Mixing Metaphors

All colour mixed from three primaries. White and black are value modifiers only. Value is the most important quality of colour.

Primaries

R Y B

Presets

Paint-like mixing

85% Force sub. for B/C

Value table

Source

Actions

Value Scale

Each column shows a palette colour across 7 value levels — tinted with white above, shaded with black below. The ring marks its natural value. The curve shows the palette's tonal range as your primaries change. K is the neutral grey reference.

natural (full intensity) value · curve = tonal range of this palette · row 1 = lightest · row 7 = darkest

Green test — Yellow mixed with Blue

Subtractive mixing should produce a believable green at the midpoint. This is a quick sanity check for your primaries.

Yellow

50/50 —

Blue

Colour Triangle — Sloan

Outer ring: full intensity (A). Middle: semi-neutral / metaphoric primaries (B). Inner: neutral (C). Corners are the primaries of each tier; edges are their mixes.

A — Full Intensity

B — Semi Neutral

C — Neutral