Why Isn't Brown in a Color Wheel or Rainbow?

The color brown often mystifies artists and those who aren't closely involved with color theory. This article aims to clarify why brown is not typically found in traditional color wheels or rainbows and how it can be created with mixtures of other colors.

Color Theory Basics

A basic color wheel is designed to show the relationships between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Often, to simplify the concept, we take out complicated color models like CMYK and RGB, ignoring the nuanced mixtures that create the full spectrum of colors. According to most art schools, the three primary colors are red, yellow, and blue.

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors

Secondary colors are formed by mixing the primary colors in equal parts. These include orange, green, and violet. Tertiary colors are the six intermediates formed by blending a primary with a secondary color, resulting in colors like red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, and red-violet. These extensive color names can be found throughout color categories, where blue-green could include a huge spectrum of hues like turquoise, teal, cyan, aqua, and many more.

Why Not Brown?

Despite the colorful spectrum offered by these categories, you will find no browns, greys, or ‘light blues’. These colors arise from mixing complementary, opposite, or near-opposite hues. For example, to get brown, you might mix the three primary colors in the right ratio. A little more blue will steer it towards grey. Artists have various tried-and-true methods to achieve the desired shades.

Creating Brown from Other Colors

The traditional color wheel often lacks brown, which is usually understood to be dark orange. However, this generalization doesn't cover all possibilities. The hue of orange can vary, and its luminosity and saturation significantly influence the perceived color. This is where the RGB and HSL color models come in handy for detailed exploration of color.

RGB and HSL Explained

RGB (Red, Green, Blue) and HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) are color models that offer a broader range of colors, including desaturated tones. Saturation refers to the purity of a color; less saturated colors appear greyer. By adjusting the luminosity (brightness) and saturation, you can create the wide array of browns, from dark to light.

Creating Light Browns with RGB and HSL

By experimenting with RGB and HSL, you can create light browns using less saturated oranges and yellows. For instance, an orange hue with a lower luminosity and decreased saturation can result in a dark brown. Conversely, raising the luminosity and reducing the saturation can yield a light, greyish brown that might appear fawn-like.

Contextual Perception of Brown

The perception of brown can also be influenced by context. In one scenario, a color might be labeled as brown, but under different circumstances, it might appear more red, orange, or yellow. This is a common experience for artists who are well-versed in color theory.

Real-World Example: A Gray or Pink Church

A personal anecdote illustrates this concept. Once, I described a stone church as 'grey' to a friend, who, being a geologist, saw it as clearly pink. This incident highlights how perception can vary based on expertise and individual perspectives. Just as a church can appear both grey and pink depending on context, a color can be perceived as brown, orange, or red depending on the underlying hue and its luminosity and saturation.

Conclusion

In summary, while brown isn't typically included in color wheels or rainbows, it can be created through the careful mixture of other colors. Understanding the nuances of saturation, luminosity, and hue can transform your perception of colors like brown, allowing you to see the vast spectrum of variations available to you.