Mark Rothko

Maxfield Parrish

Color Theory

The art and science of color interaction and effects.

Primary color – Colors from which virtually all other colors can be mixed. RGB – Additive color.

Additive color is created using beams of light visually present in the natural spectrum of light.

RYB – Subtractive primary colors.Reflected off of pigmented or dyed surface.

CMYK – Subtractive primary colors.Printed or processed colors.

Color Wheel

Hue – Is the name of a specific color.

Primary Color – Subtractive RYB

Secondary color- Hues mixed from adjacent primaries; violet, green and orange

Tertiary color- A hue that is mixed from a primary color and the adjacent secondary color.

Color Harmony

Monochromatic – Color scheme based on variations in a single hue.

Joseph Albers

Analogous – A color scheme based on hues that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel.

Complimentary – Hues that oppose one another on the color wheel. When paired in a composition,

complimentary colors create contrast; when mixed, complimentary colors produce a wide range of browns.

Marshall Arisman Stuart Davis

Triadic harmony – A color scheme based on three colors which are equidistant on a color wheel.

Color discord – The opposite of color harmony. The combination of colors is visually disturbing, for these colors

have no basic affinity for each other.

Samples

of

Color

Discord

Franz Marc

Marshall Arisman

Franz Marc

Color Attributes

Intensity - The purity of a color.

There are two ways to lower the intensity of a color.

1. Value - The relative lightness or darkness of a color. Which creates…

Tint – A hue that has been mixed with white.

Shade – A hue that has been mixed with black.

Using grounds to effect value.

2. Mixing a color with it’s compliment to neutralize the color.

Maxfield Parrish

Warm Cool

Temperature – Refers to the heat that a color generates, both physically and psychologically.

Using grounds to effect temperature.

Maxfield Parrish Alan Gordon

Color can be interpreted visually and emotionally.

Marshall Arisman Gustav Klimt

Francis BaconChris Maroney

Basic Rules

• 1) Stay away from mixing pure white and pure black.

Mix lights and darks.

• 2) Warm colors come forward, cool colors recede.

• 3) Balance warm and cool colors.

• 4) To create space: darker shades & values up front,

lighter tints & values in back.

• 5) Pay attention to color intensity, mix colors.