However, the way we see colors has to do with how light is reflected or absorbed. The reason something appears red is that all of the colors in white light are absorbed except red. The red light is reflected to our eyes and therefore we see the color red. If an object absorbs all of the colors found in white light then it appears black. If all of the colors are reflected an object appears white.
Color comes from the visible spectrum of light.
The colors that make up white light from longest to shortest wavelengths are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. In any system of colors, those that cannot be mixed from any of the others are called primary colors. The primary colors of light are red, green and blue. From these three colors, every other color of light can be made. Paint pigments mix differently than light.