Color Theory 7th Grade Cruise Part II

The Color Wheel This is the color wheel. We will be breaking it down to understand how color works.

The Primary Colors Yellow, red and blue are the primary colors. Most other colors can be mixed from the primary colors. Yellow, red, and blue cannot be mixed.

The Secondary Colors The secondary colors are mixed from the primaries: Yellow + Red = Orange Red + Blue = Violet Blue + Yellow = Green

The Intermediate Colors The intermediate, or tertiary colors, are represented by the smallest circles on the wheel. They are mixed from a primary and a secondary that are beside each other on the wheel.

Intermediate Colors Here is an example of how intermediate colors are mixed: Yellow + Orange = Yellow-Orange (Note that the primary name is listed first.) +=

Tints and Shades To tint a color, add white. To shade a color, add black. Example: Red + White = Pink Red + Black = Maroon += + =

Tones Tones are created when both black and white, or gray, are added to a color. Example: Red + Gray = Pink tone + = + =

Complements Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. Examples are: Red and Green Yellow and Violet Blue and Orange

Split Complement A split complement incorporates the intermediate colors surrounding one of the pairs of a com- plement. Example: Yellow with Red-Violet and Blue-Violet

Analogous Colors An analogous color scheme incorporates colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. Example: Blue, Blue-Green, and Blue-Violet, plus tints and shades

Warm and Cool Colors The color wheel can be divided into two areas: Warm colors- fire Cool colors- water Cool Warm

Look at how color schemes affect a composition.

Too many colors, randomly placed, can be visually confusing!

The primary colors are very intense. They catch your eye!

Monochromatic colors are the tints and shades of one color. There has to be a lot of variety for this scheme to work.

A complementary color scheme uses opposite colors and therefore has wonderful contrast.

An analogous scheme flows well as the colors are closely related.

Warm colors tend to be aggressive in a composition, whereas cool colors recede.

Neutrals are the result of mixing all the colors, the primaries, or even just compliments. They tend to be in the brown to gray range. Using the neutrals in a composition is a good way to study contrast and value.

Other ways to select colors for a composition

Triads and Tetrads A triad is a group of three colors that are equidistant from each other on the wheel. A tetrad is a group of four colors on the wheel. triad tetrad

Select a Triad Red- Orange, Blue- Violet, and Yellow- Green, plus their tints and shades, will be used in the following compo- sition.

The result is a harmonious composition with good contrast.

Claude Monet “Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.”