Name the three primary colors in color theory.

The three primary colors in color theory, specifically in the traditional color wheel used in art and design, are red, blue, and yellow. These colors are considered primary because they cannot be made by mixing other colors together; instead, they serve as the foundation for creating all other colors through various combinations.

When combined, primary colors create secondary colors. For instance, mixing red and blue produces purple, blue and yellow yield green, and yellow and red make orange. This foundational principle of color mixing allows artists and makeup professionals to develop a wide range of hues by varying the proportions of the primary colors.

While other sets of colors, such as red, green, and blue (used in additive color mixing for digital displays) or yellow, cyan, and magenta (used in subtractive color mixing for printing), are important in their respective contexts, they do not apply to the traditional framework of primary colors in artistic color theory. Thus, red, blue, and yellow are the correct primary colors when discussing this foundational aspect of color mixing.