Colour Theory Colour Theory

Colour occurs because of light. (If there is no light there is no colour!) Colour is dependent upon the quality of light present. (low light = duller colours, bright light = brighter colours)

A colour also changes in relation to other colours around that colour.

The Colour Wheel The Colour Wheel (Use ROY G BIV to remember the order.) Yellow Yellow-Green Green Blue-Green Blue Blue-Violet Violet Red-Violet Red Red-Orange Orange Yellow-Orange

– make all other colours : red, blue, yellow – made by combining two primaries: orange, green, violet – made from a primary and a secondary: R-O, Y-O, Y-G, B-G, B-V, R-V Primary colours – make all other colours : red, blue, yellow Secondary colours – made by combining two primaries: orange, green, violet Tertiary colours – made from a primary and a secondary: R-O, Y-O, Y-G, B-G, B-V, R-V

Warm colours – red, orange, yellow Cool colours – violet, blue, green

Warm Colours Cool Colours

The Properties of Colour  Hue (name, ex. blue)  Intensity – refers to brightness/dullness of a colour (bright blue/ dull blue)  Value – refers to how light or dark a colour is. (light blue/dark blue)

Colour Intensity:  To dull a colour, add its complement (opposite)  Mixing two complementary colours will make a neutral colour (brown, grey)

Colour Value  Tints - add white to lighten a colour  Shades – add black to darken a colour

Colour Schemes

1. Monochromatic – tints and shades of one colour 1. Monochromatic – tints and shades of one colour

2.Analogous – colours beside each other on the colour wheel

3.Complementary– colours opposite each other on the colour wheel.

4.Split Complimentary – one colour plus the two colors on either side of its complement

5.Triadic – three colours equidistant from one another on the colour wheel