Color Theory An Introduction………
Color The most important element in design Should be one of the first decisions made when designing anything Leaves a lasting impression with most people
: Primary Colors The source of all colors Cannot be made from mixing any other colors together Red Blue Yellow
Secondary Colors An equal blend of two primary colors Green: a blend of blue and yellow Orange: a blend of red and yellow Violet: a blend of blue and red
Tertiary (Intermediate) An equal blend of secondary and primary colors Red-Orange Yellow-Orange Yellow-Green Blue-Green Blue-Purple Red-Purple
Neutral Contain equal parts of the primary colors White Grey Black
Complementary Two colors that are across from each other on the color wheel
Split Complementary A color and the two colors that are next to the complementary color
Values The amount of white or black in a color Many more colors are created by adding white or black to a color on the color wheel White + color = Tint Color + black = Shade
Color Schemes A systematic way of using the color wheel to put colors together Color Schemes are a systematic way of using the color wheel to put colors together Color Schemes are a systematic way of using the color wheel to put colors together Color Schemes are a systematic way of using the color wheel to put colors together
Types of Color Schemes Monochromatic Related -Analogous Contrast -Complementary -Split Complementary -Triadic
Monochromatic One color and its values
Analogous Three to five colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel. This combination of colors provides very little contrast. . This combination of colors provides very little contrast.
Contrast: Complementary Uses two colors that are across from each other on the color wheel
Contrast: Split Complementary Uses a color and the two colors that are next to the complementary color
Contrast: Triadic Uses three colors equally spaced on the color wheel
Neutral + Accent Uses white, gray, or black neutral tones with one color from the color wheel
Self Assessment Now that we have discussed the color wheel, how big of an expert do you think you are when it comes to colors? Label yourself in the following way: Primary (beginner—know what it is, but could use some more help) Secondary (almost there—know what it is, know the different colors, but still need more information on the advanced information such as tints, shades, etc. Tertiary (Know it all—let me draw an advanced color wheel for you)
Create your color wheel On the color wheel provided, create your color wheel based on what level you are after the self-assessment. Primary: Create a Basic Color Wheel (use the color wheel in today’s folder) Secondary: Create a Color Wheel and label the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors (use PowerPoint, Word, etc.) Tertiary: Create a Color Wheel and include the tints, shades, and tones (use pixlr.com, paint.net, or another appropriate software)