Color theory is a body of principles which provide guidance on the relationship between colors and the physiological impacts of certain color combinations.

Color theory is one of the most fundamental areas of painting. The importance of understanding color theory far exceeds simply knowing how to mix colors together (for example, knowing that yellow and blue make green).

As an artist, you do not need to worry yourself about all the complex underlying principles of color theory. Rather, all you need to understand is the general application of color theory and the relationship between colors. Color theory is a fundamental base of understanding for artists and should not be ignored.

Color theory will help you understand the relationship between colors and how we perceive them.

In this post, we will discuss all the major elements of color theory. However, this will only just touch on the surface of it. Color theory is an incredibly complex area. Luckily as artists, we only need to know certain elements of color theory which relate to us.