Lesson 5: Color
Color Theory
• Color Theory describes how different
colors contribute to each other and how
they appear as they are mixed into other
color schemes.
Color Terminology
• Hue. Refers to pure, vibrant colors.
• Saturation. Refers to the intensity of the color. It ranges from black and
white (or grayscale) to vibrant color.
• Value. Refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. For example, from
light blue to dark blue.
Color Terminology
• Hue. Refers to pure, vibrant colors.
• Hue refers to the dominant color family. Hue refers to the origin of
the colors we can see. Primary and Secondary colors (Yellow,
Orange, Red, Violet, Blue, and Green) are considered hues; however,
tertiary colors (mixed colors where neither color is dominant) would
also be considered hues.
Color Schemes
• A circular diagram of these colors is called a color wheel (Figure 7.17).
Monochromatic Color Scheme
This color scheme only focuses on one color, and often using variations by incorporating saturations or
values. For example, if you chose the color blue, then you may have other colors under the same color
family like sky blue, baby blue, navy blue, or dark blue.
Fig. 7.18 Example of monochromatic color scheme
Analogous Color Scheme
Analogous color scheme selects a group of three colors that are adjacent in the color
wheel.
Complementary Color Scheme
These are colors that are direct opposite to each other in the color wheel. Usually, a
combination of a primary and secondary colors.
Fig.7.20 The complementary color scheme
Split-Complementary Color Scheme
Split-complementary color scheme uses the colors on both sides of the opposite color.
Fig. 7.21 The split-complementary color scheme
Triadic Color Scheme
This color scheme uses colors that form an equilateral triangle. It may be a
combination of primary, secondary, or tertiary colors.
Tetradic Color Scheme
Also known as double complementary. This color scheme uses two pairs of
complementary colors.
Fig. 7.23 The tetradic color scheme
Understanding Color Profiles
Whenever we open an image editing application or buy a printer ink at the store, we
may observe labels like RGB or CMYK. So, what are they? They are color profiles that
we need to consider if we create designs.
• RGB. This color profile consists of Red, Green, and Blue. You should use this
profile for design that are intended for screen displays.
• CMYK. This color profile consists of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black).
If you have a printer in your house, you probably see these colors as inks. This
profile is intended for designs that are to be printed.
