Color Theory
Why do I need to understand color?
Why indeed. Many individuals are comfortable simply applying color in their artwork based on what they feel "looks good." What individuals feel looks good has everything to do with personal aesthetics and not (necessarily) anything to do with informed decision making based on a firm knowledge of color theory. Why is that important? Because it can make the difference between the creation of a piece of Art in which the artist can manipulate the viewer's gaze and possible interpretations, and a canvas that resembles a clown car massacre.
The Basics There are three main properties of color.
Why indeed. Many individuals are comfortable simply applying color in their artwork based on what they feel "looks good." What individuals feel looks good has everything to do with personal aesthetics and not (necessarily) anything to do with informed decision making based on a firm knowledge of color theory. Why is that important? Because it can make the difference between the creation of a piece of Art in which the artist can manipulate the viewer's gaze and possible interpretations, and a canvas that resembles a clown car massacre.
The Basics There are three main properties of color.
- Hue: Hue refers to the actual pigment of a color. Hues are the pure spectrum colors. All hues can be mixed from the three primary hues of red, yellow, and blue (see the color wheel).
- Value: Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. Tints are colors that have been mixed with white. Shades are colors that have been mixed with black.
- Saturation/Intensity: Saturation refers to the purity of a color and is also called the chroma. It represents the color's relationship to gray.
The Color Wheel
The Color Wheel is a visual representation of the color spectrum and chromatic relationships. The root of the color wheel is the triadic relationship of Red, Yellow, and Blue (the primary colors). These colors form an equilateral triangle along the color wheel. The primary colors are also the three fundamental hues from which all other colors are produced. The primary colors combine to create a second triadic relationship of Orange, Violet, and Green. These colors are the secondary colors. Each secondary color is the result of the combination of 2 primary colors. A third group of colors can be achieved by combining primary and secondary colors. These colors are called the tertiary colors. |
Color Schemes/Harmonies