COLOR

LESSON 1:INTRODUCTION TO COLOR

THEORY
WHAT IS

COLO
R?
WHAT IS

COLOR?
The property possessed by an
object of producing different
sensations on the eye because of
the way the object reflects or
emits light.
WHAT IS
COLOR?
Color is perception. Our eyes see
something (the sky, for example),
and data sent from our eyes to our
brains tells us it’s a certain color
(blue). Objects reflect light in
different combinations of
wavelengths. Our brains pick up on
those wavelength combinations and
translate them into the phenomenon
we call color.
WHAT IS

COLOR?
For art, Color is the element of
art that is produced when
light, striking an object, is
reflected back to the eye: that's
the objective definition. But in
art design, color has a slew of
attributes which are primarily
subjective.
COLOR in
ART
For art, Color is the element of
art that is produced when
light, striking an object, is
reflected back to the eye: that's
the objective definition. But in
art design, color has a slew of
attributes which are primarily
subjective.
UNDERSTANDING
THE USE OF
COLOR
When light bounces off of something and is reflected back
into a human’s eyes, we perceive color. For millennia, color
has been one of the elements of art that artists use to render
the world as they see it.
Color theory can help
designers determine
which colors look
good together. Color
theory goes beyond
just “eyeing” color
combinations, though,
which is where the
science part comes in.
At the heart of color theory
is the color wheel, which
was created in the
late 17th century by Sir Isa
ac Newton
. Best known for his
physics breakthroughs,
Newton mapped the color
spectrum into a circle.
Today, the color wheel can
help artists and designers
find harmonious color
combinations based on the
geometric relationships
represented on the color
wheel.
As an example, a triadic color
scheme involves three evenly-
spaced colors on the color
wheel and that will yield a
bold combination.
Meanwhile, a tetradic color
scheme involves four colors
evenly spaced out on the color
wheel, and can work if you
want to use a dominant color
with supporting accent colors.
THEORY
As an example, a triadic color
scheme involves three evenly-
spaced colors on the color
wheel and that will yield a
bold combination.
Meanwhile, a tetradic color
scheme involves four colors
evenly spaced out on the color
wheel, and can work if you
want to use a dominant color
with supporting accent colors.
MODERN COLOR
THEORY
Digital designers may be more
familiar with an RGB color model
with red, green and blue to mix
light. Cyan Magenta Yellow
Black, or CMYK, are the four
basic colors for print images, and,
as subtractive colors, get darker
when blended.
THEORY
RGB &
CMYK
The additive color
mixing model. it allows you
to create colors by mixing
red, green and blue light
sources of various intensities.
THEORY WHEEL
RGB &
CMYK
the subtractive color
mixing model. Any color you
see on a physical surface
(paper, signage, packaging,
etc.) uses the subtractive
color mixing model.
THEORY
COLOR
WHEEL
The first color wheel was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666 so
it absolutely predates your introduction to it in kindergarten. Artists and
designers still use it to develop color harmonies, mixing and palettes.
THEORY
COLOR
WHEEL
The color wheel is a visual representation of colors, with hues arranged
according to wavelength. Color wheels allow color relationships to be
represented geometrically, and show the relationship between primary
colors, secondary colors and tertiary colors.
THEORY
COLOR
WHEEL
Draw a line through the center of the wheel, and you’ll separate the warm
colors (reds, oranges, yellows) from cool colors (blues, greens, purples).

Warm colors are generally associated with

energy, brightness, and action, whereas cool
colors are often identified with calm, peace,
and serenity.

When you recognize that color has a

temperature, you can understand how choosing
all warm or all cool colors in a logo or on your
website can impact your message.
THEORY
Hue | Shade | Tint | Tone
THEORYHue | Shade | Tint | Tone

Simply put, tints, tones

and shades are
variations of hues, or
colors, on the color
wheel.
THEORYHue | Shade | Tint | Tone

A shade is a hue to which

black has been added. For
example, red + black =
burgundy.
THEORYHue | Shade | Tint | Tone

A tint is a hue to which

white has been added. For
example, red + white =
pink.
THEORYHue | Shade | Tint | Tone
Finally, a tone is a color to which
black and white (or grey) have
been added. This darkens the
original hue while making the
color appear more subtle and less
intense.
 COLOR
SCHEME
Color schemes are a systematic way of using the color wheel to
put colors together.
 COLOR SCHEME
Complementary
colors
Because there’s a sharp contrast
between the two colors, they can really
make imagery pop, but overusing them
can get tiresome. Think any shopping
mall in December. That being said,
using a complementary color scheme in
your business marketing offers sharp
contrast and clear differentiation
between images.
 COLOR SCHEME
Analogous colors
Analogous colors sit next to one another on the color wheel—red, orange and
yellow, for example. When creating an analogous color scheme, one color will
dominate, one will support and another will accent. In business, analogous
color schemes are not only pleasing to the eye, but can effectively instruct the
consumer where and how to take action.
 COLOR SCHEME
Triadic colors
Triadic colors are evenly spaced
around the color wheel and tend
to be very bright and dynamic.

Using a triadic color scheme in

your marketing creates visual
contrast and harmony
simultaneously, making each
item stand out while making the
overall image pop.
 COLOR SCHEME
Monochromatic Color
“Mono” means
one, “chroma”
means “color”.
Monochromatic
color schemes
have only one
color and its
values.
 COLOR SCHEME
Monochromatic Color
“Mono” means
one, “chroma”
means “color”.
Monochromatic
color schemes
have only one
color and its
values.
 COLOR SCHEME
Split-complementary Color
Split-
complementary
contains the actual
color (hue) and
the two colors on
either side of its
complement.
 COLOR SCHEME
Achromatic Color
Designating color
perceived to have
zero saturation and
therefore no hue,
such as neutral
grays, white, or
black.
 Color Nature
• To Attract - Sometimes it’s better to be seen than to be hidden. Many animals
use eye-catching colors to attract mates. Some use colors to attract prey.

• To communicate - Some animals’ colorful exteriors let other animals know

that they’re poisonous. But sometimes they’re pretending — their bright colors
fool predators into thinking they’re poisonous, even if they’re not.

• To hide - Animals use camouflage to hide by blending in with the background

or resembling something they’re not, to keep them from getting eaten.
 Purpose of Color
Color can sway thinking, change actions, and cause reactions. It can
irritate or soothe your eyes, raise your blood pressure or suppress your
appetite. When used in the right ways, color can even save on energy
consumption. As a powerful form of communication, color is
irreplaceable.

Color holds power. It can impact our moods, emotions, and behaviors. It
can also be a source of information. While an individual's response to
color can stem from personal experience, the science of color along with
color psychology supports the idea there's far more to it.
 Purpose of Color
Countless studies have been conducted on the relationship between color, particularly
in the areas of marketing and branding.

Here are some of the findings:

• Color influences 85% of shoppers' purchase decisions.
• About 62‐90% of the product assessment is based on colors alone.
• Colors increase brand awareness by 80%.

At a basic level, colors influence how consumers view the ‘personality’ of the brand in
question, so it’s important you get it right. In the following article, we’ll show you
how to use the power of color in your branding by breaking down color meaning so
you can choose the colors that are right for your product or business.
 DOES NATURE USES COLOR
TO COMMUNICATE?
Generally, this refers to our perceptions and how we interact with nature. Certain
things are wired in our brains before factors and influences like traditions come in due
to interactions.

For instance, when we think of nature, we often see green. This color is prominent in
nature, as we can perceive it in the grass, trees, and fields. This instantly makes it easy
to associate this color with renewal, growth, and the natural environment.

Similarly, the color brown often represents grounding, healing, wholesomeness, and
stability. Brown is the color of the soil, so it’s easy to see why this meaning follows.
 DOES NATURE USES COLOR TO
COMMUNICATE?
Personal Experience
Our personal day-to-day experiences can also shape how we view certain colors over
time. For instance, some people instantly think of sophistication and authority when
the color black comes up. This could be because of their relation to the fashion
industry, especially in luxury fashion.

On the other hand, another person might instantly think of death because they
associate the color with funerals where people wear black to mourn. Naturally, these
experiences play a role in shaping how we experience colors.
 DOES NATURE USES COLOR TO
COMMUNICATE?
Context and Time
The situation in which we experience color can also affect the meaning we associate with it.
For this reason, designers and businesses need to pay attention to how they use certain colors.

Depending on the situation, red might indicate passion, and it might also mean danger. In this
same way, a brand might use a white background in its design to communicate sophistication.
If another brand in another industry uses it, it might translate as dull or plain.

Time also plays a role in color meanings and symbolism. At a point in time, people viewed
blue as a dainty color and therefore considered it feminine. Over time, this changed, and people
started viewing it as a masculine color.
Color Vocabulary
Color Vocabulary
Color Vocabulary