Why are RYB primary colors if human eyes have RGB cones?
Context The human eye possesses three types of cone cells sensitive to red, green, and blue light. This RGB system forms the basis of many color technologies, such as televisions. However, traditional art instruction often uses red, yellow, and blue (RYB) as primary colors. This discrepancy raises the question of why the RYB system persists despite the biological reality of RGB vision. The historical development of color understanding and its representation in art and language also factors into the confusion. Simple Answer Our eyes see using red, green, and blue (RGB) cones. TVs and computer screens use RGB because it's how our eyes work. Painters traditionally used red, yellow, and blue (RYB) because those colors mix well with pigments. Pigments are different than light; mixing them subtracts colors. RYB is a historical system, while RGB is based on how our eyes work. Detailed Answer The discrepancy between the RGB system of the human eye and the RYB system used in traditional a...