colour 1 of 6

colour
Colour is the element of art that is produced when light, striking an object, is reflected to
the eye.
colour is the general term we use to describe every hue, tint, tone or shade we see. White,
Black and
Grey are often referred to as a colour.

Pigments

The pigments are finely milled substances that provide the necessary colours to the
paintings. They are thus the main constituents of colours used in painting.

They are the materials responsible for the colour, which arise in the paints in the form of
small particles bound together by the binder.

1.A substance used as colouring.

2. Dry colouring matter, usually an insoluble powder, to be mixed with water, oil, or another
base to produce paint and similar products.
3. A substance, such as chlorophyll or melanin, that produces a characteristic colour in
plant or animal tissue.

The pigments used in painting can be classified into natural pigments and artificial
pigments.

A natural pigment is obtained directly from nature, being only subject to processes of
physical nature, separation and fine grinding.
These can be of mineral origin (earth and rocks).
The pigments can also have organic origin (vegetable or animal).
These substances were milled to the consistency of a coloured powder.
An artificial pigment is obtained through chemical reactions, either from simpler materials
or by the decomposition of more complex materials.

If colour theory is simplified, it can be broken down into 3 parts-

The colour wheel,

colour value,
and colour schemes.

Colours are used as symbols or codes in the most varied circumstances. These colour
codes, once instituted, become a new language for a more or less broad group of people.

The most known example will be the traffic lights (green, yellow, red) but others exist.

The colours of the different moments of the liturgical year.

At the end of the twelfth century, Pope Innocent III established rules regarding the colours
used:

- white - days of celebration, consecrations, coronations and important events;

colour 2 of 6
- red - meaning blood, would be used for the Passion of Christ and martyrdoms of the
Apostles and other Saints;

- green - moments defined before Lent and after the Holy Trinity;

- gold brocade - replaced white, red or green;

- violet and black - meant mourning, being black for funerals and mass of the deceased,
and violet for penance (now violet has totally replaced black).

Colour is reflected light on objects.

Its main characteristics are hue, saturation, luminosity and brightness.

We can also describe the colour as hot or cold depending on the side of the spectrum to
which it belongs.
Colour Theory is a collection of guidelines on the use of colour for artists and it can really
help any creative person make intelligent decisions12 section colour wheel when thinking
about what colours to use in an artwork.

A 12-section colour wheel can be used to help describe the relationship between different
colours when they are viewed together. Artists use these colour relationships to achieve
different effects such as dramatic contrast or colours that are visually appealing together.
Below are described some of the most common definitions used to describe these colour
relationships.
It has three main characteristics:

Hue
Brightness
Saturation

Hue
Spectral intensity of colour (the dominant light wave: blue-cyan, yellow or red-magenta).

Brightness
Luminous intensity (ie light or brightness).

Saturation
Spectral purity of colour (if it is well defined or less defined within the intensity of the colour
spectrum).

White is the light in his pure expression.

Black is the total absence of light.
Colours are divided into primary colours and secondary colours.

Primary colours
The primary colours are the three pure colours: red-magenta, cyan-blue, and yellow.
All other colours result from their blend.

Secondary colors
result from the blend of the three primary colours: green, orange, violet.

Wheel of Colours
colour 3 of 6
There are also tertiary colours, which arise by adding primary and secondary colours.

When complementary colours are added (for example, green and red) the brown is
generated.

Saturation
Refers to the definition of colour intensity.

Artists use Colour saturation to create different moods: for example, darker colours
suggest a lack of light (night or indoor scene), and dark colours can often give a sense of
mystery. A light colour is associated with a light source or the light itself reflected in the
composition (such as a lamp, for example

Brightness

Describes the purity or strength of a colour. Bright colours are undiluted and are often
associated with positive energy and intense emotions. More “erased” colours were diluted,
mixed with other colours, creating a more serious, solemn or calm environment.

In painting the use of a “spot” of Colour is often used by artists to draw the observer to the
main figure of the scene.

Colour Theory Part 1

The Colour Wheel

The colour wheel was developed by Sir Isaac Newton by taking the colour spectrum and
bending it into a circle. If you follow around the colour wheel, you will find the same order
of the colour spectrum- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo(blue-violet), and violet.
Some remember it by the acronym ROY G. BIV.

The colour wheel is made up of three different types of colours - Primary, Secondary, and
Tertiary.
Primary colours
are red, yellow, and blue. They are called primary for a couple of reasons. First, no two
colours can be mixed to create a primary colour. In other words, primary colours can only
be created through the use of natural pigments. Secondly, all other colours found on the
colour wheel can be created by mixing primary colours together.

Secondary colours
are orange, green, and purple. Secondary colours are created by mixing equal parts of
any two primary colours. Yellow and blue will give you green. Red and blue will create
purple(violet). Red and yellow will give you orange.

Tertiary colours
are created by mixing equal parts of a secondary colour and a primary colour together.
There are six tertiary colours- red-purple, red-orange, blue-green, yellow-green, blue-
purple, and yellow-orange. Notice that the proper way to refer to tertiary colours is by
listing the primary colour first and the secondary colour, second.

Complementary Colours –
colour 4 of 6
Colours that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel. For example, purple and yellow.
Complementary colours will contrast greatly.

Split Complementary – A colour and the two colours either side of the complementary
colour.

Analogous Colours –
Any three colours which are side by side on a 12-section colour wheel, such as yellow-
green, yellow, and yellow-orange.

Triadic Colours –
Three colours that are evenly spaced around the colour wheel.

Tetradic
or double complementary colours uses four colours together, in the form of two sets of
complementary colours. For example, blue and orange is paired with yellow and violet.

Monochromatic –
Containing or using only one colour.

Color Temperature
Colour temperature refers to the level of warmth contained within a colour. Colours can be
categorised as warm or cool. Warm and cool colours will contrast well with each other.

Warm colours —
such as red, yellow, and orange; evoke warmth because they remind us of things like the
sun or fire.
Cool colours —
such as blue, green, and purple (violet); evoke a cool feeling because they remind us of
things like water or grass.

Colour Theory Part 2 - Colour Values

The second part of colour theory deals with colour values. Value is the darkness or
lightness of a colour. When dealing with pure colour (hue), value can be affected by
adding white or black to a colour. Adding white to a colour produces a tint...

Tints
A Tint lightens the colour, but it doesn't make it brighter. Even though the colour may
appear brighter, in actual fact it is not. In other words, it remains exactly the same colour,
only a paler version. Furthermore, even a small amount of White added to a colour,
transforms it into a Tint.
In addition, a true Tint contains no Grey.
To create a true Tint, simply add White to any individual colour on the Colour Wheel or any
of those pure colours mixed together.

Tone
Colour Theory defines a True Tone as any Hue or mixture of pure colours with only Grey
added. To be precise, this definition considers Grey as truly neutral. In other words, there
are no additional pigments in the Grey other than White plus Black.
colour 5 of 6
A neutral mixture of Grey, no matter how light or dark, will tone down the intensity of any
colour. As a general warning, be careful with how much Grey you mix in. Too much Grey
dulls the colour so much, it becomes impossible to get the brilliance back.

Toned colours are generally considered more pleasing to the eye. They are complex,
subtle and sophisticated. That's because bright pure colours are most often associated
with children.

Generally speaking, almost every colour we see in our day-to-day world has been toned to
some degree.

Shades
Colour Theory defines a True Shade as any pure Hue or mixture of pure colours with only
Black added. In other words, it contains absolutely no White or Grey.

A Shade darkens the colour. It remains the same Hue only a darker version. As has been
noted above, even a small amount of White or Grey added to a colour, transforms it into a
Tone.

Therefore a Shade can range from slightly darker than your original colour, all the way to
nearly Black with barely any of the colour mixed in.

Colour Theory Part 3 - Colour Schemes

Colour schemes are ways colours are put together in an intelligent way

Monochromatic -
literally means one (mono) colour (chroma). So a monochromatic
colour scheme is made up of one colour and it’s shades and tints.

A monotone colour scheme is just one single hue and its variations in terms of tints,
shades and saturation. Using saturation and tint/shade variations of a colour is always
good. However, in most cases I would advise against using a fully monochromatic
scheme, as there is a risk of monotony. Using it with pure white or black can be efficient,
though.

Monotone achromatic
A monotone achromatic colour scheme is a special instance of the monotone scheme
which consists of only neutral colours ranging from black to white. A scheme like this can
be efficient, but it can very easily look boring. Using an achromatic scheme with just one
bright colour for highlight can be very effect full.

Analogous colours -
are colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel.
When used as a colour scheme, analogous colours can be dramatic. Ex. Blue, blue-green,
green, and yellow-green; red, red-purple, purple, blue-purple
analogous colors

Complementary colours -
are colours found directly across from each other on the colour wheel. Complementary
colour scheme provide strong contrast. Ex. Blue and orange, red and green, yellow-green
and red-purple.
colour 6 of 6

Colour triads -
consist of three colours found on the colour wheel that are equally spaced apart from each
other. Ex. Red, blue and yellow or orange, green and purple.

Split complementary -
colour schemes are made up of a colour and it’s complements closest analogous colours.
Ex Blue, yellow-orange and red-orange. Red-orange, red-purple, green.

Warm colours -
colours that are usually associated with warm things. Ex. Red, yellow, orange.
warm colours

Cool colours -
colours that are usually associated with cool things. Ex. Blue, purple, green
cool colours

LEARN MORE

Colour Theory Terms and Definitions

Colour - Element of art derived from reflected light. We see colour because light waves
are reflected from objects to your eyes.
Colour wheel - colour spectrum bent into a circle.
Primary colours - The most basic colours on the colour wheel, red, yellow and blue. These
colours cannot be made by mixing.
Secondary colours - colours that are made by mixing two primary colours together.
Orange, green and violet (purple).
Tertiary colours - colours that are made by mixing a primary colour with a secondary
colour.
Hue - the name of the colour.
Intensity - the brightness or dullness of a colour. DO NOT CONFUSE WITH VALUE.
Colour value - the darkness or lightness of a colour. Ex pink is a tint of red.
Tints - are created by adding white to a colour.
Shades - are created by adding black to a colour.
Optical colour - colour that people actually perceive- also called local colour.
Arbitrary colour - colours chosen by the artist to express feelings or mood.