What colors are least used during photosynthesis?

What colors are used to shade?

• I'm working on this art project and I've never really worked with colors. I know how to draw/sketch. I know how to project a picture and how to identify the different types of shades it has. But I've never really used color in my work. I don't really know which tools are best when coloring but right now I'm trying to focus on shading when dealing with colors. One of my friends kind of brought it up, like, he said something like "when you want to shade a blue you add orange" is this true? Does it work vice versa? What about the other colors? What color can I use to shade a red or a peach etc??? Much appreciated!

• Answer:

  yes, you can use orange to shade something blue, but it doesn't always work the same way with every medium. For example, colored pencils will shade nicely, but with acrylic paint, if the first coating is dry, then the next coating/color will not affect the first one. When your friend said to use orange to shade a blue, he meant using complementary colors, or colors opposite to one another on the color wheel. Blue is opposite of orange, Green is opposite of red, yellow is opposite of purple, and it does work vice versa. So, to shade a red, you should use green. But to shade a peach, which is somewhat like orange, use blue. but make sure not to use too much otherwise it might overwhelm the effect you are trying to get, so use complementary colors in moderation. Also, make sure to blend it well for a nice gradient if the surface is curved.