Technically, black is the complete absence of color, and white contains every color. All of the hues in between are categorized according to the color wheel.

There are three primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. These are the basis for all the others. Equal proportions of two primary colors create the secondary colors. For example, yellow + red = orange, red + blue = purple, and blue + yellow = green. Orange, purple, and green therefore are the secondary colors.

Different shades of one color are monochromatic. Colors next to each other on the color wheel are called analogous. Colors directly opposite each other are complementary. Complementary colors look most vivid when used together.

A primary color, mixed with one of the secondary hues that adjoins it, becomes a tertiary color. For example, yellow + green = yellow-green, a tertiary color.

Darkening a color by adding black creates a tone. Lightening a color by adding white creates a tint. Slight differences in color are called shades. The terms that apply to pure, undiluted colors also apply to tones, tints, and shades.

Neutrals are those colors that are so pale or so dark that they contain only a hint of their base color. Some examples are: beige, brown, white, off-white, gray, and black. These tend to go very well with most other colors.

On a color wheel, half of the colors (those with a yellow undertone) are known as warm colors. The other colors, with a blue undertone, are called cool colors. This is an important concept in home decorating, because choosing colors from one group or the other can change the visual climate of a room, making it seem warmer or colder.