Exploring Color Theory and Discovering the Color Globe

One of my favorite childhood memories is learning primary colors through wet-on-wet watercolor painting in kindergarten. I still remember the joy of mixing blue and red together and watching them “hug” to create purple. That sense of wonder has never really left me.

As an empath, I care deeply for humanity. When I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I put on my creative cape and surround myself with color. Color lifts me. It allows me to express joy, anger, and sadness in ways that words sometimes cannot.

A list of items on my tabletop from top to bottom: 1. A5 Art Toolkit 2. Kolormando Mini Color Globe 3.The Book of Colour Concepts by TASCHEN 4. Postcard watercolor paper 5. Triad Template 6. Mini sketchbook 7. Folio Palette 8. Paint brush 9. Compass 10. Daniel Smith Essential Colors Set

Folio Palette Paint List

Paintmakers: (DS) = Daniel Smith, (WN) = Winsor & Newton, (H) = Holbein, (LS) = Letter Sparrow.

Row 1: Pyrrol Scarlet (DS), Winsor Orange Red (WN), Quinacridone Rose (DS), Cobalt Violet (WN), French Ultramarine (DS), Manganese Blue Hue (WN).
Row 2: Windsor Orange (WN), , Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet (DS), Permanent Magenta (WN).
Row 3: Pyrrol Orange (DS), New Gamboge (DS), Hansa Yellow Light (DS), Phthalo Blue Green Shade (DS), Lavender (H).
Row 4:  Coral Reef (DS), Cascade Green (DS), Compose Green (H), Leaf Green (H), Olive Green (WN).
Row 5: Titan Buff (LS), Shell Pink (H), Neutral Tint (WN), Payne’s Gray (WN), Cobalt Teal Blue (DS).
Row 6: Moonglow (DS).

Recently, to recharge, I have been diving into The Book of Colour Concepts by TASCHEN.

In a time shaped by political tension and uncertainty, studying color theory has been healing. It helps me stay grounded and steady, offering structure when the world feels chaotic. In this post, I want to share what I’m learning as I experiment with complementary colors—red and green, blue and orange, yellow and purple—to create depth and shadow, rather than relying solely on black or gray.

Using the Triad Template, I created a simple color wheel with Daniel Smith Hansa Yellow Light (HY) at the top, Quinacridone Rose (QR) on the right, and Phthalo Blue Green Shade (PB) on the left. Arrows indicate the complementary color across the wheel.

While I have much more to learn, my focus this year is to use complementary colors more intentionally. In the mushroom painting below, I might once have used gray or black for shadows. Instead, I explored blue—the complement of orange. That contrast enhances the light and adds vibrancy to the form.

Similarly, using a warm orange undertone beneath a watercolor blue whale prevents the blue from feeling flat and adds subtle depth.

Color theory also informs my approach to underpainting with orange. In a larger canvas piece, I chose blue as the dominant color, allowing its complements to create contrast and movement throughout the composition.

This year, I’m intentionally exploring new color combinations and using the Triad Template as a planning tool. To learn how to use a Triad Template, Art Toolkit Founder Maria Coryell-Martin offers a great walkthrough here.

As I studied further, I learned that many foundational color manuals are deeply indebted to watercolor painting, which became more accessible in the 19th century (TASCHEN, p. 24). Even earlier examples exist, such as Klaer Lightende Spiegel der Verfkonst, from the 17th century, which is a remarkable archive of over 2,000 hand-painted watercolor swatches. It’s inspiring to learn how watercolor opened the door to color observation for people beyond the nobility.

The preservation of history and culture often lives within artists’ observations of nature and society, reflecting the spirit of their time. Through this exploration, I also discovered a new way to understand color theory: the color globe, or the Kolormando. While I’ve mostly studied the traditional color wheel, the color globe expands that 2D model into a 3D understanding of light and color relationships.

Nature continues to be my greatest teacher. From lichens on tree bark to seaweed along the Pacific Ocean, complementary colors are everywhere if we slow down enough to notice.

This year, I invite you to look more closely. Let brown be more than brown. Notice the reds, greens, purples, and oranges hidden within it. Test out playing with the color wheel and complementary colors. As spring approaches, put on your magical cape and let your imagination take flight.

Sophia Trinh
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