What are the primary colors?

The primary colors are defined as the foundational colors that cannot be created by mixing other colors together, and they serve as the basis for creating a wide range of other colors. In traditional color theory, especially in art and design, red, yellow, and blue are classified as the primary colors. This formulation is particularly useful in the context of pigment mixing, such as when using paint or colored inks.

When mixed together, primary colors can create secondary colors: for instance, red and yellow make orange, yellow and blue create green, and blue combined with red gives purple. This understanding is essential for artists and florists alike, as mastering color theory can enhance the aesthetics of floral arrangements by enabling the effective combination and contrast of colors.

Other options provided represent different color models. Cyan, magenta, and yellow are primary colors in the subtractive color model commonly used in printing (CMYK). Blue, green, and yellow suggest a variation of primary colors in a different color context, while red, green, and blue refer to the primary colors in the additive color model used in digital screens. Understanding these distinctions helps in grasping why red, yellow, and blue are considered the primary colors in classical art and design contexts.