COLOUR DESCRIPTION
Positive Negative
Red Crimson – A regal, deep red Sanguine – A blood-red
rich with intensity. shade, ominous and
Ruby – A glowing, gems red, unsettling.
luminous and warm. Carmine – A harsh, almost
Scarlet – A striking, passionate artificial red.
red full of life. Garnet – A deep, brooding
red, reminiscent of dried
blood.
Orange and Warm Amber – A warm, golden glow Rust – A dull, aged orange,
like sunlight through autumn evoking decay and neglect.
leaves. Ochre – A muddy, yellow
Sa ron – A rich, exotic golden orange, reminiscent of dust
orange, full of depth. and drought.
Coral – A lively, delicate pink Burnt Sienna – A scorched,
orange, soft and playful. overly harsh orange.
Yellow and Gold Marigold – A vibrant, cheerful Mustard – A murky, brown
yellow radiating warmth. tinted yellow, dull and
Sunflower – A golden, lively unappealing.
hue, evoking energy. Sallow – A sickly, pale
Gilded – A rich, opulent gold, yellow, draining vitality.
exuding luxury. Tarnished Gold – A faded,
dirty metallic yellow, losing
its brilliance.
Green Emerald – A jewel-like green, Olive – A murky, yellow-
deep and lush. tinged green, lifeless and
Sage – A soft, muted green, dull.
calming and natural. Bilious Green – A sickly,
Verdant – A fresh, vibrant nauseating shade of green.
green, full of life. Swamp Green – A murky,
sludgy green, unpleasant and
stagnant.
Blue Azure – A bright, sky-like blue, Prussian Blue – A cold,
crisp and clear. severe shade, almost
Sapphire – A deep, glowing oppressive.
blue, exuding mystery. Bruised Indigo – A dark,
Cerulean – A serene, soft blue, painful blue with an ominous
tranquil and dreamy. depth.
Washed-out Denim – A
faded, lifeless blue, lacking
vibrancy.
Purple Amethyst – A delicate, gems Aubergine – A dark, almost
purple, soft and ethereal. black-purple, moody and
Lavender – A gentle, fragrant heavy.
purple, soothing and elegant. Mauve – A faded, greyish
Iris – A luminous, floral purple, purple, lifeless and dull.
graceful and charming. Bruised Plum – A dark,
purplish shade, evoking
injury or decay.
Brown Chestnut – A warm, rich Sepia – A faded, aged brown,
brown, evoking autumn and old and weary.
comfort. Mud Brown – A dull, dirty
Mahogany – A deep, reddish brown, lifeless and unclean.
brown, exuding elegance. Tobacco – A dry, ashen
Terracotta – A warm, clay-like brown, evoking decay.
brown, earthy and natural.
Grey and Black Slate – A cool, sophisticated Charcoal – A lifeless, ashy
grey, sleek and modern. grey, dull and bleak. Smog
Graphite – A deep, rich grey Grey – A dirty, su ocating
with a metallic sheen. grey, heavy and oppressive.
Onyx – A pure, polished black, Obsidian – A black so deep it
striking and powerful. feels like an abyss,
swallowing all light.
White and Light Alabaster – A soft, milky white, Ashen – A ghostly, drained
pure and luminous. white, devoid of warmth.
Pearl – A subtle, glowing white, Pallid – A sickly, pale white,
delicate and iridescent. lacking vitality.
Snow – A bright, crisp white, Bleached White – A stark,
fresh and untouched. unnatural white, too sterile
and harsh.
EXAMPLES
Positive Negative
Red Tones The crimson glow of the The sanguine hue of the
sunset melted into the stagnant water darkened
horizon, a final flourish of the under the moonlight, thick and
day’s warmth. ominous.
The ruby gown shimmered The carmine ink bled through
under the ballroom lights, its the paper, its garish streaks
deep red richness exuding marring the delicate
elegance. parchment.
His scarlet scarf flickered like Dried garnet stains marked the
a flame against the backdrop walls, a silent testament to
of the frostbitten city. past violence.
Orange and Warm The amber glow of the lantern The rust-streaked metal stood
Tones bathed the cobblestone corroded and weary, eaten
streets in a soft, honeyed away by time and neglect.
warmth. A murky ochre film clung to
The sa ron fields stretched the surface of the water,
endlessly, their golden hues swirling in lazy patterns of
swaying in the breeze. decay.
Sunlight streamed through the The faded burnt sienna walls
stained glass, casting a peeled in strips, revealing the
delicate coral glow on the years of wear beneath.
chapel floor.
Yellow and Gold The marigold petals unfurled His skin took on a sallow hue
Tones in the morning light, vibrant under the flickering
and full of life. candlelight, sickly and devoid
A thread of gilded embroidery of vitality.
wove through the tapestry, The tarnished gold frame,
catching the light with regal once resplendent, now lay
splendour. forgotten beneath layers of
The sunflower fields swayed dust.
like waves, their golden A pool of mustard liquid oozed
crowns basking in the across the table, its pungent
afternoon sun. scent thick and uninviting.
Green Tones The emerald waters sparkled, The olive paint had faded over
reflecting the lush canopy that time, its once-vibrant hue
framed the shore. dulled to a lifeless murk.
The air carried the crisp scent A sickly bilious green film
of sage, earthy and grounding. coated the pond’s surface, its
The valley was awash in putrid scent curling in the air.
verdant hues, each blade of A stagnant pool of swamp
grass singing in harmony with green water festered at the
spring’s arrival. roadside, thick and unclean.
Blue Tones The azure sky stretched The Prussian blue storm
endlessly, unmarred by cloud clouds gathered above, their
or care. oppressive weight pressing
The sapphire waves lapped down.
gently against the shore, their The deep, dark indigo bruises
gemstone depths gleaming. marred his skin, a stark
The artist’s brushstrokes contrast against the pallor of
captured the ethereal quality his face.
of cerulean seas, tranquil and The washed-out denim of her
boundless. dress hung limply, its fabric
faded and lifeless.
Purple and Violet The amethyst twilight bathed The aubergine sky loomed
Tones the city in a soft, dreamy glow. heavy with rain, its near-black
A gentle lavender mist curled depths swallowing the
through the garden, carrying horizon.
the delicate scent of dusk. A dull mauve haze clung to the
The fields of iris swayed like air, tinged with an unsettling
waves of silk, their violet sense of melancholy.
blooms whispering secrets to The deep bruised plum stains
the wind. on the fabric refused to fade, a
permanent mark of damage.
