Orange is made by mixing the primary colors red and yellow. When these two colors are combined, they produce orange as a secondary color in traditional pigment color theory
. The orange color seen in natural objects like oranges, carrots, and pumpkins comes from pigments called carotenoids. These are photosynthetic pigments that reflect light in the orange wavelength range (approximately 585 to 620 nanometers), giving these fruits and vegetables their characteristic orange color
. In summary:
- To create orange paint or pigment: mix red and yellow colors
- In nature, orange color arises from carotenoid pigments in plants and fruits, which absorb sunlight and reflect orange light
Thus, orange as a color can be produced either by mixing red and yellow pigments or naturally occurs due to carotenoid pigments in various fruits and vegetables.
