National 4/5 Graphic Communication

1. National 4/5Graphic Communication Colour Theory

2. Graphic Communication • The use of colour plays a massive role in Graphic Communication. • It can be used to convey feelings, to create visual impact and to suggest the use for products. • It can also be used in signs and symbols to convey specific types of information.

3. Graphic Communication • You will need to know about the colour wheel. • What are primary colours? • What are secondary colours? • What are tertiary colours? • What colours are contrasting? • What colours are harmonious? • What colours are advancing? • What colours are rededing? • What colours are warm or cold? • What is meant by the terms: tone; tints; and shades?

4. The Colour Wheel

5. Primary Colours • The 3 primary colours are Yellow Red Blue

6. Secondary Colours • The 3 secondary colours are Orange Green Violet

7. Tertiary Colours • Tertiary colours are obtained when you mix a primary colour with a secondary colour. • The tertiary colours are circled on the colour wheel opposite.

8. Harmonising Colours • Harmonising colours are beside each other on the colour wheel. • The following colours are harmonious: • Yellow & Orange • Red & Violet • Blue & Green

9. Contrasting Colours • Contrasting colours are on opposite sides of the colour wheel. • The following colours are contrasting: • Yellow & Violet • Red & Green • Blue & Orange

10. Advancing Colours • Advancing colours appear to come towards you when you look at them. • Advancing colours are warm colours: • red • orange • yellow • They are all on one half of the colour wheel.

11. Warm Colours • These colours are used to give a feeling of warmth to a drawing. • They can also be used to show hot things as part of a symbol, like a red dot on a hot water tap. • red • yellow • orange

12. Receding Colours • Receding colours appear to move into the background when you look at them. • Advancing colours are cold colours: • blue • green • violet • They are all on one half of the colour wheel.

13. Cold Colours • These colours are used to give a feeling of coldness to a drawing. • They can also be used to show cold things as part of a symbol, like a blue dot on a cold water tap. • blue • green • violet

14. Tone • The tone of a colour is how strong or weak a colour is. • By applying more coats of a colour its tone can be made stronger. • This can be shown in the tonal bar.

15. Tint & Shade • Tints and shades are created by adding white or black to a colour. • White is added to a colour to give it a tint. Pale colours tend to be soft. • Black is added to a colour to give it a shade. Dark colours look as though they are heavy.

16. Feelings & Instruction • Colours are often used to convey feeling or instruction. • This is helpful as it can be used as signs in any language. • The following slides tell us what feelings colours give.

17. Red • Warm • Vibrant • Exciting • Active • Festive • Passion

18. Yellow • Warm • Sunny • Happy • Glowing • Easily seen

19. Blue • Cool • Elegant • Sophisticated • Formal • Classy

20. Green • Cool • restful • natural calm • soothing • fresh

21. Violet • Cool • Peaceful • Solitary

22. Orange • Warm • Happy • Cheerful • Energy • Refreshing

23. Greys Natural Restful Calm Browns Natural Earthly Safe Elegant Dignified Reliable Good Neutral Colours

24. Black & White • Dramatic • elegant • opposing • contrasting • sophisticated