Final answer:
A color wheel is a circular chart used to understand the relationships between colors. It helps artists and designers recognize how colors interact and is pivotal in color theory, which categorizes colors by primary, secondary, and tertiary, as well as by temperature like warm and cool colors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Color Wheel
The circular chart used to remember color relationships is called a color wheel. Designed by Isaac Newton in 1666, the modern color wheel is derived from his work and aids in understanding how colors are arranged and interact with one another. At its center, the color wheel displays the three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. Directly outside the primary colors are the secondary colors, which are mixtures of primary colors, such as purple (red and blue), orange (red and yellow), and green (blue and yellow). The outermost circle contains tertiary colors, each being a mixture of a primary color and an adjacent secondary color.
Color theory further categorizes colors based on temperature, distinguishing between warm colors like yellow and red, and cool colors extending from yellow-green to violet. This comprehensive tool not only helps in creating visually appealing combinations in art and design but also in conveying mood and symbolism through color choices.