Mixing and Naming Colors

Have you ever wondered whose job it is to name colors at Crayola? Or Benjamin Moore? Artists in 3rd grade mixed 10 different colors and also set about naming them, inspired by nature, food, and their surroundings. 

First, students explored color mixing, trying to come up with 10 different colors. Since we had done our color wheel with primary, secondary and tertiary colors recently, students were familiar with which colors to mix together to get a wide range of colors. We also experimented with adding white to this mix, and students were able to mix many different colors.

 

After they dried, we thought of creative names for each color. Instead of simply naming colors "blue" or "pink," students were challenged to come up with creative names like "ocean blue" and "bubble gum pink." 

Then we got partners by getting paint chips and having to find the person who got the same color. We shared our new paint colors with each other and shared our favorite color names. Some examples were names like "neon celery," "possessed pink," "patriots blue," and "scrambled eggs."

Check out some of our creative names for colors below!