COLOR

As light strikes various objects, some colors are absorbed while others are reflected away. We see the colors that are reflected away.

Hue The name of a color.

Value How light or dark a color is. You change value by adding white (tint) or black (shade) to a color.

Intensity How bright or dull a color is.

Primary Colors The 3 colors used to make all other colors. Red, Blue, Yellow

Primary Triad

David Hockney The Big Splash

Gerritt Reitveld Red and Blue Chair

Secondary Colors The 3 colors created by mixing two primary colors. Yellow + Red = Orange Yellow + Blue = Green Blue + Red = Violet

Secondary Triad

Georgia O’Keefe Sunflower

Mary Cassatt Lilacs in a Window

Intermediate Colors Colors created by mixing one primary and one secondary color. When naming these colors, always start with the primary color.

Intermediate Colors Red Violet Red Orange Blue Violet Yellow Orange Blue Green Yellow Green

Complementary Colors Colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. Red and Green Yellow and Violet Blue and Orange

Claude Monet London, Houses of Parliament

Vincent van Gogh The Night Cafe

Analogous Colors Any three colors next to each other on the color wheel. They share the same base color. For Example: Red Violet, Red, Red Orange.

Vincent van Gogh Vase with Irises

John Severson Close-Out

r Tint To make a color lighter by adding white pigment.

Tint

r Shade To make a color darker by adding black pigment.

Shade