Elements of Color

We see color that is bright, dull, exciting, chaotic, and harmonious.

We cross streets filled with color, make purchases because of color, eat, sleep, and drink color.

Some colors cause us to cheer (school colors)

Other colors cause us to cry, feel happy or depressed.

Color begins with light – either natural or artificial.

We see the sensation of color because we respond to different wavelengths of light.

We can see this when we examine a glass prism. The rays of light are bent or refracted as they pass through at different angles and are seen as different colors.

PrimaryThese colors are considered to be foundation colors because they are used to create all other colors.

Red

Yellow

Blue

SecondaryBy combining two of the primary colors, three secondary colors are formed.

Orange

Green

Violet

TertiaryThe six tertiary colors are made by combining a primary and an adjacent secondary color.

Red-Violet

Red-Orange

Yellow-Orange

Yellow-Green

Blue-Green

Blue-Violet

Complementary Colors

These colors share similar colors ad are compatible when mixed together:

Red + Green

Yellow + Violet

Blue + Orange

Analogous Colors

These colors share similar colors ad are compatible when mixed together:

Red + Orange

Orange + Yellow

Blue + Green

Color Temperature

Warm Colors: red, orange, yellow

Cool Colors: violet, blue, green

Properties of Color

Hue

Value

Saturation

Hue

All of the colors of the spectrum are hues. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. Magenta and cyan are also hues.

These are pure colors.

Value

Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. Some colors (such as yellow) are naturally light. Others(like violet) are darker.

Adding white = lighter value

Adding black = darker value

Value can exist without hue. Black, white, and gray are values without color.

Saturation/Intensity

Saturation is the purity of a color.A fully saturated color is the coloras it appears on the color wheel.

Fully saturated colors can vary in their intensity or brilliance. For example, pure yellow is very brilliant, but pureviolet has low intensity. Colors are desatured by adding black,white, grey or the complement.

Contrast of Color

Contrast of Hue

The best example: red, yellow, blue

Contrast of Value

Illustrated by black, white, gray

Contrast of Value

Illustrated in blue

Contrast of Warm + Cold

The example: red and blue

Contrast of Warm + Cold

Contrast of Saturation

The contrast between between pure colors and and diluted colors.

The four corners are neutral gray in the same value as the pure color.

Color Vibration

This is sometimes referred to as figure-ground effect. It is a perceptual phenomenon that causes some colors to appear bigger or more vibrant when placed against other colors.

They have the same value so they appear to move.

Examples