfect hues. Then, lo and behold, I stumbled upon Blick's magical set of true primaries, ordered them faster than you can say "color me surprised," and gave them a whirl. And guess what? I managed to recreate every color on that wheel...well, except for red. It's like the unicorn of colors, always playing hard to get!

Picture this: the world is not just black and white, oh no! It's a whole rainbow out there, my friends. I mean, as a painter, I've got more shades of red than you've got excuses for not doing your homework. We're talking Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium red, Rose Madder, Magenta - it's like a red carpet event in my paint collection! And don't even get me started on blues and yellows, it's a whole smorgasbord of colors, people!

But hey, I get it - for the non-artistic souls out there, red, yellow, and blue are the holy trinity of colors. It's like they're stuck in a Crayola time warp, bless their hearts. I get it why teachers sometimes keep it simple and and say red, yellow and blue. Gotta keep it simple, am I right? But let me tell you, when I'm in my artist mode, my palette is like a magical treasure chest of colors just waiting to be unleashed on the canvas! It's a colorful world out there, my friends, and I'm here to paint it all!

The True Primary Colors

Forget about red, blue, and yellow being the primary colors - that's so last season! The real MVPs are Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, aka CMYK. Next time you're changing your printer cartridge, remember that these bad boys are the true heroes of the color world. Cyan is all about that fresh, baby blue vibe, Yellow brings the zesty lemon party, and Magenta? Well, she's more pink than red, but hey, who's keeping track? Embrace the CMYK life, because these colors are the real deal!

Materials

Here is what you will need to set up for painting color wheels:

• A worksheet with all the colors labeled (find one on TPT or get creative and have the kids make one).

• Actual color wheels for matching colors.

• Paint brushes. I prefer small flat ones for this.

• Paper towel.

• Cup of water.

• Paper plate or pallet.

• The three primary colors. I used Blick Student Grade tempera paint.

Instructions

Break out your document camera and buckle up for the magical journey of painting! Imagine a world where we explore the wonders of colors step by step, like a rainbow rollercoaster of creativity. First stop: YELLOW! Each brave artist receives their very own paper plate pallet, like a fancy artist at a gourmet art buffet. Why start with yellow, you ask? Well, my friends, yellow is like the diva of colors - delicate and easily influenced by its surroundings. So, remember the golden rule: wash that brush like your art career depends on it, dab off the water like a pro, and never, ever trust the cleanliness of the brush left behind by the mysterious last student. Let the painting games begin!

Remember, dip that brush ever so delicately, just the tip! We don't want any rebellious paint sneaking up into the ferrule. This way, you get a juicy chunk of paint to play around with on your paper. Start by painting along the inside of the lines like a pro, then paint the middle. And if your hand is feeling a bit wobbly, no worries! Plant that palm on the paper for some extra stability. If you want your students color wheels to look super smooth (no lines) it helps to have them do two coats of each color. Let's paint the town... err, paper, yellow!

Once yellow is painted we mix the warm colors, so I sneak around the room like a ninja and and squirt a little magenta onto each paper plate. The only color you will not be able to get with your primary colors is the elusive red. No worries though, just have them use magenta in place of the red. Next we mix the cool colors, they will need the primary blue for this, so bring back the ninja. They should be continually comparing the colors they mixed to those of the actual color wheel. And hey, don't forget to give your brush a bath and swap out that water when it's looking like it's been to a mud wrestling match. Clean colors, people! It is important to keep your colors clean if you want them to remain true and bright. Oh, and always whip up more paint than you think you need. Paint lightens as it dries, so it's hard to mix the same exact color twice!

As you work on the color wheel it is a good time to explain the concept of secondary colors: orange, green and violet. And tertiary colors: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, bue-green, blue-violet, red-violet. Now, while my little Picassos are getting their creative juices flowing, I like to sprinkle in a bit of magic by showing them how to whip up some brown. How, you ask? Well, by mixing and mingling the primaries (cyan, magenta, and yellow) or playing matchmaker with complementary colors (red/green, blue/orange, or yellow/violet). It's like a fancy rainbow party up in here!

And hold onto your paintbrushes, folks, 'cause we're about to unlock the mystery of mixing brown! Watch in awe as we combine the power of the primaries (cyan, magenta, and yellow) or team up some complimentary colors (red with green, blue with orange, or yellow with violet) to create the elusive shade of brown.

Fourth graders on up will have so much fun mixing colors, they find it so satisfying! This is a great project for beginning artists, because it is very straightforward. It helps them develop their mixing and matching skills, everyone will feel successful! So, get ready for a colorful masterpiece that will make you proud! You'll have a room full of color-mixing pros in no time, creating masterpieces that will make the Mona Lisa jealous!

When you place your supply order for your art program, it is essential to include the Primary Magenta, Yellow, and Blue colors from Blick. These colors are foundational in creating a wide range of hues and tones, allowing your students to explore their creativity to the fullest. Blick's quality products ensure vibrant and long-lasting results, making them a top choice for art educators and enthusiasts alike.

Stay tuned for a future post that will provide a comprehensive list of all the supplies necessary to run a successful and engaging art curriculum. From brushes to paper, oil pastels to markers, I will cover everything you need to inspire and nurture the artistic talents of your students.