Fine Arts · Class 1

Active learning ideas

Mixing Colours to Make New Colours

Mixing Colours to Make New Colours benefits from active learning because students need hands-on practice to see how tiny adjustments in pigment ratios change hue. Station work and paired experiments let them test predictions with real materials, making abstract colour theory visible in real time.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• NCERT: Visual Arts - Color Theory - Tertiary and Complementary Colors - Class 7

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Tertiary Mixing Stations

Prepare six stations, one for each tertiary colour with primary and secondary paints. Small groups rotate every 10 minutes, mix varying ratios, paint swatches, and note observations in sketchbooks. End with gallery walk to compare results.

What colour do you get when you mix blue and yellow?

Facilitation Tip

During Station Rotation: Tertiary Mixing Stations, place a colour wheel reference at each station so students can match their mixes to the expected tertiary hue before moving on.

What to look for

Present students with a colour wheel. Ask them to point to and name one primary, one secondary, and two tertiary colours. Then, ask them to identify a complementary pair and predict what colour they would get if they mixed them.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Pairs

Pairs: Complementary Effects Panels

Each pair paints two A4 panels: adjacent complementary colours on one, blended on the other. Discuss vibrancy, contrast, and tone shift. Share one insight with class.

How many different colours can we make by mixing just two colours?

What to look for

Students complete a small painting using at least two tertiary colours and one complementary pair. They then swap paintings with a partner. Each partner answers: 'What is one thing you like about your partner's colour mixing? What is one suggestion you have for using contrast or harmony?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 40 min · Individual

Individual: Tertiary Palette Portrait

Students mix four tertiary colours, then paint a self-portrait using only them. Label mixtures and explain hue choices for skin tones or clothing.

Which mixed colour do you like the most , why?

What to look for

On a small card, students draw a simple representation of mixing two specific colours (e.g., yellow + green). Below their drawing, they write the name of the tertiary colour they created and one sentence describing how it looks next to its complementary colour.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Prediction and Mix Demo

Call out colour pairs; class predicts result and sketches. Teacher mixes on large paper for verification. Tally predictions, discuss surprises.

What colour do you get when you mix blue and yellow?

What to look for

Present students with a colour wheel. Ask them to point to and name one primary, one secondary, and two tertiary colours. Then, ask them to identify a complementary pair and predict what colour they would get if they mixed them.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with a quick demonstration of one tertiary mix, then let students repeat it at their own pace. Avoid rushing to the final answer; instead, encourage them to compare their results with peers before confirming. Research shows that self-correction through peer discussion deepens understanding more than teacher correction alone.

Successful learning looks like students confidently naming tertiary colours, explaining why red-green creates contrast without turning grey when placed side by side, and using these ideas intentionally in their own artwork. They should also describe how colour proportions alter the final mix.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Station Rotation: Tertiary Mixing Stations, watch for students assuming they must use all three primaries to make a tertiary colour.

  Hand each pair a printed tertiary colour wheel and ask them to trace the path from primary to secondary first. Then, have them mix the first tertiary colour on the wheel before attempting others.

• During Pairs: Complementary Effects Panels, watch for students believing blending complementary colours always turns to black or grey.

  Provide two small panels: one for blending and one for side-by-side placement. Ask them to compare the physical mix (muddy brown) with the visual effect (vibrant contrast) and record observations in their notebooks.

• During Pairs: Complementary Effects Panels, watch for students thinking complementary pairs create no noticeable effect when placed adjacent.

  Display a sample pairing of complementary colours under bright classroom light and in dim light, then ask students to sketch how the contrast shifts with lighting changes.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Experiential Learning