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C O L O R S

THE FUNDAMENTALS IN HANDLING COLOR

Color theory is both the science and art of using color. It explains how humans perceive color; and the visual effects of how colors mix, match or contrast with each other. Color theory also involves the messages colors communicate; and the methods used to replicate color.

In color theory, colors are organized on a color wheel and grouped into 3 categories: primary colors, secondary colors and tertiary colors.

UNDERSTANDING COLOR

"People decide whether or not they like a product in 90seconds or less. 90% of that decision is based solely in color."

Color is perception. Our eyes see something (the sky, for example), and data sent from our eyes to our brains tells us it’s a certain color (blue). Objects reflect light in different combinations of wavelengths. Our brains pick up on those wavelength combinations and translate them into the phenomenon we call color.

RGB: THE ADDITIVE COLOR MIXING MODEL

Humans see colors in light waves. Mixing light-or the additive color mixing model-allows you to create colors by mixing red, green and blue light sources of various intensities. The more light you add, the brighter the color mix becomes. If you mix all three colors of light, you get pure, white light.

TVs, screens and projectors use red, green and blue (RGB) as their primary colors, and then mix them together to create other colors.

CMYK: THE SUBTRACTIVE COLOR MIXING MODEL

Any color you see on a physical surface (paper, signage, packaging, etc.) uses the subtractive color mixing model. Most people are more familiar with this color model because it’s what we learned in kindergarten when mixing finger paints. In this case, “subtractive” simply refers to the fact that you subtract the light from the paper by adding more color.

As color printing emerged, they were subsequently replaced with cyan, magenta, yellow and key/black (CMYK), as this color combo enables printers to produce a wider variety of colors on paper.

COLOR WHEEL

The first color wheel was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666 so it absolutely predates your introduction to it in kindergarten. Artists and designers still use it to develop color harmonies, mixing and palettes.

The color wheel consists of three primary colors (red, yellow, blue), three secondary colors (colors created when primary colors are mixed: green, orange, purple) and six tertiary colors (colors made from primary and secondary colors, such as blue-green or red-violet).

WARM AND COOL COLORS

The color wheel is divided into warm and cool colors. When a warm color is placed next to a cool color, there is a very strong contrast. Alternatively, when a cool color is placed next to another cool color (for example, green next to blue) there is a pleasing harmonious effect. These color combinations are discussed in more detail in the section below.

Warm colors traditionally indicate activity and light. Cool colors on the other hand indicate calm, distant and soothing environments.

COLOR SCHEMES

Color schemes are used to create style and appeal. Colors that create an aesthetic feeling when used together will commonly accompany each other in color schemes. A basic color scheme will use two colors that look appealing together. More advanced color schemes involve several related colors in "Analogous" combination, for example, text with such colors as red, yellow, and orange arranged together on a black background in a magazine article. The addition of light blue creates an "Accented Analogous" color scheme.

There are a number of commonly known color combinations which can be used to evoke certain emotions from the viewer.

Here are some of the most well-known color combinations:

COMPLEMENTARY COLOR

Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. When placed next to each other, there is an extremely strong contrasting and vibrant effect. If overused, your painting may become jarring and uncomfortable to look at. You should select a dominant color and use the other color as an accent.

TRIADIC COLORS

Triadic colors are evenly spaced around the color wheel and tend to be very bright and dynamic.

Using a triadic color scheme in your marketing creates visual contrast and harmony simultaneously, making each item stand out while making the overall image pop.

ANALOGOUS COLORS

Analogous colors sit next to one another on the color wheel—red, orange and yellow, for example. When creating an analogous color scheme, one color will dominate, one will support and another will accent. In business, analogous color schemes are not only pleasing to the eye, but can effectively instruct the consumer where and how to take action.

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY

This is a variation of the complementary color scheme. In addition to the dominant base color, there are two complementary adjacent colors.

This color scheme is easier to balance than the complementary color scheme and is a great starting point for beginner artists.

ACTIVITY: Let's give a try!

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