Introduction to Color
Color Wheel
this basic map shows
the relationship
between colors
artists use it for
mixing pigments,
such as watercolor,
gouache, oil & acrylic
paints, and so on
Primary Colors
red, yellow, and blue are puremeaning they cannot be mixed
by any other colors
they are mixed to create all
other colors on the color wheel
Secondary Colors
orange, purple, and green are
secondary colors, which are
made by mixing two primary
colors
red + blue = violet
yellow + blue = green
red + yellow = orange
Tertiary Colors
colors such as yellow-orange and
green-blue are made by mixing one
primary color and one secondary
color
red + violet = red-violet
red + orange = red-orange
blue + violet = blue-violet
blue + green = blue-green
yellow + green = yellow-green
yellow + orange = yellow-orange
Color Harmony
delivers visual interest and a sense of order
not enough contrast results in a bland design
and too much contrast and variation results in
over-stimulation
color harmony and balance results when color
schemes have not too much or too little variation
and contrast
three common color schemes are used to create
harmonious and balanced compositions: analogous,
complementary, and triadic
Analogous Colors
colors that sit near to each
other on the color wheel
and have little chromatic
differences
3 to 5 colors next to one
another
OPPOSITE
they are opposite each other on
the color wheel
NEA
pairs of colors that contrast with
each other more than any other
color, and when placed side-byside make each other look brighter
R OP
POS
ITE
Complementary
Colors
Triadic Colors
sets of three colors that are
equally spaced from each other on
the color wheel
triadic color schemes are vibrant
because it is high contrast
Analogous Color Scheme Examples
Vincent van Gogh
The Olive Trees 1889
Mark Rothko
Orange and Yellow 1956
Complementary Color Scheme Examples
James Dickson Innes
Arenig, North Wales 1913
Henri Matisse
André Derain 1905
Triadic Color Scheme Examples
Willem de Kooning
Rider (Unititled VII) 1985
Andy Warhol
Marilyn Monroe 1962
Hue
hue is another word for color
Hue + White = Tint
a tint is made by adding white to any hue
Hue + Black = Shade
a shade is made by adding black to any hue
Hue + Gray = Tone
a shade is made by adding black to any hue
Value
describes the lightness or
darkness of a color
adding white to a color changes
its value
Saturation
describes the brilliance or
intensity of a color
adding gray to a color changes its
saturation, but not its value
Vibration
this occurs when colors are
equal in value and intensity, but
opposite in hue
this combination results in edges
that appear to vibrate