Chapter 5 Color and Light
COMM 105
What is color?
Color is composed of wavelengths of light
● Without light we cannot see color
● Essentially, light is color
Artistic Functions of Color
1. identifying an object or subject
2. organizing a composition
3. creating the illusion of space
4. symbolizing learned cultural conventions and
associations
5. creating mood
6. reflecting an emotion
What Is A Hue?
A hue is the common names we use to
identify colors
Colors And Wavelengths
Every color has a different wavelength of
light
Red has the longest wavelength
Violet has the shortest wavelength
Primary Colors
Red, yellow and, blue
Secondary Colors
Combining two primary colors to create a
third color
Tertiary Colors
Combining a secondary color and an
adjacent primary color to create a third color
Analogous / Complementary
Analogous colors:
● Hues that are located next to
each other on the color wheel
that share a common color
Complementary colors:
● Hues located opposite from
each other on the color wheel
Warm / Cool
Warm colors:
● Reds, oranges and, yellows
Cool colors:
● Greens, blues and, violets
Light / Dark
Light Value:
● Lightness or darkness of a color
Grayscale:
● Value of white to black
Intensity / Chroma / Saturation:
● The brightness or dullness of a color
Definition of Light
● “The natural agent that stimulates sight
and makes things visible”
What is light?
● Color does not exist as a phenomenon
separate from light.
● Without light we cannot see
texture or form
Giotto
Madonna and Child
Light is form
● Contrast of light and dark creates form
o Largely popular during Romanticism period
Bernini
Saint Teresa