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Color Theory. “color is a visual sensation perceived by the eye and the mind due to the activity and vibration of light”. General Characteristics. Color can create different moods. Color Symbolism: people associate colors with various concepts
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Color Theory “color is a visual sensation perceived by the eye and the mind due to the activity and vibration of light”
General Characteristics • Color can create different moods. • Color Symbolism: people associate colors with various concepts • A person’s culture may influence their association.
Colors of the Spectrum • Sir Isaac Newton (1666) • no one color predominates • colors always appear in the same order ROYGBIV • colors extend beyond the spectrum: • Infrared • Ultra-violet
Absorption • “the process of taking in, as in a colored object which absorbs certain rays of light and reflects other rays giving the object its recognizable color”
Reflection • “the return of light waves from surfaces; the bending or folding back of a part upon itself”
Chromatic Colors • “a color having hue; a color of the visible spectrum (ROYGBIV) • the colors of the spectrum, plus those produced by their mixtures
Achromatic Colors • “a color not found in the visible spectrum; a neutral color such as white, black, gray, and silver, and gold (for decorative purposes)” • the neutral colors
Dimensions of Color • Hue • Value • Intensity
Hue • “the property of a color by which it is distinguished from other colors” • used only when speaking of the unadulterated chromatic color • refers to a pure color
Primary Hues • Red • Yellow • Blue
Warm Hues • “a color which appears in the spectral band, characterized by long wave-lengths; a color which makes an object appear closer and larger; a color which reflects warmth”
Cool Hues • “blue, green, purple (AKA violet) or any intermediate pigmentary hue in which they predominate; a receding hue which creates the illusion of distance from the observer; a color of short wave-lengths”
Color Wheel’s Division into Warm & Cool Hues • Complements: “directly opposite hues on the color wheel; any two pigmentary hues which, by their mixture in equal quantities, produce gray”
Value • “the lightness or darkness of a hue” • every hue is capable of being darkened to a point above black • every hue is capable of being lightened to a point below white
Intensity • (chroma) • “the brightness or dullness of a hue” • a pure color is at full intensity • hues at full intensity are brilliant • low intensities are soft and pleasant
Pigment Theory The Prang System
Pigment • “a coloring matter which can be applied to an object, when combined with some type of vehicle” • The earliest pigments came from various earths, minerals, or vegetable dyes.
Chemical Pigments • Range is more narrow. • Fade or bleach. • Are not pure colors. • Are not stable. • Absorb light rays when they are mixed together.
Classes of Hues • Primary • Secondary • Intermediate • Tertiary
Primary Hues • “three pigmentary hues; red, yellow, and blue which can be combined to make all other hues” • Cannot be produced by mixtures of other hues. • Equilateral triangle is the symbol used to locate the position of the primary hues on the color wheel.
Secondary Hues • “equal mixture of 2 primary pigmentary hues (orange, green, and purple)” • Lie midway between the 2 primary hues which produce it. • An inverted equilateral triangle depicts the relationship of the primary and secondary hues.
Intermediate Hues • “a pigmentary hue produced by mixing in equal quantities, a primary hue with its adjacent secondary hue on the color wheel” • Are located midway between the primary and secondary hues which produce them. • There are 6 intermediate hues.
Tertiary Hues • “the hue which results from the mixture of 2 secondary pigmentary hues or an unbalanced proportion of complements with the warm or cool hue predominating” • 2 families of colors: browns and slates
Monochromatic Hues • “variations of one hue; tints, tones and shades of one hue”
Tint • “ a hue into which various quantities of white are mixed” • As the quantity of white is increased, the hue is weakened. • Changes the value of a hue. • HUE + WHITE = TINT
Tone • “a hue mixed with either a small quantity of gray or the complement of the hue, resulting in dulling the hue” • Changes the intensity of the hue. • HUE + GRAY (COMPLEMENT) = TONE
Shade • “ a hue into which various quantities of black are mixed; the darkened hue” • Changes the value of the hue. • HUE + BLACK = SHADE
Once white, black or gray (complement) is added to a hue, it is no longer a hue, it is a tint, a tone, or a shade.
Analogous Hues • “two or more hues which have the same hue in common” • Are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. • Contain the same hue.
Color Wheel • “a circle in which the primary, secondary, and intermediate hues are arranged in orderly intervals”
Complements • “directly opposite hues on the color wheel” • Always involve a warm hue and a cool hue. • When mixed in equal parts they result in gray. • Are the greatest contrast in hues.
Juxtaposition • “(simultaneous contrast) any two hues seen together which modify each other in the direction of their complements”
After-image • “psychological; a visual impression remaining after the stimulus has been removed”