COLOR THEORY
All About Colors and Color Theory
for Art and Graphic Design
Color
Color is the perceived character of a
surface according to the wavelength of
light reflected from it. The sensation of
color is aroused in the brain by response
of the eyes to different wavelengths of
light.
Color has three
dimensions:
• HUE (another word for color,
indicated by its name such as red or
yellow)
• VALUE (its lightness or darkness),
• INTENSITY (its brightness or
dullness).
Do you remember ROY G BIV from your Art Class or the spectrum
of light from your science class?
Red Orange Yellow
The Warm Colors
Green
Blue
Indigo Violet
The Cool Colors
Color Terms
•
•
•
•
•
Hue is another word for color.
Chroma is the intensity or purity of color.
Tint is a color mixed with white.
Tone is a color mixed with gray.
Shade is a color mixed with black.
Color and Contrast
• Using color can enhance or detract from a
composition. www.lighthouse.org/color_contrast.htm
• Color wheels help determine which colors
are in greatest contrast.
• Use Kuler from Adobe Labs to try out
new color schemes: http://kuler.adobe.com/
The Color Wheel
Primary Colors
Red Yellow Blue
Secondary Colors
Green Orange Purple
Tertiary Colors
Yellow-Green
Yellow-Orange
Red-Orange
Red-Purple
Blue Purple
Blue-Green
violet
violet
Tertiary Colors are made by mixing a primary and secondary colors.
Color Wheels
• Analogous colors are a palette of
compatible color combinations that
blend well together. They are
neighbors on the color wheel. They
tend to live harmoniously because
they are relatives to each other.
• Complementary colors are opposite
each other on the color wheel. They
contrast, enhance and intensify each
other. Therefore, complementary
colors need to be used with caution.
Color in Design
• Use color to label or show hierarchy.
• Use color to represent or imitate reality.
• Use color to unify, separate, or
emphasize.
• Use color to decorate.
• Use color consistently.
Color
Color theory encompasses a multitude of definitions,
concepts and design applications.
All the information would fill several encyclopedias.
As an introduction, here are a few basic concepts.
Primary Colors
Red, Yellow & Blue
• A color circle, based on red, yellow and blue, is
traditional in the field of art. Sir Isaac Newton
developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666.
• Since then scientists and artists have studied and
designed numerous variations of this concept.
• Differences of opinion about the validity of one format
over another continue to provoke debate.
• In reality, any color circle or color wheel which presents
a logically arranged sequence of pure hues has merit.
Primary Colors
Red, Yellow & Blue
In traditional color theory, these are the 3
pigment colors that can not be mixed or
formed by any combination of other colors. All
other colors are derived from these 3 hues
Secondary Colors
GREEN
ORANGE
PURPLE
These are the colors formed by
mixing the primary colors.
TERTIARY COLORS
blue-green
Analogous colors
Analogous colors are any three colors which are side
by side on a 12 part color wheel, such as yellow-green,
yellow, and yellow-orange.
Usually one of the three colors predominates.
Complementary Colors
Complementary colors are any two colors which are directly opposite each
other, such as red and green and red-purple and yellow-green.
In the illustration above, there are several variations of yellow-green in the
leaves and several variations of red-purple in the orchid.
These opposing colors create maximum contrast and maximum stability.
Nature Color
Nature provides a perfect departure point for color
harmony. In the illustration above, red yellow and green
create a harmonious design, regardless of whether this
combination fits into a technical formula for color harmony.
Neutral Colors
• Neutral (NOO-trul) colors
don't usually
• show up on the color
wheel. Neutral colors
include black, white, gray,
and sometimes brown and
beige. They are sometimes
called “earth tones.”
Color Context
How color behaves in relation to other colors and
shapes is a complex area of color theory.
Compare the contrast effects of different color
backgrounds for the same red square.
Red appears more brilliant against a black background and somewhat duller
against the white background. In contrast with orange, the red appears
lifeless; in contrast with blue-green, it exhibits brilliance.
Notice that the red square appears larger on black than on other background
colors.
Colour
• Light that comes from the sun is basically white. It
is made up of all colours When it passes through a
specially shaped glass called a prism it breaks up
into different colours. When the sun comes out while
it is still raining, we often observe a rainbow
because light must pass through raindrops. It
breaks up into all the colours of the visible
spectrum. Violet light is at one end of the spectrum
because it has the shortest wavelength, red light,
which has the longest wavelength, is at the other
end.
Opaque (Opacity)
What happens to light depends on
the kind of object or material that
it hits. Transparent objects,
like glass, let light waves pass
through without mixing them up.
You can see through this material.
Translucent material also allows
rays to pass through, but it mixes
them up so that you cannot see
through such objects clearly.
Opaque materials don’t let any
light pass through, thus you cannot
see through it such as dark coffee.
Different readings of the same color
If your computer has sufficient color stability and gamma
correction (link to Color Blind Computers) you will see that the
small purple rectangle on the left appears to have a red-purple
tinge when compared to the small purple rectangle on the right.
They are both the same color as seen in the illustration below. This
demonstrates how three colors can be perceived as four colors.
Different readings
of the same color
Observing the effects colors have on each other is
the starting point for understanding the relativity of
color. The relationship of values, saturations and the
warmth or coolness of respective hues can cause
noticeable differences in our perception of color.
Color
Color Theory and Color Schemes
Color: The result of light
reflecting off of a surface.
Color
Theory:
Study of color
mixing and color
schemes.
A body of
practical guidance
to color mixing
and the visual
impacts of
specific color
combinations.
(wikipedia.org)
According to color
theory, certain color
combinations work
better than others.
Using color schemes
can help with the
over all success of a
composition.
Color
Schemes:
An arrangement
or pattern of
colors or
colored objects
conceived of as
forming an
integrated
whole.
(dictionary.com)
Primary: Red, Blue,
Yellow
If you mix red, yellow & blue, you will make brown.
Depending on the ratio of colors, you can also produce a
beautiful gray and a wide variety of:
browns or flesh tones.
Secondary: Orange, Green, Purple
Complimentary Colors:
Colors across from each
Red and Green
other on the color wheel.
Orange and Blue
+
Yellow and Violet
Orange and Blue…
Red and Green.
Spilt-Complimentary Colors:
Triad of colors consisting of a
compliment, plus the two
tertiary/intermediate colors on each
side of it’s compliment.
Analogous
Colors: Colors
next to each
other on the
color wheel.
Red, orange, and
yellow.
Green, Blue, Purple.
Examples of analogous
compositions…
Monochromatic:
Consisting of one color, plus its tints
and shades (color + black and white =
monochromatic)
Examples of monochromatic
compositions…
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