Nearly every makeup effects school curriculum has color theory weaved in.

Basic knowledge in color theory makes your makeups harmonious, lively, and fun to look at.

I’ve picked two videos that I thought teach color theory pretty well. There’s a LOT more to learn, but this knowledge alone will bring your makeups to the next level.

UPDATED: I also found this great article The Art of Colour – Colour Theory for Makeup Artists with an awesome, in depth description of color theory for makeup artists.

For you readers out there, just scroll down under the videos for a write up of what is learned in the videos.

Videos

The first is a short video by Karen Kavett. She’s from a graphic design background, but her explanation of colors is short and sweet, and it easily applies to makeup. She even gives some great bad examples with ways to correct them, at the end.

The second is a video by TalkinMakeup. It’s a little longer, but this one is from the perspective of a makeup artist. She gives some tips on how to match makeup colors.

What These Videos Teach You

Color Models

RYB – reflective; color reflects off of something, like makeup, or a painting, or a poster

RGB – additive; illuminated from a source like a television screen or computer screen

Vocabulary

Primary colors –  also called main colors, they are red, yellow blue

Secondary colors – the colors you get when you mix primary colors

• Red + Yellow = Orange
• Yellow + Blue = Green
• Blue + Red = Purple (some say violet, I say purple)

Tertiary colors – primary colors mixed with secondary colors

• Red + Orange = Red-Orange
• Yellow + Orange = Yellow-Orange
• Yellow + Green = Yellow-Green
• Blue + Green = Blue-Green
• Blue + Purple = Blue-Purple
• Red + Purple = Red-Purple

Tint – white added to a color

Tone – grey added to a color

Shade – black added to a color

Hue Saturation – intensifies a color; add more color to increase its concentration

• Hue – the color itself
• Saturation – how intense a color is

Value – how light or dark a color is; also called lightness

Warm Colors – reds, oranges, yellows

• Warm colors remind you of fire
• Cut the color wheel in half to see warm colors vs. cool colors

Cool colors – greens, blues and violets

• Cool colors remind you of water.
• Cut the color wheel in half to see warm colors vs. cool colors

Red and green can be either warm and cool. So can grey.

Color Schemes

Monochromatic – Several colors of the same hue but with added tints (adding white) and shades (adding black)

Analogous – Colors are next to each other on the color wheel

Complementary – Colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel.

• These colors make each other pop.
• Examples are red and green (Christmas), purple and yellow (Easter), blue and orange

Complements – two colors that are the same value (darkness or lightness) but opposite hues (opposite colors on the color wheel)