1. The Color Wheel

2. History of Color Colors are often symbolic.
Let’s talk about what role color has played in different times in history.

3. In China…
Yellow has religious significance and is still the Imperial color today!

4. In Greece and Rome… Red was believed to have protective powers.
Purple was restricted to use by nobility.

5. The Egyptians
Adorned walls of tombs and temples with brilliant colors of blue, tangerine, and green.

6. In the Italian Renaissance…
Colors were vibrant reds, greens, golds and blues.

7. In the Rococo period…
Tastes became very feminine, colors became less vibrant.

8. In 18th Century England…
There was great elegance. Colors were rich, showing a strong Chinese influence in the use of red and gold.

9. During the Victorian era…
There was great Eclecticism known for it’s abundance of “things”.
Colors were mostly dull reds, greens, browns, and mauves.

10. In the Early 20th Century…
Colors were Monochromatic. There were sleek surfaces and strong contrasts with black, gray, silver, brown, beige and white.

11. In the 1920’s…
All-white interiors became popular which gave way to delicate pastels with bright accents.

12. In the 1950’s.. Light colors were preferred.
However, American interest turned to Mexico and a shift to bright colors with bright contrasts.

13. And in the 1990’s…
Regal gold, blue, and red were used. Southwestern remained popular and Victorian was being revived.
Ivy league also becomes popular with forest greens and cranberry reds.

14. What has the overall trend for color been in the past 10-15 years?

16. Color Color can alter the appearance of form and space.
Color can affect our performance abilities and change our moods.

17. The Color Wheel
The color wheel is a basic tool we use when working with colors.
It is based on the standard color theory known as Brewster/Prang.
In addition to the traditional color wheel, there are two color systems that are useful when more detailed colors are required.
The Munsell system:
Has 5 principles hues and 5 intermediate hues. A numbering system helps designers identify the exact hue they need.
The Ostwald system:
Made from pairs of complementary colors. The color circle has twenty-four hues.

18. The Color Wheel There are 12 hues in the spectrum of color.
They are divided into three categories…

19. The Primary Colors Red, Yellow, and Blue
These colors cannot be combined from mixing any colors together.

21. The Secondary Colors Green, violet, and orange
Made by combining the Primary colors together.

23. The Tertiary Colors
Yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, red-violet, red-orange, yellow-orange.
Made by combining a primary and a secondary hue.
Named by the Primary color first.

24. Color Schemes
There are certain groups of colors that work together very well…they might be referred to as Color Schemes.
There are some basic color schemes that have worked well for many years…
Color Scheme: A combination of colors selected for a room design in order to create a mood or set a tone.
Provides guidelines for designing successfully with color.
Color schemes look best when one color dominates

25. Monochromatic
A color scheme using one color, and tints, tones and shades of that color.

30. Triad
A color scheme using three colors equal distance from each other on the color wheel.

34. Complimentary
A color scheme using colors opposite each other on the color wheel.
Note again that even though the colors are dulled red and green, they are still complementary.

39. Double Complimentary
A Color scheme using two sets of complimentary colors.

40. Split Complimentary
A color scheme using one color, and the colors on either side of it’s compliment.

42. Analogous
A color scheme using colors next to each other on the color wheel (3-5 colors).
Note that even though these are very bright hues of 5 colors next to each other on the color wheel, that they are analogous, even though they are bright.

47. Neutral
A color scheme using whites, blacks, grays and beiges, tans, etc.

52. Accented Neutrals
A variation of a neutral theme is an ACCENTED NEUTRAL. The neutral room is embellished with a splash of color(s).

59. Warm Colors
Colors on the warm side of the spectrum…yellow-green to red
Advances- makes objects look larger, warmer, closer than they really are

63. Cool Colors
Colors on the cool side of the spectrum…green to red-violet
Receding- objects seems smaller and farther away

66. Triad
Three colors that are equal distance apart on the color wheel.

69. Diad Using two colors that are two colors apart on the color wheel
Ex. Red and orange

70. Tetrad
A contrast of four or more colors on the wheel

71. Other Color Vocab… Hue: another name for color Tints: Color + White
Tone: Color + Gray
Shades: Color + Black
Intensity: Brightness or dullness
Value: Lightness or darkness