Colour
Visual Arts 8
Colour
• There are many different terms used in
reference to colour
• The chroma refers to the description of the
colour including the following descriptors
• The hue describes the actual colour
• Saturation describes the amount of hue that is
present
• The tint or shade describes how much white or
black are mixed with the colour
• The value describes the lightness or darkness of
a colour
Saturation
• Refers to the intensity
of a specific hue
Hue
• There are three primary colours
• These colours cannot be made by mixing
any other colours
• The primary colours are red, yellow, and
blue
Secondary Colours
• There are 3 secondary colours
• Secondary colours are made by mixing equal
parts of two primary colours
• The secondary colours are green, orange, and
purple
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Tertiary Colours
• Made by mixing a primary and secondary
colour
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Tints & Shades
• Tints are made by adding white
• Shades are made by adding black
Tints
Shades
The Colour Wheel
• The colour wheel
shows how the
colours work together
Colour Schemes
• There are many ways to combine colours
based on the affect you are trying to
achieve.
Complimentary Colours
• Complimentary colours are colours which
are opposite each other on the colour
wheel
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Analagous Colours
• These are colours that are beside each other
on the colour wheel
Monochromatic Colours
• The monochromatic color scheme uses
variations in lightness and saturation of a single
color.
Accented Neutral
• This combines a neutral colour with a
strong accent colour.
Triadic Colour
• The triadic color
scheme uses three
colors equally spaced
around the color
wheel.
Double Complimentary
• The tetradic (double
complementary)
scheme is the richest
of all the schemes
because it uses four
colors arranged into
two complementary
color pairs.
Cool Colours
• These colours make the viewer think of cool
temperatures. They include blues, greens, and
purples.
Warm Colours
• These colours make the viewer think of warmth.
They include reds, yellows, and oranges.
Neutral Colours
• These colours combine well with a variety
of colours
• Grey is considered a cool neutral
• Browns and creams are warm neutral
colours
• In some cases white and black may also
be considered neutrals
Neutral Colour Gradients