Objectives
Color Theory
Color in Textiles and
Fashion

One of the first
stimuli to reach the
eyes is color

The first judgment of
a garment or
accessory is usually
color-- based
color
What is color theory?

Why is color theory important?

What are the different systems?

How does color affect fashion?

How do we predict color each season?
The Language of Color
Hue
• The specific name of a color
• Each color on the color wheel is a hue
• Black, white, and gray do not appear on the color wheel
because they have no hue
Research and common
sense tells us that the
majority of consumers
base their purchases
primarily on visual
stimuli.


Intensity/Chroma
• The brightness
or dullness of a color
g
• You can lessen a colors intensity by mixing it with its
complement – the color on the opposite of the color wheel
• Colors of low intensity are more muted and called tones,
and colors of high intensity are intense or pure
Value
• Lightness or darkness of a color
• Tint – adding white to a hue raises its value or lightens it
• Shade – adding black to a hue lowers its value or darkens it
Intensity versus value
Tint, Shade and Tone
Mix the color’s complement
Mix white or black to the collor
Tint
Shade
Tone
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Color Characteristics

Warm colors include yellow, orange and

Cool colors include green, blue and violet

Neutral colors include white, black and

Each color can be warm or cool
depending on it’s base. Does it have a
reddish tone underneath, or a bluish
one? Sometimes you can’t tell until you
compare it to another color.
Warm and Cool Colors
red associated with the heat of the sun or
a fire.
and provide a cool,
cool calming effect
effect.
gray.
Warm and Cool
Warm Colors
• Colors of the sun
• Red, Orange, and yellow
• Red-orange the warmest color
Cool Colors
• Colors of the ocean
• Blues and greens
Color and Psychology

Colors can affect our mood or
demonstrate it to others. Sometimes
this is accurate, and sometimes only
perceived.

Color psychology varies by culture,
region and personality and should
always be taken with a grain of salt.

There are some basics to be aware of
on the following pages

What do you think colors mean? Take
the quiz at
http://express.colormatters.com/colors
urvey/
The Magic of Color
Setting the Mood
•
Red
Make people feel bold, excited or even nervous, can stimulate
eating and drinking
•
Orange
•
Blue
•
Green
•
Yellow
•
Neutral colors
Less aggressive, feel friendly, hopeful, and full of energy
Subdued and calming, can also be depressing, bright blue can
lower blood pressure, body temperature and pulse rate
Calming
Cheerfulness and happiness, gold is more formal
White, clean and isolation
Gray, lack of energy, silver indicates high technology
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Color and Cultures
Branding and color

Color and Design
Color can be an instant
and powerful identifier
when connected to
certain labels and
brands.
Color and Texture
Color and Proportion
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Color Systems

The first color wheel was
invented by Newton

Color systems are used to
organize colors. Several
main systems are used
today.
Additive Color System

This is the system based off of Light
as color. The three main colors: red,
blue and green are added together to
create white.
white

Black is the absence of light
The Brewster System

The common color wheel

Includes three primary colors – yellow, red, and
blue located equidistant from each other on the
color wheel.

By mixing equal amount of two primary colors
colors,
three secondary colors are formed – orange,
green and violet.

Likewise, by adding equal amounts of a primary
and corresponding secondary color, a tertiary
color is formed – i.e. yellowyellow - orange, red
red-- orange…
Viewing Color

In order for color to exist, three parts
are needed:

The object being viewed

The viewer

Light

In essence, without light, color cannot
be viewed, and does not exist.

An object absorbs all colors except the
color that it reflects – so actually it is
every color except what you see!
Subtractive Color
Theory

This is the theory that works for most
pigments and the color wheel works
with to a point. The common color
wheel uses red,
red blue and yellow.
yellow True
pigment primaries are cyan, magenta
and yellow. Mixed together, they
create black. White is the absence of
color.
Color Wheel
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Secondary Colors
•
•
Secondary Colors
Orange, purple, and green
Created by mixing equal parts of two primary colors.
Purple
Orange
Green
Tertiary Colors
• Located between a primary and a secondary color.
• Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, and
yellow-green.
• Tertiary colors are made by combining a primary color with a
neighboring secondary color
The Ostwald System

Based on four hues: yellow, red, blue
and green spaced equidistant apart.

Between these hues are orange,
purple, turquoise, and leaf green.

In addition there are two
intermediate hues on each side of
these eight hues forming a color
system based on 24 hues.
The Munsell System

A scientific system of describing hue,
value and chroma (intensity) and is
based on five principal hues: yellow,
green blue
green,
blue, purple and red.
red

Both value and chroma are
designated in 10 steps.

The Munsell system offers an
effective means for accurately
communicating color descriptions.
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Color Harmonies
Color Schemes
Monochromatic
• Color scheme uses tints and shades of one color on the color wheel

Color harmonies are colors that when
used together create a pleasing effect.

A monochromatic color harmony is
based on a various values and
intensities of a single color, such as
various shades of blue.

An analogous color harmony
combines three to five hues that are
located next to each other on a color
wheel such as blue, blue
blue-- green and
green.
Color Schemes
Analogous
Color Harmonies
• Color scheme uses colors that are next to each other on the
color wheel
Complementary Color Scheme
• Color scheme uses two colors that are directly
opposite each other on the color wheel

A complementary color harmony is based
on two colors located directly opposite
each other on the color wheel, such as
green and red.

A splitsplit - complementary color harmony is
based on a color plus the two colors
directly adjacent to the complementary
color, such as red, yellowyellow - green and blueblue green.

A doubledouble - complementary color harmony
includes the set of two complementary
color harmonies such as yellow, violet,
blue and orange.
Split Complementary Color Scheme
• Color scheme uses three colors. It combines one color
with the two colors on each side of its complement.
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Color Harmonies

A triadic color harmony includes
three color at equal distance from
each other of the color wheel such as
red yellow and blue
red,
blue.

A neutral color harmony is based on
black, white and gray and may
include brown, tan and beige.
Tetrad

Triad Color Scheme
• Color scheme uses any three hues that are an equal distance
apart on the color wheel.
Neutral Scheme
• Color scheme uses neutral elements such as tans, black,
white or grey.
A color scheme using 4 colors equal
distance apart or 2 sides equal
distance apart on the color wheel
Inspiration for Colors
Schemes
Inspiration for Colors Schemes
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Color Theory

Complex phenomenon: Physics of light,
chemistry of colored objects, biology of
the eye, behavioral sciences, and
aesthetics.

Metamerism : A color matches with one light
Metamerism:
source, but not with any other light source.

Bezold effect: When two or more colors
merge into one new color, i.e., small scale
print or yarn dyed fabric viewed from a
distance.
Names
Color Name and
Measurement

The human eye can distinguish a very
large amount of colors, but only
remember a few at a time. Describing
colors varies from person to person, so a
standard numerical system works best.

Assign numerical values to a color.

Used to match color and sort shades.

Color matching developing a formula to
reproduce a color.

Shade sorting occurs when a manufacturer
groups fabrics by color so that all fabric of
one color match.
Measurement
Trend Forecasting

A very large industry not only within the
fashion world, but all design industries
(automotive, interiors, technology, etc.)

Evaluate the progression of trends using
a series of resources
resources.

In fashion there are 4 levels of trend
prediction:

Color – 2 years ahead

Texture and fabrication

Surface interest

Silhouette
Forecasting Color
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Forecasting Surface
Interest
Cool hunters


Color needs three things to exist:
Trade shows
Summary

Color is often the first attractor for consumers

Color can be described through qualifiers

Hue: the name of the color

Value: how bright or dull a color is; you can add a color ’s complement
to dull
d ll iit (called
( ll d a tone )

Intensity or chroma:
chroma : how light or dark a color is; adding black to a
color creates a shade / adding white creates a tint

Colors can be warm, cool or neutral

Colors can produce actual and perceived psychological
responses

Color can be perceived differently through design, texture
and proportion

The color being viewed
Color harmonies are formulas for creating pleasing effects out
of the color wheel.

The viewer

Monochromatic uses one hue, and can move up and down in value.

Light

Analogous uses 3
3-- 5 colors next to each other on the wheel

The main systems that we use to describe color are:

Additive color theory: uses light; red, blue and green are the primary
colors that mix to make white. Black is the absence of light

Subtractive color theory: uses pigment; magenta, cyan and yellow
are the
th primary
i
colors
l
that
th t mix
i to
t make
k black.
bl k Whit
White is
i the
th absence
b
of color.



The Brewster System is a type of subtractive color theory. It is
also known as the color wheel. Red, blue and yellow are the
primary colors. Orange, green and purple are the secondary
colors that are achieved by mixing any two primaries.

Tetrads are 3 colors equidistant from each other

Neutrals use neutral colors

Color scheme inspiration may also come from nature, artwork,
or other sources…

Colors can play tricks on the eye – some are bad, and some we
can use
The Otswald System is a type of stubrative color theory with four
primaries that is not used that often in fashion.
The Munsell System is a type of subtractive color theory that uses
a more scientific way to describe color with hue, chroma and
value.
complementary colors are opposite each other on the wheel



Metamerism – when the light source changes the color appearance

Bezold effect – when colors merge to create a shape
Trend forecasting can be broken down into four stages:

1. color 2. textiles and fabrication 3. surface interest 4. silhouette
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