Colour is the effect of different light waves being
reflected and absorbed by a material.
Colour plays and important part in
textiles and fashion
 Colours are divided into
 Primary colours (red,
yellow and blue)they
cannot be mixed from any
other colour.
 Secondary colours
(orange, green and purple)
mixed from two primary
colours
 Tertiary colours -mixed
from three primary colours
Describing colours
 Colours can be described in the
following ways
 Monochromatic-the use of shades,tones and tints of one colour
 Complementary colours on opposite
sides of the colour wheel.
 Harmonious colours- colours that
work well together
 Warm colours giving a sense of warmth
 Cold colours giving a sense of coolness.
 Hue-this is the actual colour you can see
 Shade-the depth of the colour
 Tint -produced by adding white to a
colour
 Tone- how light or dark the hue is.
Considering colour
The following factors can influence
the choice of colour
 The type of product
 The target market
Other things that may be
considered might be
 Skin tone- as some colours look
better on certain tones.
 Symbolism- as some colours
have different meanings in
different cultures and countries.
 Intensity and light- as some
colours look very different in
different lights.
Pattern and texture
 Patterns can be regular or
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irregular
You need to think about scale
Large and small patterns can
create different effects
The design may need to be in
different scales such as on a
duvet and a pillow case.
Texture can add interest to a
fabric. Sometimes the texture
will need to be considered
carefully for the target market
such as rough materials are
not suitable for baby clothes.
Line and style
 Lines can create visual
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effects
Vertical can make you look
taller.
Horizontal makes you look
short and wide
Diagonal can make a
dramatic effect.
Style refers to the overall
effect which is being
created by the shape,
colour, line, pattern and
texture.