COLOR!!!
COLOR UNIT VOCABULARY:
*INDICATES THAT THE TERM IS IN THE GREEN BOOK
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Color
Spectrum*
Pigment*
Neutral *
3 Properties of Color
Hue*
Color Wheel
Primary Colors*
Secondary Colors
Intermediate Colors/Tertiary Colors
Value*
Tint*
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Shade*
Tone*
Intensity*
Complementary Colors*
Color Harmony/Color
Scheme*
Analogous
Monochromatic
Warm Colors
Cool Colors
Split-Complementary
Triad
An Element of Art
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Elements of Art= The Building Blocks
Knowing how to mix and use colors is
crucial to the success of any work of art
using color.
What is Color?
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Color- An art element with three
properties; hue, value, and intensity.
Also, the character of surfaces created
by the response of vision to
wavelengths of reflected light.
The Source of Color
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When a ray of white light passes through a glass
prism, the ray is bent, or refracted. This ray of
light them separates into individual bands of
color, called the COLOR SPECTRUM.
Light Mixing Theories
Applies to Light
Pigment
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The powdered coloring
material used in making
artist’s media (paints,
crayons, inks, etc.) are
called PIGMENTS.
Can be natural or
chemical (man-made)
Never quite as pure as
the color spectrum
Pigments used in Dyes in India
Light Mixing Theories
Applies to Light
Applies to Pigment
Neutral Colors
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Not all objects have colors that are in the spectrum.
We do not clearly see any one color in them.
They are not associated with hue.
 White
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Black
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The sum of all colors – a white object REFLECTS to our eyes all
the wavelengths shining on it, absorbing none of them.
The total absence of reflected light; it results when an object
ABSORBS all the wavelengths shining on it, reflecting none of
them.
Gray
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Created by PARTIAL REFLECTION (mixed black + white)
The Properties of Color
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There are three properties that
can be defined and measured:
HUE
 VALUE
 INTENSITY
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Hue
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HUE-The property of color that
distinguishes one gradiation from
another and gives it its name.
Examples of Hue: “blue”, “red”, “green”
Each hue has a different wavelength
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Blue is 19 millionths of an inch long
Red is 30 millionths of an inch long
Refers to the color’s position on the
spectrum.
The Color Wheel
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A simplified version
of the color
spectrum, bent into
a circle
An important tool
for the artist –
arranges it for easy
study
The Color Wheel
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Made of three types of colors:
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Primary
Secondary
Intermediate/ Tertiary
Primary Colors
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The three basic colors
from which it is possible
to mix all other colors.
The primaries cannot be
produced by mixing
pigments.
Red, Yellow, and Blue
Secondary Colors
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Secondary ColorsColors that result
from the mixture of
two primary colors.
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Orange
Green
Violet
Intermediate/Tertiary Colors
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Intermediate colors- Colors produced by mixing a primary color
and the adjacent secondary color on the color wheel.
Also made by mixing unequal amounts of two primaries.
Also called “Tertiary Colors”
Yellow-green
Blue-green
Blue-violet
Red-violet
Red-orange
Yellow-orange
Mixing Intermediates:
What are two ways to mix each intermediate?
The Completed Color Wheel
Create a Color Wheel
You will create a color wheel to go
in your sketchbook.
Use the handout provided.
Create a Color Wheel
What is the hue and type of each color?
Label your color wheel before you begin painting.
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Always mix the darker color
INTO the lighter color.
Always use more of the lighter
color to start with.
Paint primary first.
Paint secondary second.
Paint intermediate third.
If your color is not correct,
draw a new circle to paint the
color into. Do not paint over
an incorrect color. Acrylics are
not truly opaque.
Complementary Colors
Complementary Colors
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One of the most important color
relationships illustrated in the color
wheel.
They appear opposite each
other on a color wheel.
Three main sets:
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Yellow and Violet
Green and Red
Blue and Orange
What other sets can we
identify?
Complementary Colors
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They show a maximum visual contrast
between colors.
The line where two complementary
colors meet seems to vibrate in a
composition.
Complementary Colors
(Left) Circus Parade by George
Seurat (detail below)
Pointillism &
Optical Fusion
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Pointillism is a technique that relies on something called
optical fusion /optical mixing where our eyes blend colors
that are separated on the paper.
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Pointillism uses
thousands of small dots
of color, building up
thousands of points for
the viewer’s eyes to
blend.
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by George Seurat
VALUE: A Property of Color
Properties of Color
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Hue identifies color as blue, green,
red, yellow, etc. as seen in the
spectrum of the color wheel
2.
VALUE: How does it relate to color?
3.
Intensity
Value
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What do we already know about Value?
Value in
Nature
Where do you
see value in
color in your
surroundings?
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Value is natural aspect of color. Look
around you: hues vary from light to dark
simply based on shadows and highlights.
How can value affect color?
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Value is an aspect of all colors!
Every color has a normal value, which is
shown on the color wheel.
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Example: Red
The value of the color can be changed
by adding white or black to the color.
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Example: Red with black added
Red with white added
Tints of a Color
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Adding white to a hue produces a TINT.
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A tint is lighter in value.
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Tint = Hue + White
Hue + White = Tint
Primaries
Secondaries
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Shades of a Color
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Adding BLACK to a color produces a
SHADE.
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A shade is darker in value.
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Shade = Hue + Black
Hue + Black = Shade
Primaries
Secondaries
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So Many Colors!
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There are no limitations
of value in color.
Tints and shades can be
made of any color:
primary, secondary,
intermediate, and
anywhere in between.
SO Many Colors!
There may be
as many
value steps
between the
lightest and
darkest
appearance
of a color as
there are
between
black and
white.
Pablo Picasso
Picasso
The Old Guitarist
Georgia O’Keefe
VALUE
Making a Color Value Scale
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On your paper you must one value scale –
you may choose the color.
You must have 10 steps to each scale.
Start with white, end with black.
Step 6 will be your “normal hue”.
Each color must be an even increment apart.
Pure
White
Pure
HUE
Tints
Pure
Black
Shades
INTENSITY:
A Property of Color
Properties of Color
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3.
Hue identifies color as blue, green,
red, yellow, etc. as seen in the
spectrum of the color wheel
Value: refers to the darkness or
lightness or a color
INTENSITY: ???
Intensity
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Intensity refers to the quality of light in a color.
It is different from value (which refers to the
quantity of light that a color reflects) example:
light/dark colors of the hue
Intensity refers to the BRIGHTER and
DULLER colors of the same hue.
Also known as saturation or strength.
Changing Intensity
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A color, as it appears on the value
scale, is at its’ brightest.
Two ways to change intensity:
Create a TONE – or mix the color
with grey.
 Mix the color with its’
complement.
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Hue + Grey = TONE
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Any hue mixed with grey is called a
TONE.
Mixing Complements
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When mixing complementary colors, bit
by bit, a neutral gray is formed. This is
because the complementary colors
represent an equal balance of the three
primary hues.
What are our
complementary
colors?
Intensity Scale & Tones
1. Create an intensity scale, going from
one complement to another, in five
steps. The middle step should be
“greyish”.
Hue
“Grey”
Hue’s Complement
2. Create five tones of the same color.
(these can be “swatches” of colors)
Get out your color wheel!
Color Schemes & Harmonies
Have you ever said that certain colors “go well together”?
Or that other colors “clash” when placed side by side?
Color Schemes / Color Harmonies
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When artists & designers use combinations of colors to get
certain results, they are using color schemes or color
harmonies.
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Color Harmony/Color Scheme – Combinations of color that
can be defined by their positions on the color wheel.
Particular color harmonies may be used to achieve specific
effects.
A PLAN FOR ORGANIZING COLORS!
Color Schemes –
plans for organizing colors
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Analogous
Complementary
Split-Complementary
Triad
Monochromatic
Warm Colors
Cool Colors
Analogous Colors
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Analogous colors are next to each other or
adjacent on the color wheel.
They have a single color in common. Because of
this common color, they naturally relate well to
each other.
Analogous
Colors
Honore Fragonard used
analogous colors in A
Young Girl Reading.
The color group is
yellow, yellow-orange,
and orange. These
analogous colors give a
warm and soothing
quality to the work.
Where have you seen clothing like this?
When and where do you think this painting was made?
Analogous Colors
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What other combinations
can you come up with?
Analogous Colors
Complementary Colors
Provides the strongest contrast as a color scheme.
Good chance for them to either “clash” or “pop”.
What are our
complementary colors?
Complementary Color Scheme
Complementary Colors
How has this artist used complementary colors?
Split-Complementary
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This is made up of a color plus the two hues
on either side of that color’s complement.
Such a combination forms sharp contrast
within a design.
Split-Complementary
What split-complements did Van
Gogh use in his painting?
Split Complements
What other split complements can you come up with?
Triad
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A triadic harmony involves three equally
spaced hues on the color wheel. (equidistant)
What other sets of triads can you see?
Triad
What triadic
colors did William
de Kooning use in
his painting?
Triads are very
tense b/c they
are mutually
dissimilar.
Monochromatic
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A color scheme using only one hue,
plus black and white.
Monochromatic
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Contrast is created
by the use of lights
and darks (value
contrast).
Because only one
hue is used, all the
parts of a
monochromatic
design work well
together.
Monochromatic Color Scheme
Warm and Cool Colors
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Imagine being in a cold place – what colors
do you think of?
Now imagine that you are in a hot location –
what colors come to mind?
Warm and Cool Colors
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When the color wheel is
divided in half, a line
separates the warm from
the cool.
Using warm and cool can
result in a very
expressive effect
because of our
associations with colors.
Warm Colors
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Warm colors are the hues that
range from yellow to redviolet.
They are associated with
warm objects or
circumstances.
Warm Colors
Warm Colors
Cool Colors
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The cool colors are
the hues that range
from yellow-green to
violet.
They are associated
with coldness or
coolness.
Cool Colors
Cool Colors
Which square advances/recedes? Which seems larger?
Effects of
Warm & Cool
Colors
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Warm colors advance or come
towards us in a design.
Cool colors seem to recede or
go backward in a design.
Effects of Warm/Cool Colors
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Warm Colors make shapes and forms
appear larger.
Cool Colors make shapes and forms
appear smaller.
Color Schemes/Harmonies
Review
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Analogous Complementary Split-Complementary Triad Monochromatic Warm Colors Cool Colors -
Color Scheme Initial Design
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You will create a 3” x 3” unit with
one of your initials in it on plain
paper.
You will repeat this initial design 9
times to create an overall pattern
using transfer paper.
Each square will be colored in
differently using colored pencils to
show the different color schemes we
have learned.
You must include the
following schemes in the
following squares:
Comple
ment
Analogo
us
Neutrals
Warm
Colors
Monochr Splitomatic
Comple
ment
Cool
Colors
Your
Choice!
Your
Choice!
Color Review
What do you know about color?
Color Review
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Based on the images provided, can you
locate examples of the color properties
and harmonies we have learned?
Color Review
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Can you find an example of color in
your environment or in the book or the
examples provided that is appealing to
you?
Why?
Color Review
How do we perceive color?
Color Review
How do we perceive color?
Light strikes an object, and the
lightwaves that are the color of the
object are reflected to our eyes.
Color Review
What colors are not found in the light
spectrum?
What is the term for these colors?
Color Review
What colors are not found in the light
spectrum?
Black, white, and gray
What is the term for these colors?
Neutrals – they are not found in the
light spectrum.
Color Review
Name the primary colors
Name the secondary colors
Name the intermediate colors
Color Review
Name the primary colors
red, yellow, and blue
Name the secondary colors
orange, green, and violet
Name the intermediate colors
red-orange, yellow-orange,
yellow-green, blue-green,
blue-violet, red-violet
Color Review
How are the secondary colors created?
Color Review
How are the secondary colors created?
By mixing two primaries together
Color Review
To what does the term value refer to in
color mixing?
Color Review
To what does the term value refer to in
color mixing?
Value refers to the lightness or
darkness of a color
Color Review
Explain how to lessen the intensity of a
color.
Color Review
Explain how to lessen the intensity of a
color.
You can lessen intensity by adding
its’ complement
You can also add grey to create a
tone.
Color Review
Name five types of color harmonies. List a set of
colors as an example of each harmony.
FIVE OF THEM!
Color Review
Name five types of color harmonies. List a set of
colors as an example of each harmony.
Complementary – colors opposite each other on the c. wheel
Split-complementary – a color and the two on each side of
its’ complement
Monochromatic – a hue plus black and white
Analogous – three-four colors next to each other sharing a
similar color
Warm – one half of the color wheel from yellow to red-violet
Cool – one half of the color wheel from violet to yellow-green
Triad – three equidistant colors on the color wheel
Color Harmonies with Pastels
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Choose a real life object – a plant, leaf, shoe, hand, or insect – for your
subject.
Choose a color scheme for your design by experimenting with pastels in
your sketchbook. Consider the mood you want to set.
With a pastel close to the color of your paper, sketch the outline of your
subject. Draw the object twice more. Draw them large and overlap them.
They should touch or crop off the edge of your paper on at least two sides.
If your design does not divide your paper into as many shapes as your
background needs, divide it more with various shapes.
Add color to complete your drawing. Not all areas need to be flat color –
consider blending from dark to light or from one color to another.
Look at your design from a distance for evaluation. Add more if needed.
Spray with fixative.