COLOR {element of design}

the quality of an object with respect to light reflected by its surface, measured by hue, value and intensity; color is often the most powerful tool available in design

COLOR TERMS

           

-color: broad term described by three characteristics: hue, value and intensity

-hue: the name of a particular color (ex. Yellow, orange, green, etc.)

-value: the relative lightness or darkness of a color.

-intensity (saturation/chroma): the purity of a color which determines its relative brightness or dullness.

-tint: color plus white

-tone: color plus gray

-shade: color plus black

-primary colors: yellow, red & blue

the three basic colors that cannot be made by mixing any other colors together

-secondary colors: orange, violet & green

these are each made by mixing two primary colors together.

orange = yellow and red

violet = red and blue

green = blue and yellow

-tertiary colors: yellow-orange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green & yellow-green

there are six tertiary colors, each made by mixing one primary and one secondary color together (by which they are named)

COLOR SCHEMES

-monochromatic: using any tint, tone or shade of just one color; monochromatic color schemes result in a calm, unified composition

     ...monochromatic colors can visually connect disparate things to communicate a relationship between the two

     ...it can also emphasize the concept of a grouping of like items

-analogous: using colors that are next to one another on the color wheel (i.e. blue, blue-green and green); analogous color schemes also feel harmonious, calm and unified, but provide more variety and interest than a monochromatic color scheme

Edouard Vuillard

-complementary: using any two colors that are directly opposite one another on the color wheel; complementary color schemes result in highly activated and contrasting compositions

Sandy Skoglund

     ...complementary colors placed next to each other intensify one another

     ...they can also heighten the symbolic concept of opposition and contrast

Genis Carreras

COLOR TEMPERATURES

-warm colors: reds, oranges, yellows

warm colors (think of the sun) appear to come forward in space.

-cool colors: greens, blues, purples

cool colors (think of the ocean) appear to recede in space.

because warm colors appear to come forward in pictorial space and cool colors seem to recede, opposing warm and cool colors helps create space in a composition

Andre Derain

     ...warm and cool colors can also suggest form, with warm colors often found in light and cool colors often found in shadows

Sir Matthew Smith

COLOR SATURATION

-saturated colors are colors that are pure and not mixed with white, gray or black (tint, tone or shade); saturated colors come forward in space in relation to more muted or neutral colors

Hans Hofmann

Frederick Hammersley

-a composition made up entirely of saturated colors can feel intense, chaotic and attention-grabbing

Andre Derain

-a composition made up entirely of muted (tonal) colors can feel more unified, quiet, calm and dull 

Giorgio Morandi

     ...both compositions flatten somewhat due to a lack of contrast in intensity

-colors can be used in isolation for emphasis

Design Sponge

     ...or in groupings to create a sense of movement and continuity within a composition

-it is also important to realize that color is relative and can appear very different depending on the context (lighting) or the colors surrounding it

     ...look at three examples of color shifting based on what is around it; the center strip is the same color on both sides, though visually we perceive them as very different

     ...remember, color affects color