Color in Design: Elements and Harmonies

1. What is color?

2. color is an element of design • it is important for us to first be able to understand color so that we can begin to master the element of design…

3. How is color perceived? • Color occurs when light in different wavelengths strikes our eyes. • Objects have no color of their own, only the ability to reflect a certain wavelength of light back to our eyes. • Colors appear different depending on whether you view them under incandescent, florescent or natural sunlight.

4. Natural light Incandescent light Fluorescent light

5. What is hue? • Hue refers to the color itself. • Each different hue is a different reflected wavelength of light. • White light broken in a prism has seven hues: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. • White light occurs when all the wavelengths are reflected back to your eye. • Black light occurs when no light is reflected to your eye.

6. Primary colors • The three basic colors that are used to create all of the other colors are known as the primary colors. • You cannot achieve these colors by mixing any other colors together. • These colors include: • Red • Blue • Yellow

7. Secondary colors • The three colors that are achieved from equal parts of two primary colors make up what we call the secondary colors. • These colors include: • Violet • Green • Orange

8. Tertiary colors • When you mix equal parts of one primary and one secondary color you achieve the tertiary colors. • These colors include: • Red-violet • Blue-violet • Blue-green • Yellow-green • Yellow-orange • Red-orange

9. P T T TheColor wheel S S T T P P T T S • All of these elements; primary, secondary, and tertiary make up what we call the color wheel. • The colors used in the color wheel are called saturated colors because there is no white or black in them.

10. Tints & Shades • A tint is a saturated color that is mixed with pure white color. • The more whitethat you add to a saturated color, the lighter the color will become. • A shade is a saturated color that is mixed with pure black color. • The more black that you add to a saturated color the darker the color will become.

11. Warm Colors: Red, Orange, & Yellow Warm&CoolColors Cool Colors: Blue, Green, & Violet

12. Neutral Colors • Black, Grey,White,Brown,& Tan

13. Color Harmonies • Monochromatic • Analogous • Complementary • Triadic • Split Complementary • Neutral

14. Monochromatic Color Harmony • They are achieved by using tints and shades of only one color • Examples: • Navy Blue, Bright Blue, and Baby Blue • Cranberry, Brick Red, Red • Dark Green, Kelly Green, Light Green

15. Analogous Color Harmony • Are done by using three or more colors that are next to each other on the color wheel • Examples: • Red, Red-Violet, Violet • Blue, Blue-Green, Green • Yellow, Yellow-Orange, Orange, Red-Orange

16. Complementary Color Harmony • Two colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel • Examples: • Yellow & Violet • Green & Red • Blue & Orange

17. Triadic Color Harmony • Three colors that are located within equal distance of each other • Examples: • Red, Blue, Yellow • Orange, Violet, Green

18. Split Complementary Harmony • This is created by using any color and the two colors located next to that colors complement • Examples: • Yellow, Red-Violet, Blue-Violet • Orange, Blue-Green, Blue-Violet • Red, Yellow-Green, Blue-Green

19. Neutral Color Harmony • Any combination of Blacks, Greys, Whites, Browns, & Tans

20. Summarize What type of color scheme is pictured here?