1. Design elements - Colour

2. About Colour Colour is a visual sensation produced by light.
Design elements - Colour
About Colour
Colour is a visual sensation produced by light.
Colour is usually identified by its name. For example:
• red • green • blue.

3. Design elements - Colour
Colour wheel

11. Design elements - Colour
Primary colours cannot be mixed from other colours. Primary colours are:

12. Two primary colours mixed together produce a secondary colour.
Design elements - Colour
Two primary colours mixed together produce a secondary colour.

13. Design elements - Colour
Tone in colour
Adding black or white to a colour will produce a gradation of that colour.

14. Design elements - Tone
Gradations of colour can produce the illusion of three-dimensional form.

15. Design elements - Colour
Harmonious colour
Colours that are side by side on the colour wheel are described as harmonious. For example, orange is harmonious with red because orange has red in it.

16. Design elements - Colour
Complementary colour
When two primary colours are mixed together to form a secondary colour, the remaining primary colour will be complementary to that secondary colour.

17. Design elements - Colour
Complementary colour

18. Design elements - Colour
Complementary colour
When complementary colours appear side by side, they intensify each other.

19. Colour wheel Complementary colour
Design elements - Colour
Colour wheel
Complementary colours are opposed to each other on the colour wheel.
For example;
Complementary colour
When these colours are placed together they create a complimentary contrast and offer the greatest brightness of each colour.

20. Colour can serve many design needs
Design elements - Colour
Colour can serve many design needs
Colour can be used to represent: • objects • people • places • ideas in descriptive or symbolic ways.

21. Design elements - Colour
Colour can be used to describe the appearance of an object or a person, for example, the colour of a flower or the colour of a person’s skin or clothes.

22. Colour can be used as a symbol for words and numbers.
Design elements - Colour
Colour can be used as a symbol for words and numbers.

23. Colour can be used as a symbol to represent numeric information.
Design elements - Colour
Colour can be used as a symbol to represent numeric information.

24. Colour can communicate
Design elements - Colour
Colour can communicate
Colour can suggest: • emotions • feelings • ideas.

25. Design elements - Colour
Colours such as red, orange and yellow can create an illusion of warmth.

26. Design elements - Colour
Colours such as blue, green and purple can create an illusion of coolness.

27. Design elements - Colour
Bright complementary schemes can suggest energy, loudness, excitement and action.

28. Pale colours can suggest stillness, quietness, peace and calm.
Design elements - Colour
Pale colours can suggest stillness, quietness, peace and calm.

29. Harmonious colours can suggest peace and calm.
Design elements - Colour
Harmonious colours can suggest peace and calm.

30. Design elements - Colour
Some colours are strongly associated with emotions or feelings. For example, red is often associated with passion or anger.

31. Blue and white are often associated with cleanliness and purity.
Design elements - Colour
Blue and white are often associated with cleanliness and purity.

32. Design elements - Colour
Black may be associated with death. Personal experiences and cultural background can influence the way an individual responds to colour.

33. Colour can appeal to our senses
Design elements - Colour
Colour can appeal to our senses

34. Colour can appeal to our sense of taste.
Design elements - Colour
Colour can appeal to our sense of taste.

35. Colour can create visual effects or patterns.
Design elements - Colour
Colour can create visual effects or patterns.

36. Design elements - Colour
Colour can suggest space. Warm colours tend to appear closer, while cool colours tend to appear further away.

37. Colour can be functional
Design elements - Colour
Colour can be functional
Symbolic colour can help communicate meaning.

38. Design elements - Colour
Darker colours may appear closer, while lighter colours may appear to recede.

39. Colour worksheet Teacher introduction (DOC) (PDF)
Design elements - Colour
Colour worksheet
Teacher introduction (DOC) (PDF)
Student worksheet (DOC) (PDF)