• Chapter 2 — Color

Color Theory
Basics
• Intrinsic Value
• Primary/Secondary/Tertiary
• Strict vs. Chromatic Neutral,
• Tint, Shade, Tone
• Analogous/Adjacent
• Local vs. Atmospheric Clr
• Color & temperature
• Pigment vs. Light Primaries
• Surface qualities
• Transparency/alpha
Last Class:

• Color is fundamentally_____ ?
• Visible light is only one portion of
_______?
• From a physics/physical point of view, red
is different from green due to________ ?
• Rainbows and sunsets are largely due to
what light-color phenomena?
• White light is _____?
 Three dimensions of color
– Just as a point is space can be defined by
is position in the three special dimensions
(height, width, depth) , color also has its
own three dimensions. Any single color
can be described by its three dimensions.
• Hue
• Chroma
• Value
 For Next Class:
• Read from Text: p. 91-99 (Color Mixing)

• Read from “The Acrylic Book” ;

p. 5 - 13

(see syllabus for web link to PDF)

• www.liquitex.com/resources/2007Acr
ylicBook.pdf

• Have painting supplies here.

 Basic terms &
concepts:
• Color as light
• The visible spectrum
• wavelengths
• White light
• Reflection, Transmission, Absorption,
Refraction
• Additive Color vs. Subtractive Color
• Light Primaries vs. Pigment Primaries
 Color as Light
• Every color you have ever seen was due to
colored light.
• Your eye sees only light – never the surface, never
a pigment, paint or dye, and never the object.
• The nerves at the back of our eye are photo-
sensors – they respond to light.
• Since we see light, but we most often mix pigment
– in paint, or ink, or dyes – we must understand
both color as light and color as pigment. That is,
we must understand additive color (light) and
subtractive color (pigment)
Visible light spectrum
 White-Light to Colored objects/surfaces:
• Absorption is the main way that materials
become “colored” —subtracting some colors
from white light, and either reflecting or
transmitting “colored” light.
Three dimensions of color -
Munsell’s color model
Intrinsic Value or Natural Value

• Every hue has its own intrinsic value. This

is the value of the undiluted hue at full
chroma.
• In practical terms, think of the “strait from
the tube” color – yellow is very light in
value, violet is very dark in value, blue and
red are middle values.
Intrinsic Value or Natural Value

red blue

red-violet blue-violet

violet
Color/Pigment — Value Chart
Intrinsic Value: each hue has its own “native
territory” of value.
Intrinsic Value: each hue has its own “native
territory” of value.
 Subtractive Primaries,
Secondaries, Tertiaries

• Primaries (3)
• R, Y, B
• Secondaries
• Tertiaries
 Secondary Color

• In theory, a hue that is mixed by equal

proportions of two (adjacent) primary
colors.
• In traditional color mixing, there are three
secondary colors – however, there will be as
many secondary colors in a color model as
there are primary colors.
 Subtractive Primaries,
Secondaries, Tertiaries

• Primaries
• Secondaries (3)
• G, O, V
• Tertiaries
 Tertiary Color

• In theory, a hue that is mixed by equal

proportions of a primary color and an
adjacent secondary color.
• In traditional color mixing, there are six
tertiary colors – however, there will be as
many tertiary colors in a color model as
there are primary AND secondary colors,
combined.
 Subtractive Primaries,
Secondaries, Tertiaries

• Primaries
• Secondaries
• Tertiaries (6)
• YO, RO, RV,
• BV, BG, YG
 Neutral Color
• A neutral is a color that has no chroma –
so it has no discernable hue at all.
• True neutrals are black, white and the
grays.
• In practice, we refer to many colors as
neutrals when their chroma is quite low –
browns, along with warm and cool grays
are usually called neutrals though,
strictly speaking, they are near-neutrals.
 Strict vs. Near Neutrals
(Chromatic Neutrals)

• We will speak of “strict neutrals” or

“true neutrals” when referring to
grays that have no hue whatsoever.

• But when speaking of “neutrals”, we

will often include “near neutrals”,
the browns and near-grays.
 Neutrals vs. Chromatic Hues
• True Neutrals have no chroma, or zero-
Chroma.
Near-neutrals have very little chroma.
• Chromatic hues are the opposite —they have
higher chroma (more “color”, higher
saturation, a more apparent hue)
 Tint

• A high-value form of a hue.

+
• In practice, a tint is a color that
has had white added to it.
• For instance, pink is a tint of red.
A pure, primary red might be
mixed with white. The result is
a “light red” —a tint of red.
Constant Hue Charts
 Shade
• A low-value form of a hue.
• In practice, a color that has +
had black added to it.
• Maroon is a shade of red —a
pure, primary red might be
mixed with black (or dark
brown, or dark gray).
The result is a “dark red”
—a shade of red.
 Warm and Cool
Colors
• Warms: reds, yellows,
oranges -- fire colors.
• Cool: blues, violets, some
greens.
• Note that every color is warm
compared to some colors and
cool compared to others.
• Temperature is relative to
surroundings.
 Adjacent (or Analogous)

• Hues that are near each other on a color

wheel.
• Colors that are similar in hue.
• Colors that have some dominant hue in
common.
 Complementary
• Hues that are opposite each other on a
color wheel.
• Note that there are several color wheels
or color models. Precise
complementary pairs differ according to
the color model.
• In general, complementary hues are as
“different” as hues can be -- and so
offer a powerful visual contrast for
design purposes.
 Local Color vs.
Atmospheric Color
• Local Color is the color of a surface, material, fabric, or
light source under ideal white light and undisturbed
viewing conditions.

• Atmospheric Color is the color that a surface, material,

etc. appears to be due to lighting conditions, atmospheric
mist and dust, and distance.
 Local Color
•surface color.

• The local color of this bathtub is White.

• This is the color that a surface is under perfectly balanced
white light, with no glare, no shadows, and no mist, fog or
smoke obscuring our view.
• Local color is the color of the surface itself undisturbed by
atmosphere and irregular lighting..
 Atmospheric
Color:
Local Color altered
by light/shadow, etc.
• For the interior designer, especially, local color
(swatches and paint samples, for instance) are only
a part of the color planning – lighting is the other
essential component of color design.
•
• Lighting conditions always alter the
appearance of local color.
 Atmospheric
Color:
Local Color altered
by light/shadow, etc.

• Question: What color is the Ferrari?

• Answer: lots of colors.
(modeling/angles of surfaces with respect to light source, and reflected
sky/environment influence color.)

• What is the local color of the Ferrari?

• Answer: Red. (hue: Red, value: middle/5, chroma: high)
 Atmospheric
Color

• The color a surface

appears to be when
lighting, shadows, fog
or mist and other
moderating factors
are taken into
account.
 Atmospheric
Color

• In practice, all color that you and I see is “atmospheric” –

in that every color we perceive depends on the conditions
we see it in…
We see the effects of light sources, shadows, glare, dust,
moisture, reflections, etc.

• …however, we paint, apply and specify local colors!

 Atmospheric
Color

• Dust and moisture between the

viewer and the subject, scatter
sunlight, cause distant surfaces to
be closer to “sky color” -- which is
fully due to sunlight scattered by
dust, moisture, gases and
pollutants.
 Atmospheric
Color

• Atmospheric perspective, also

called Aerial perspective, is
a reliable technique artists use
to create an illusion of depth
or distance.
• Colors of distant objects are
lower in chroma, usually
lighter in value and more
Bierstadt The Haying bluish in hue.
 Local Color vs.
Atmospheric
Color
• Architects, Interior Designers and stage
designers, especially, must distinguish
between the colors that are specified, and the
colors that the viewer sees.
• Light, shadow, and surface characteristics
alter color dramatically, generally
expanding the range of color in the design.
Emmanuel chapel p. 161
 Emmanuel chapel p. 161

Local colors (paint, • In Interiors and

carpet, wood…) are Architecture, we specify
local colors, but plan
altered by lighting
atmospheric colors.
and surface qualities.
 Color as Pigment
• A pigment is any material used to provide the
actual color to a paint, a dye, an ink or other
colored medium. Pigment is the colored matter
within the substance we color with.
• Each pigment absorbs certain colors of light and
reflects other colors.
• The characteristics of selective absorption and
reflection determine the color of the pigment.
 Paint, Dye and Ink

• The media we apply color with have three

basic ingredients.
• Pigment
• Binder
• Solvent
 Paint, Dye and Ink

• Pigment
– The coloring agent – the actual colored
substance. Note that there are many
kinds of pigments with distinctive
characteristics.
– Pigments vary in coloring power, opacity,
light-fastness, and permanence.
 Paint, Dye and Ink
• Binder
– Binder is the “glue” that enables pigments
to adhere and stay where you put them.
– Each medium has is own binder. (linseed
oil, glcyerine, acrylic polymer, etc.) In
general, the various media are distinguised
primarily by their binder.
– Note that not all pigments are use with all
binders/media -- the binder and solvent
can chemically react with some pigments.
 Paint, Dye and Ink

• Solvent
– The solvent keeps the paint moist and fluid
until it dries. In watercolors, tempera and
acrylics, water is the solvent. In oil paint,
turpentine provides liquidity.
– The pigment must be able to suspend or
float in the solvent and binder.
 Subtracting Colors by Adding
Pigments

• Whenever we mix two pigments together,

the colors absorbed (subtracted) by each
color continue to be absorbed – and so, less
light reflects and a new hue results.
• So, the resulting color is a bit darker in
value than might be expected.
 The
traditional
Subtractive
primaries
• Red
• Yellow
• Blue
Pigment Primaries &
Secondaries
• Secondaries
• Orange
• Violet
• Green
• As color/pigment is
added, we get closer to
black. (each added
color subtracts FROM
reflected light.)
 The traditional Subtractive
• Mixed together, primaries
they should create
black theoretically.
• In practice a dark
muddy gray
usually results.
 Light/Additive
Primary Colors
• The primaries for light-
color mixing and
pigment-color mixing are
NOT the same.
• Red
• Green
• Blue
The Additive Primaries
RGB
• Red
• Green
• Blue
• Colors of the phosphors on a television or
computer monitor (RGB).
• When combined (all are glowing) these
light primaries produce white - even though
they don’t overlap (optical mixing).
• The absence of light is black – darkness.
 Light & Primaries & Secondaries
• Secondaries
– Yellow
– Magenta
– Cyan

• (note - these are the

primary inks/colors in
CMYK printing)
• As color/lights are added, the
result is closer to white
Pigment vs. Light Primaries & Secondaries
Pigment vs. Light Primaries & Secondaries
Light (additive) primaries are very similar to pigment (subtractive)
secondaries.
Pigment vs. Light Primaries & Secondaries
Pigment (subtractive) primaries are very similar to light
(additive) secondaries.
In fact, the most true and reliable pigment primaries may
be derived from light-secondaries. (e.g. CMYK)
Adding Color by Adding Light
• Whenever two colored lights
are shined on the same spot, a
new color is created. If a red
light and a green light (additive
primaries) shine on the same
spot, they “add up” to yellow –
a much lighter and brighter
color.
Adding Color by Adding Light
• If a red light and a green light
(additive primaries) shine on
the same spot, they “add up” to
yellow – a much lighter and
brighter color.
• Blue and Red = Magenta
• Blue and Green = Cyan.
• All 3 = white.
• Note CMYK
 Adding Color by Adding Light
• When all colored lights are “added up”, or
combined, the result is white light.
• This is the opposite of what we usually see a prism
do – though a prism can be positioned to rejoin
colored light into white.
 Adding
Color by
Adding
Light
• Note the color of
partially shaded
areas -- which
colors of light
are illuminating
those spots?
 We always work with both
additive and subtractive color
• Because we most often select and mix pigmented
colors under paricular lighting conditions, we must
pay attention to both additive and subtractive
models of color and light.
• Perceived color is a product of both phenomena.
finis
The color
we see

the color of
illumination

ALL color
depends on
light.
If no there is no
illumination,
there IS no
color.
The color
we see

light sources
vary in color

additive color
(light)
RGB primaries
 Light Sources
• Our perception of color is always altered by the
colors of the light (or lights) that illuminate the
objects we see.
• Ambient light is rarely color-balanced (true
white), but is, instead, shifted toward one hue or
another – that is, the illumination itself has a color.
• The color of illumination alters the appearance of
the local color; lighting changes perceived color.
Common Light Sources
Dominant Hue of Light Sources
Most light
sources
project many
colors of
light.
But one
color/hue
will
dominate.
What color is White?
Kelvin temperature/ratings
• Some typical color temperatures are:
• 1500 K Candlelight
• 2680 K 40 W incandescent lamp
• 3000 K 200 W incandescent lamp
• 3200 K Sunrise/sunset
• 3400 K Tungsten lamp
• 3400 K 1 hour from dusk/dawn
• 5000-4500 K Xenon lamp/light arc
• 5500 K Sunny daylight around noon
• 5500-5600 K Electronic photo flash
• 6500-7500 K Overcast sky
• 9000-12000 K Blue sky
www.schorsch.com/kbase/glossary/cct.html
What color is White?
Kelvin temperature/ratings
• Standard unit for color temperature is
Kelvin (K).

• Technically, color temperature refers to the

temperature to which one would have to
heat a theoretical "black body" source to
produce light of the same visual color.

www.schorsch.com/kbase/glossary/cct.html
Black Bodies
• In physics, a black body is an object that absorbs
all electromagnetic radiation that falls onto it. No
radiation passes through it and none is reflected.
• …the amount and wavelength (color) of
electromagnetic radiation they emit is directly
related to their temperature.
• Black bodies below around 700 K (430 °C)
produce very little radiation at visible wavelengths
and appear black (hence the name). Black bodies
above this temperature however, produce radiation
at visible wavelengths starting at red, going
through orange, yellow, and white before ending
up at blue as the temperature increases.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_body
Temperature by Color
• Molten bronze at
~2200 deg F.
• Foundry workers
can“read” the
temperature of
molten metals by
the color.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alixking/469178023/
Temperature by Color
• Foundry workers
“read” the
temperature of
molten metals by
the color.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alixking/469178023/
 Kelvin Color Temperature, Black Bodies &
Your Monitor
This is a C.I.E. Chromaticity
Diagram — it is one of the most
widely used color models used for
measuring and specifying color in
many contexts — such as the color
of white in your computer monitor.

Astronomers also use it to measure

the temperature of “black bodies” –
depending on how hot something
is, it will radiate energy at a
particular wavelength.

In case you’re wondering…

Kelvin= (Fahrenheit + 459) x 5/9
273K = 32F

Kelvin = Celsius + 273

 Lighting Temperature &
Kelvin

Illumination: 2800° Illumination: 4700°

Kelvin Kelvin
(warm light) (cool light)
 Lighting Temperature &
Kelvin

Illumination: 2800° Illumination: 4700°

Kelvin Kelvin
(warm light) (cool light)
 Lighting Temperature &
Kelvin

Illumination: 2950° Illumination: 4700°

Kelvin Kelvin
(warm light) (cool light)
 Suffused/Aggregate Color
• Most surfaces and even many paints, have several
colors in them. Fabrics often have several colors.
• Artists sometimes choose to not fully mix their
paints, but let several colors remain visible.
• In short, most surfaces we see have several colors
present in varied proportions. The designer must
consider the overall color, as well as the impact of
the constituent colors.
Suffused Color — surface qualities
• Local color is altered by the character of the
surface -- is it rough, is it smooth, is it
matte, is it glossy?
Suffused Color — surface qualities
 Suffused Color — surface
qualities
• Different surfaces reflect light differently,
and since color is a by-product of light,
different surfaces of the same color produce
a different variety of colors.
• Consider wood finishes, metal surfaces.
Aggregate Color
• Many colors are “in” most
surfaces and materials.

• The designer must consider

the overall color – the color
“chord” – as well as the
individual colors present.
Aggregate Color

• Each color is relates to

those around it.
• At different distances, the
impact of an aggregate
color changes -- far away
the details blend into a
single color impression.
Aggregate
Color
• Wood, marble and
granite, for instance,
often have several
distinct colors –
sometimes in very
fine textures so that
the constituent colors
don’t fully show
themselves except on
close inspection.
Aggregate
Color
 Material Qualities
• The color of a surface is
effected by the kind of
reflective and refractive
properties the surface
material has.
 Material Qualities
• Polished metal, for instance, is
highly reflective – gold may have
a local color of yellow-orange,
but the viewer always sees that
yellow color mixed with
reflections of whatever else in
nearby.
 Material Qualities
• Plastics and glass will transmit
light through the surface, as well
as reflecting light off of the
surface.
• This combination reflection,
diffusion, refraction, and
absorption enables glass to be
fascinating material.
Naturalistic Color
 Deep color -- layered and
suspended pigments

• Pearls and pearlescent paint both reflect and

refract light – echoing the colors nearby,
while softening the colors and contrasts.
• Glass and gloss varnishes or laquer’s
transmit light and refract it – light is bent
and, to some extent, divided into constituent
colors.
 Surface Qualities

• Local color and lighting alone do not

determine the final color of an object. A
surface color may well reflect other colors
from nearby objects.
• Glass often has a polished surface that
reflects light (and so colors), but also
transmit and refracts much of the light.
 Color terms &
concepts:
• Color as light
• The visible spectrum, wavelengths
• White light
• Reflection, Transmission, Absorption,
Refraction
• Additive Color vs. Subtractive Color
• Light Primaries vs. Pigment Primaries
Color terms &
concepts:
Intrinsic value,
binder,
local color,
aggregate color, atmospheric color,
Complementary, Analogous,
Warm, Cool,
Neutrals and Near Neutrals
 For Next Class:
• Read from Text: p. 91-99 (Color Mixing)

• Read from “The Acrylic Book” ;

p. 5 - 13

(see syllabus for web link to PDF)

• www.liquitex.com/resources/2007Acr
ylicBook.pdf

• Have painting supplies here.