ColorColor EDU 151 Spring 2013 From Art and Creative Development for Young Children by Robert Schirrmacher 3 rd edition `

Color Is based on the passage of light It is the visual sensation of light caused by stimulating the cones of the retina. As the light source changes, so does the color. With no light there is no color

Color Comes from the sun We see colors because of the way certain objects reflect color rays to our eyes. –For example we see a banana as yellow because the banana absorbs all the color rays except yellow and reflects the yellow rays back to our eyes.

Color Makes each of us respond with feeling Some of us have favorite colors Children develop their color preferences and palettes early in life. These influence the colors that we use to select articles of clothing, home furnishings and cars and to do art.

Colors can be categorized: Primary –Red, blue, and yellow are the primary colors. They are called primary because they are used to produce the other colors.

Colors can be categorized: Secondary Mixing two primary colors in equal amounts results in a secondary color red + yellow = orange yellow + blue = green red + blue = purple/violet

Colors can be categorized: Intermediate Mixing an adjoining primary and a secondary color in equal amounts results in an intermediate color yellow + orange = yellow-orange red + orange = red-orange red + violet/purple = red-violet blue + violet/purple = blue-violet blue + green = blue-green yellow + green = yellow-green

Colors can be categorized: Complementary Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. They provide a dramatic visual contrast. Examples include red and green; yellow and purple; blue and orange.

Color Wheel

Colors can be categorized: Neutral Neutral refers to pigments that do not have a particular color. Black and white are considered neutrals.

Colors have recognizable properties: Hue Hue refers to the color name. Hue is color in its pure, unmixed form. For example, red and blue have different hues.

Colors have recognizable properties: Value Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a hue. It refers to the amount of light that a surface reflects back to the eye. For example, the value of a hue such as yellow is lighter than the value of a darker hue such as purple.

Colors have recognizable properties: Intensity Intensity refers to the purity of light reflected from a surface. Terms like bright and dull refer to color intensity.

Colors have recognizable properties: Tint Adding white to any color lightens its value and results in a tint. For example, adding white to red makes pink.

Colors have recognizable properties: Shade Adding back to any color darkens its value and results in a shade. For example, adding black to red makes maroon.

Colors have thermal qualities: These qualities have a psychological impact on the viewer. Colors make us feel. Colors can: – Be warm. Warm colors, including red, yellow and orange remind us of hot or warm objects, such as the sun or fire. –Be cool. Cool colors, including blue, green and purple/violet, remind us of cold or cool objects such as water, ice, grass, and shade