Color in Quilts

The example to the left is a basic color wheel.

The Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These are the colors that all other colors are made up from.

The Secondary colors are green, orange and violet. There are created by mixing two adjacent primary colors.

The Tertiary colors are yellow orange, red orange, red violet, blue violet, blue green, and yellow green. They are created by the mixing of a primary and a secondary color.

Analogous colors are made from combining two or more adjacent colors.

Complementary colors are opposites on the color wheel. For example red and green, blue and orange, or yellow and purple. When complementary colors are used in a quilt the colors will intensify.

A few more terms you will hear in speaking about colors are Hue, Value, and Intensity.

Hue is simply another word for color.

Value refers to a colors lightness or darkness.

Intensity refers to a colors brightness or dullness.

The following link will give some basic ways to go about choosing fabrics for a quilt, as well as some visual examples of each. Choosing your Fabrics

	The example to the left is a basic color wheel. The Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These are the colors that all other colors are made up from. The Secondary colors are green, orange and violet. There are created by mixing two adjacent primary colors. The Tertiary colors are yellow orange, red orange, red violet, blue violet, blue green, and yellow green. They are created by the mixing of a primary and a secondary color.
Analogous colors are made from combining two or more adjacent colors.
Complementary colors are opposites on the color wheel. For example red and green, blue and orange, or yellow and purple. When complementary colors are used in a quilt the colors will intensify.
A few more terms you will hear in speaking about colors are Hue, Value, and Intensity. Hue is simply another word for color. Value refers to a colors lightness or darkness. Intensity refers to a colors brightness or dullness.