Colour Wheel Template
Blank wheel to paint primary/secondary.
The Colour Wheel Template is a clean, blank circular wheel divided into the standard twelve segments used in colour theory. Students in grades 2–8 paint or colour each segment themselves, starting with the three primaries, mixing secondaries in between, and working outward to the six tertiaries — making colour relationships visible through their own hands-on process rather than a pre-printed chart. Art teachers use it as the cornerstone lesson of a colour-theory unit; classroom teachers draw on it for cross-curricular science discussions about light and pigment. The unlabelled segments mean students must recall or discover each colour name themselves, reinforcing memory. Because the wheel is blank, it is equally useful as an initial exploration, a formative check mid-unit, or a reference tool students keep in their art folder all year.
Learning objectives
- Identify and correctly place primary, secondary, and tertiary colours on a wheel
- Understand colour relationships such as complementary and analogous pairs
- Practise mixing paints or coloured pencils to achieve accurate intermediate hues
- Build foundational art vocabulary around colour theory
- Develop fine motor precision while filling small, defined segments
- Create a personalised colour reference tool for ongoing art projects
How to use this template
- Print the blank twelve-segment wheel on thick cartridge paper or cardstock for best paint results.
- Start with the three primary segments — red, yellow, and blue — placed at equal intervals.
- Mix each secondary colour and fill the segments between its two primaries: orange, green, violet.
- Continue by mixing each tertiary hue from a primary and its adjacent secondary, filling the remaining six segments.
- Label each segment once dry, then use the finished wheel as a reference throughout the art unit.
Classroom & home ideas
- Challenge students to complete the wheel using only three primary watercolour pans — no tubes of secondary or tertiary colours allowed.
- Use the finished wheels side by side to discuss why different students' oranges or violets look slightly different.
- Have students draw a line across the wheel through the centre and discuss why the colours on opposite sides are complementary.
- Assign it as a take-home project with coloured pencils for students who do not have paints at home.
- Revisit the completed wheel when teaching a painting project — students pick analogous or complementary colour schemes directly from their own reference.
Skills & curriculum links
Frequently asked questions
How many segments does the blank wheel have?
The standard template has twelve equal segments, covering all three primaries, three secondaries, and six tertiaries in the traditional RYB artist's colour wheel.
Can this be completed with coloured pencils instead of paint?
Yes. Coloured pencils, markers, oil pastels, and watercolour all work well. With coloured pencils, students can layer and blend adjacent hues directly in the segment to approximate mixed colours.
Is there a version with labels already printed in the segments?
This is the blank version — segments are unlabelled so students practise recall. If you need labelled segments for younger students or as a reference poster, pair it with a labelled colour wheel anchor chart.
At what grade level should students first use this template?
Grade 2 students can complete the primary and secondary sections with teacher guidance. The full twelve-segment tertiary wheel is best introduced around grades 4–5 once mixing skills are more developed.
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