Color

November 22, 2013

What is color?

o A ray of light (the source of all color)o Perceived by the eye and interpreted by the

braino Internal sensation expressed when colored

light waves stimulate the eye

Color is Affected By:

o Textureo Artificial lightingo Natural lighting

Pigments

o Substances that can be ground into fine powders

o Used for adding color to dyes and paintso Were derived from animal, mineral and

vegetable sourceso Now produced through chemistry

Blue

• Cool Color• Moves away from you• Suggests respect, responsibility, authority• Needs a relief color• Tranquilizing• Elongate time• Favorite color• Poor color around food

Red

• Hot, exciting, stimulating• Highly emotional• Raises blood pressure, pulse and heart rate• Cellular reaction in heart and lungs• Stimulate appetite• Pay more• Lose track of time• Separate gender responses

Yellow

• Requires the most visual processing• Cheerful, warm, inviting• Stimulate memory• “Value for Money”• Loss of minor muscle control in elderly• Loose your temper quicker• Baby’s cry more

Green

• Peaceful, relaxation, serenity• Easiest for the eye to see• Fastest adjustment time• High socio-economic status• Natural• Cool color closest to warm

Black

• Mysterious• Positive and negative effects• Positive: Dignity, solemnity, formality• Negative: Mourning, sorrow, depression• Message of power, strong authority when

combined with white• Reinforces the color it touches, powerful accent

White

• Delicate, refined• Symbol of purity, chastity, cleanliness• All white feels empty or forced• Soften edges between colors• Encourages precision• Clarity, openness and brightness

Grey

• Helps people work longer• Increases creativity• People are more artistic• Chameleon-takes on other colors• Needs accent colors• Strong prejudice against grey – love/hate

Brown• Homelike, masculine• Warmth, snug, secure• Universal• Solidity• Positive food associations• Less intensive behavioral response• Needs natural associations and less yellow for a

positive response.

Violet

• Stronger versions are called purple• Feelings of uncertainty• Represents royalty, dignity• Women generally accept universally• People get tired of the fastest• Seen as artistic and expressive

Pink

• Sweet• Can be calming• Intensifies when applied• Feminine• Good accent clothing color, not as well used

overall in clothing

Orange

• Declassifying• Informal• Stimulating• Inexpensive• Good around fast food• Shares some qualities of red, slightly

reduced

Fall Trends

• http://www.glamour.com/fashion/2013/02/the-dos-and-donts-of-fall-2013-fashion-trends#slide=1

Color Wheel

o Basic tool for working with coloro Based on the standard color theory known

as Brewster/Prang

Primary Colors

o Red, yellow and blueo Cannot be mixed from other pigments

Secondary Colors

o Orange, green and violeto Made by mixing equal amounts of two

primary colors

Tertiary Colors

o 6 of them: Red-orange, red-violet, blue-green, blue-violet, yellow-green, and yellow-orange

o Also known as intermediate colorso Made by mixing equal parts of a primary

color and a secondary color

Warm Colors

o Reds, yellows, and orangeso Are advancingo Create feelings of warmth, activity and

excitement

Cool Colors

o Blues, purples, greenso Are recedingo Create feelings of coolness, calmness, and

relaxation

Neutral Colors

o Colors not found on the color wheelo White, black, grey, brown, beige, tan and

cream

o Color Wheel Project