ART APPRECIATION
Lesson: Color Theory: The Basics of Color
Wheel
Colors affect us in numerous ways, both mentally
and physically. For instance strong red color has
been shown to raise the blood pressure, while a
blue color has a calming effect.
What is Color Theroy?
In the visual arts, color theory is a body of
practical guidance to color mixing and the visual
effects of a specific color combination. There are
also definitions (or categories) of colors based on
the color wheel: primary color, secondary color, and tertiary color. Although color theory principles
first appeared in the writings of Leone Battista Alberti (c. 1435) and the notebooks of Leonardo da
Vinci (c. 1490), a tradition of "colory theory" began in the 18th century, initially within a partisan
controversy over Isaac Newton's theory of color (Opticks, 1704) and the nature of primary colors.
From there it developed as an independent artistic tradition with only superficial reference to
colorimetry and vision science
The basics of the color wheel
The color wheel or color circle is the basic tool for combining colors. The first circular color
diagram was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666.
The color wheel was the first organized system of colors. It is still used to illustrate the relation
between colors.
Artists often use the color wheel to help understand how colors are related to one another.
The color wheel is designed so that virtually any colors you pick from it will look good
together. Over the years, many variations of the basic design have been made, but the most
common version is a wheel of 12 colors based on the RYB (or artistic) color model.
Traditionally, there are a number of color combinations that are considered especially pleasing. These
are called color harmonies or color chords and they consist of two or more colors with a fixed relation
in the color wheel.
In traditional color theory, it all starts with three colors – the primary colors.
The PRIMARY COLORS
on the color wheel are red,
yellow and blue.
The primary colors are red,
blue, and yellow.
colors cannot be made from
other colors.
Can you see the primary colors in this painting by
Piet Mondrian?
What shapes did Mondrian use in this painting?
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The SECONDARY COLORS are orange, violet and green. They can be made from mixing two
primary colors. The three secondary colors (green, orange and purple) are created by mixing two
primary colors.
The TERTIARY COLORS completes Mixing primary and
the color wheel to 12 basic colors. secondary colors creates
The 6 tertiary colors are created by tertiary colors.
mixing one primary color with an Tertiary colors include:
equal part adjacent, secondary color. Red-Violet
Blue-Violet
Blue-Green
Yellow Green
Red-Orange
Yellow-Orange
On the color wheel, the
tertiary colors are
located between the
primary and secondary
colors they are made
from.
Warm and cool colors
The color circle can be divided into warm
and cool colors.
Warm colors are vivid and energetic,
and tend to advance in space.
Cool colors give an impression of calm,
and create a soothing impression.
White, black and gray are considered to
be neutral.
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The warm colors
on the color wheel are
the red,orange and
. They are also
yellows.
called advancing colors.
Take a look on the
example below.They are
called warm because they
remind you of the
sun or fire.
In The Fighting Temeraire by William Turner, the warm
colors of the sunset give a feeling of brightness and heat.
Look at the red spreading from the setting sun and the
deep golden glow on the water. If you're feeling cold,
looking at colors like these can actually make you feel
warmer!
The Cool colors are
blue, green, purple and
anything in between.They
are called cool because
they remind you of the
earth or a cool creek.
They are also called
receding colors.
In this painting by Claude Monet, The Walk, Lady with a
Parasol , the cool colors of the ground and sky contributes
to the peaceful feeling of the painting. Imagine how
different the painting would look with a bright red sky—it
might seem more exciting or energetic than restful.
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NEUTRAL COLORS
Neutrals don't usually show up on the color wheel. Neutrals include black, white, gray, and
sometimes brown and beige. They are sometimes called “earth tones.”
There are a few different ways to make neutrals. You can blend black and white to make gray. You
can create brown in two ways—by blending two complementary colors together or by blending all
three primary colors together.
In Snow in New York, Robert
Henri uses many different
neutrals. You can see a few
glimpses of red paint, but the
overall effect is of natural browns,
whites and grays--like those you
might see in rocks, sand, dirt, or
clay.
Monochromatic Color
A monochromatic scheme consists of different values (tints and shades) of a single color. An
example of a monochrome color scheme could include any color mixed with white or black.
The example above is a green monochromatic color scheme.
• A shade of green is made by mixing green and black.
• A tint of green is made by mixing green and white.
Tints, Shades, and Tones
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These terms are often used incorrectly, although they describe fairly simple color concepts. If a color
is made lighter by adding white, the result is called a tint. If black is added, the darker version is
called a shade. And if gray is added, the result is a different tone.
See the example below using one color:
Tints - adding white to a pure hue:
Shades - adding black to a pure hue:
Tones - adding gray to a pure hue:
Another example below using different colors:
Hue (Color) + white =TINT Hue (Color) + gray =TONE Hue (Color) +black =SHADE
Q2:What about brown?
The simplified answer is that black is the
Q1:Why is black
complete orof
absence white
colorsnot
andon the iscolor wheel?
white Brown is a dark orange or neutral red hue
the presence of all colors simultaneously. a composite color made by combining
red, black and yellow.
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What is COLOR HARMONY?
Color Harmony refers to the property that certain aesthetically pleasing color
combinations have. These combinations create pleasing contrasts and consonances
that are said to be harmonious .These combinations can be of complementary colors,
split- complementary colors, color triads, or analogous colors
Below are shown the basic color chords based on the color wheel
A. Complimentary color
Complementary color scheme
Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are
considered to be complementary colors (example: red and
green, yellow and violet, blue and orange).
The high contrast of complementary colors creates a vibrant
look especially when used at full saturation. This color
scheme must be managed well so it is not jarring.
Complementary color schemes are tricky to use in large
doses, but work well when you want something to stand out.
Red and green are an example
of complementary colors. Look at
the painting Carnation, Lily, Lily,
Rose by John Singer Sargent. The
reddish-pink color of the flowers
really stands out against the green
background. Imagine if Sargent had
painted all yellow or blue flowers
instead. They would just blend in
with the green (ho-hum).
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B. Split-complimentary colors
Split-Complementary color scheme
The split-complementary color scheme is a variation of
the complementary color scheme. In addition to the
base color, it uses the two colors adjacent to its
complement.
• A split-compliment color scheme includes a main
color and the two colors on each side of its
complementary (opposite) color on the color
wheel.
• An example of a split-compliment color scheme
could be green, violet-red, and red-orange.
C. Analogous colors
• These colors are located next to each
other on the wheel, such as:
• Blue, Blue-green, Green
• Red, Red-Orange, and Orange
• Analogous colors are sometimes called
harmonious colors.
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• Orange, yellow-orange,
and yellow are also
examples of analogous
colors. They are blended
nicely in Sunflowers, a
painting by Vincent Van
Gogh. How do you know
that these colors are
closely related? They
share a color—each of
them contains some
yellow.
THE MEANING OF COLOR
RED
Red is the color of fire. It is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power,
determination and love.
Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases
respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. It has very high visibility, which is why stop
signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are usually painted red. It is a color found in many
national flags.
Red brings text and images to the foreground. Use it as an accent color to stimulate people
to make quick decisions; it is a perfect color for 'Buy Now' or 'Click Here' buttons on
Internet banners and websites. Red is widely used to indicate danger (high voltage signs,
traffic lights).
ORANGE
Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy,
sunshine, and the tropics. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity,
determination, attraction, success, and encouragement.
To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives the sensation of heat.
Nevertheless, orange is not as aggressive as red. Orange increases oxygen supply to the
brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity. As a citrus color,
orange is associated with healthy food and stimulates appetite. Orange is the color of fall
and harvest.
Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most
important elements of your design.
YELLOW
Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy.
Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and
generates muscle energy. Yellow is often associated with food. Bright, pure yellow is an
attention getter, which is the reason taxicabs are painted this color. When overused, yellow
may have a disturbing effect; it is known that babies cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow is
seen before other colors when placed against black; this combination is often used to issue
a warning.
Use yellow to evoke pleasant, cheerful feelings. Yellow is very effective for attracting
attention, so use it to highlight the most important elements of your design. Shades of
yellow are visually unappealing because they loose cheerfulness and become dingy.
GREEN
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Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, and freshness. Green has
strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with
money.
Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can
improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of
experience; for example, a 'greenhorn' is a novice. Green, as opposed to red, means
safety; it is the color of free passage in road traffic.
Green is directly related to nature, so you can use it to promote 'green' products. Dull,
darker green is commonly associated with money, the financial world, banking, and Wall
Street.
Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy. Olive green is the
traditional color of peace.
BLUE
Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence,
intelligence, and truth.
Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and
produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness.
Blue is used to promote products and services related to cleanliness (water purification
filters, cleaning liquids), air and sky (airlines, airports, air conditioners), water and sea (sea
voyages, mineral water).
When used together with warm colors like yellow or red, blue can create high-impact,
vibrant designs; for example, blue-yellow-red is a perfect color scheme for a superhero.
PURPLE
Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with
royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and
extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery,
and magic.
According to surveys, almost 75 percent of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all
other colors. Purple is a very rare color in nature; some people consider it to be artificial.
WHITE
White is associated with light, goodness, and innocence. It is considered to be the color of
perfection.
White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a
positive connotation. White can represent a successful beginning.
White is associated with hospitals, doctors, and sterility. White is also often associated with
low weight, low-fat food, and dairy products.
BLACK
Black is associated with power, elegance, death, evil, and mystery.
Black is a mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown (black holes). Black
denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and
prestigious color (black tie event).
Black gives the feeling of perspective and depth. When designing for a gallery of art or
photography, you can use a black or gray background to make the other colors stand out.
Black contrasts well with bright colors. Combined with red or orange – other very powerful
colors – black gives a very aggressive color scheme.
NOTE: Take time to read and study our lesson about colors.I will send the template for your activities on Wednesday
.Take care and God bless!
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