Color is more than just visual decoration; it’s a universal language that communicates mood, meaning, and emotion. Whether you’re a designer trying to build the perfect palette, an artist creating your next masterpiece, or simply someone curious about how color actually works, understanding primary colors gives you the foundation you need to explore the full spectrum confidently.

Primary colors form the base of all color models used in art, design, digital content creation, and printing. They’re the starting point from which you can create secondary and tertiary colors, build cohesive palettes, and craft visually compelling designs. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what primary colors are, how many primary colors exist, how different industries use different primary sets, and how you can make the most of color using Picsart’s free online tools.

Let’s start with the basics.

What are the primary colors?

Primary colors are the fundamental colors that cannot be created by mixing other colors. Instead, they are used to create all other colors within a color system. While many people grow up learning that the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue, the truth is more nuanced. The primary colors you use depend entirely on the medium:

  • RYB (Red, Yellow, Blue) – traditional art and painting

  • RGB (Red, Green, Blue) – screens, digital devices, LEDs

  • CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) – printers and ink-based systems

Each of these systems serves a different purpose, and they work based on different principles – some add light to create brightness, while others absorb light to create deeper tones.

Understanding this prevents confusion, especially for creators who switch between physical and digital mediums.

How many primary colors are there?

This is one of the most common and most misunderstood questions in color theory. The short answer is: three in any given system – but they are not always the same three.

A quick breakdown:

  • RYB: 3 primary colors

  • RGB: 3 primary colors

  • CMYK: Technically 4, but cyan, magenta, and yellow are the three true primaries

This is why people often ask variations like:

  • What are the true three primary colors?
     → In modern pigment theory: cyan, magenta, yellow
     → In digital light: red, green, blue

  • What are the 7 primary colors?
     → There are none. The “7 colors” refers to the rainbow (ROYGBIV).

  • What are the 5 main primary colors?
     → There are no systems with 5 primary colors.

The confusion usually comes from mixing up primary colors, which are functional, with rainbow colors, which are naturally occurring spectral hues.

Different types of primary colors for different applications

To understand why each color model uses different primary colors, it helps to know how each system works. On a fundamental level, colors behave differently depending on whether they’re produced by light, pigments, or ink.

Let’s break it down clearly.

1. RYB primary colors (red, yellow, blue)

Best for: paint, traditional art, fine arts, illustration

The RYB model has been used for centuries because it reflects how physical pigments behave. When mixing paints, you aren’t adding light – you’re combining materials that absorb and reflect different wavelengths.

RYB secondary colors:

  • Red + Yellow = Orange

  • Yellow + Blue = Green

  • Red + Blue = Purple

This model is intuitive for beginners and remains a staple in art classrooms worldwide. While it’s not as scientifically precise as CMYK or RGB, it’s extremely useful for creative expression and hands-on mixing.

2. RGB primary colors (red, Green, Blue)

Best for: screens, digital art, UI design, web design, photography

RGB is an additive color model, meaning that colors are created by adding light. When the three primary colors overlap at full intensity, they create white light.

You’ll encounter RGB anytime you’re dealing with:

  • Smartphones

  • Television screens

  • Computer monitors

  • Digital cameras

  • LED lighting

RGB secondary colors:

  • Red + Green = Yellow

  • Green + Blue = Cyan

  • Blue + Red = Magenta

The RGB model is used everywhere in digital creation because it mirrors how human eyes perceive light. If you’re designing for a screen, RGB is the system you’ll work in 100% of the time.

3. CMYK primary colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, black)

Best for: printing, packaging, posters, brochures, magazines

CMYK is a subtractive color model used in printing. Instead of adding light, CMYK removes wavelengths using layers of ink.

Why the “K”?
 Black ink is added because blending cyan, magenta, and yellow doesn’t create a perfect black. Black improves:

  • Contrast

  • Sharpness

  • Depth

  • Line clarity

CMYK secondary colors:

  • Cyan + Magenta = Blue

  • Magenta + Yellow = Red

  • Yellow + Cyan = Green

If you design something digitally in RGB, it will be converted to CMYK for printing, which is why understanding both systems helps ensure accurate color translation.

Primary, secondary & tertiary color mixing

Color mixing is the heart of color creation. Here’s how the hierarchy works:

Primary colors

The foundational hues you cannot create by mixing others.

Secondary colors

Created by mixing two primary colors.

Tertiary colors

Created by mixing a primary and a secondary color next to it on the color wheel, resulting in hues like:

  • Red-Orange

  • Yellow-Orange

  • Yellow-Green

  • Blue-Green

  • Blue-Purple

  • Red-Purple

Designers use these relationships to create harmonious palettes that feel balanced and visually appealing. Whether you’re working on branding, product design, illustrations, or photography, understanding color relationships helps you craft a consistent look and feel.

How to use Picsart to adjust colors online with ease

Color editing doesn’t have to be complicated, and Picsart makes it incredibly simple with a range of tools designed to help you fine-tune, explore, and experiment with colors effortlessly.

This page serves as your all-in-one color destination, offering tools for correcting, customizing, and transforming your visuals through color.

Where to find Picsart’s color tools

If you want to browse every color-related tool, palette, and feature available on Picsart, head to Colors.

You’ll find everything from basic color pickers to advanced AI-powered editing tools, each designed to help you bring your creative vision to life.

How to use Picsart’s color features

Once you’re on the Colors page:

  1. Choose the tool that fits your project
    You might need to edit a background, recolor an object, or analyze an existing color palette.

  2. Upload your image or start from a template
    Picsart supports high-resolution images for professional results.

  3. Adjust the color to your liking
    Use sliders, presets, AI-powered recoloring, or manual tools to perfect your palette.

  4. Save or export
    Enjoy high-quality outputs that you can use for printing, posting, or content creation.

Popular color tools on Picsart

1. Background color changer

Easily swap out backgrounds to match branding, improve product photos, or create aesthetic visuals. 

2. Color picker

Find precise color values – including Hex, RGB, and CMYK – for brand consistency and palette matching.

3. Colorize images

Bring black-and-white images to life with AI-powered coloring tools.

4. Hair color changer

Try out different hair shades or create fun edits for social content.

5. More tools

Picsart also offers:

  • Gradient creators

  • Palette extractors from images

  • Advanced photo editing

  • Filters and overlays

  • Color harmony tools

These tools make color editing not just easy but enjoyable, even for non-designers.

User benefits: why Picsart makes color work simple

1. Easy to use

Intuitive tools designed for both beginners and professionals.

2. Quick and efficient

Make edits in seconds with smart, automated features.

3. High-quality exports

Download images ready for print, web, or social media in crisp HD quality.

Conclusion

Primary colors are at the core of every color system. Whether you’re mixing paint, designing digital art, or preparing files for print, understanding the differences between RYB, RGB, and CMYK gives you control and flexibility in your creative process.

No matter what your project involves, you can adjust, explore, and experiment with colors easily using Picsart’s suite of color tools – all available in Picsart’s colors page.

FAQ

1. What are the true three primary colors?

In digital design: red, green, blue (RGB).
In modern pigment theory, cyan, magenta, yellow (CMY).

2. What are the 7 primary colors?

There aren’t any – this refers to rainbow colors (ROYGBIV), not primary colors.

3. What are the 5 main primary colors?

No color model uses five. Primary colors always come in sets of three (plus black in printing).

4. Are the primary colors RGB or RYB?

Both exist, but they serve different purposes:

  • RGB for light and screens

  • RYB for traditional painting