Color Theory

1
Color Theory

• color is a visual sensation perceived by the eye
  and the mind due to the activity and vibration of
  light

2
General Characteristics

• Color can create different moods.
• Color Symbolism people associate colors with
  various concepts
• A persons culture may influence their
  association.

3
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

4
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

5
Reflection

• the return of light waves from surfaces the
  bending or folding back of a part upon itself

6
Chromatic Colors

• a color having hue a color of the visible
  spectrum (ROYGBIV)
• the colors of the spectrum, plus those produced
  by their mixtures

7
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

8
Dimensions of Color

• Hue
• Value
• Intensity

9
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

10
Primary Hues

• Red
• Yellow
• Blue

11
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

12
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

13
Color Wheels 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

14
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

15
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

16
Pigment Theory

• The Prang System

17
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.

18
Chemical Pigments

• Range is more narrow.
• Fade or bleach.
• Are not pure colors.
• Are not stable.
• Absorb light rays when they are mixed together.

19
Classes of Hues

• Primary
• Secondary
• Intermediate
• Tertiary

20
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.

21
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.

22
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.

23
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

24
Monochromatic Hues

• variations of one hue tints, tones and shades
  of one hue

25
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

26
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

27
Shade

• a hue into which various quantities of black
  are mixed the darkened hue
• Changes the value of the hue.
• HUE BLACK SHADE

28

• 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.

29
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.

30
Color Wheel

• a circle in which the primary, secondary, and
  intermediate hues are arranged in orderly
  intervals

31
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.

32
Juxtaposition

• (simultaneous contrast) any two hues seen
  together which modify each other in the direction
  of their complements

33
After-image

• psychological a visual impression remaining
  after the stimulus has been removed