Final answer:
Cool colors tend to recede in an artwork, giving the illusion of less volume, which contrasts with warm colors that appear to come forward and create the opposite effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
The colors that tend to recede or move in toward the head, creating an illusion of less volume, are cool colors. Cool colors, which include hues such as green, blue, and violet, are perceived as receding because they can give the impression of being further away or less prominent. This is why they are commonly used in art to create depth or reduce the visual impact of certain elements. In contrast, warm colors like red, orange, and yellow tend to come forward and create the illusion of more volume. They are often used to catch the viewer's attention and can make objects appear closer than they are.
Artists utilize this knowledge in various ways, for instance, to set moods and highlight the importance of elements within a composition. Color temperature plays a significant role in the perception of space and volume within artworks. By pairing colors from warm and cool sets, artists can achieve complex visual results and manipulate how colors interact on the canvas.
Analogous colors, which are located next to each other on the color wheel, vibrate visually at a low level and can create a calm atmosphere in artworks, as seen in Mary Cassatt's 'The Boating Party'. However, this question specifically asks about colors that recede, and therefore the correct answer is cool colors.