Transcript Color Theory

The Color Wheel
• Primary
• Secondary
• Tertiary
Primary
Colors
• Yellow
• Red
• Blue
Secondary
Colors
Orange
Violet
Green
Tertiary Colors
•
•
•
•
•
•
Yellow-Orange
Red-Orange
Red-Purple
Blue-Purple
Blue-Green
Yellow-Green
Chroma - Saturation/Intensity - Value
Shade
Tint
Color has value. This is the darkness or lightness of a particular color. We can divide these value changes into
SHADES and TINTS. Shades are the relative darkness of a color and Tints are the relative lightness of a color.
These divisions are created by darkening or lightening the PURE HUE. This is the base color at its full INTENSITY.
It is important to note Intensity of a color here because a value of, lets say, red can be the same as a medium TONE
of that same color. A Tone can be the same value, but can be grayed in such a way that it is not at the highest degree
of Intensity. The Pure Hue has the highest SATURATION of color. This is illustrated in the middle ring of the Color
Wheel above. The outer ring of TINTS illustrates what happens to a Pure Hue when white is added.
The center section of
SHADES shows the effect
of black on the Pure Hue.
The four graphs at the right
of the chalkboard show
relative values of three
colors and gray. The star in
each column shows the
purest hue of the group. It
is important to note that the
pure hue changes with the
relative value of that color.
For example the pure hue
of yellow is lighter than
medium gray, whereas the
pure hue of blue is much
darker than middle gray.
Complementary Colors
•
The colors that are positioned opposite one another are complementary colors.
Violet/Yellow
Yellow-Green /
Red-Violet
Red/Green
Yellow-Orange / BlueViolet
Red-Orange /
Blue-Green
Orange / Blue
When mixed, complementary colors annihilate each
other when mixed to create dark neutrals:
LIGHT & SHADOW ZONES
LIGHT ZONE
SHADOW ZONE
Light = Tint (Intensity)
Dark = Shade (Intensity)
Bright = Saturation
(Pure)
Warm = Temperature
Dull = Saturation
(Compliment)
Cool =Temperature
Warm Colors: Red, Yellow,
and Orange
Cool Colors: Blue, Violet,
and Green
Warm Colors
• Active colors will
appear to advance
when placed against
passive hues.
• Most often warm,
saturated, light value
hues are "active" and
visually advance.
Deux fillettes, fond jaune et rouge (Two
Girls in a Yellow and Red Interior), Henri
Matisse
Fighting Forms, Franz Marc
Cool Colors
• Cool, low saturated,
dark value hues are
"passive" and visually
recede.
• Passive colors appear
to recede when
positioned against
active hues.
Old Guitarist, Pablo Picasso
Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh
Color Context
• Red appears more brilliant against a black background and
somewhat duller against the white background. In contrast with
orange, the red appears lifeless; in contrast with blue-green, it
exhibits brilliance. Notice that the red square appears larger on
black than on other background colors.
Red-Purple Rectangle
Blue-Purple Rectangle
Different Readings of the Same Color
You will saw that the small purple rectangle on
the left appeared to have a red-purple tinge
when compared to the small purple rectangle
on the right.
They are both the same color as seen in the
illustration below. This demonstrates how three
colors can be perceived as four colors.