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ON COLOR THEORY:
ON COLOR THEORY:
In art, color sense is a matter of taste, not truth.
In art, color sense is a matter of taste, not truth.
Artists strive for optical truth, but a painting is attempting to communicate thought and emotion, rather than to simply recreate a photograph. A painting is a composition, not a series of scientifically observed color notations.
Artists strive for optical truth, but a painting is attempting to communicate thought and emotion, rather than to simply recreate a photograph. A painting is a composition, not a series of scientifically observed color notations.
MAKING SENSE OF PAINT NAMES:
MAKING SENSE OF PAINT NAMES:
All pigments are divided into 10 categories:
All pigments are divided into 10 categories:
1: PG- pigment green
1: PG- pigment green
2: PBk- pigment black
2: PBk- pigment black
3: PB- pigment blue
3: PB- pigment blue
4: PY- pigment yellow
4: PY- pigment yellow
5: PO- pigment orange
5: PO- pigment orange
6: PR- pigment red
6: PR- pigment red
7: PV- pigment violet
7: PV- pigment violet
8: Pbr- pigment brown
8: Pbr- pigment brown
9: (P)M- metallic/metal
9: (P)M- metallic/metal
10: PW- pigment white
10: PW- pigment white
Following the the category label, each pigment is given a number that corresponds to its chemical composition.
Following the the category label, each pigment is given a number that corresponds to its chemical composition.
Why is this important? Because paints have lots of different names, so if you need to match one paint to another, you can usually use the paint index number found on the tube.
Why is this important? Because paints have lots of different names, so if you need to match one paint to another, you can usually use the paint index number found on the tube.
The Pigment Color Index tells you how many pigments are in the paint.
The Pigment Color Index tells you how many pigments are in the paint.
The number of pigments in a paint matters enormously to many artists.
The number of pigments in a paint matters enormously to many artists.
Single pigment colors – paints that contain only one pigment – are generally considered to be best in mixtures because the more different pigments are mixed together, the muddier the resulting colour.
Single pigment colors – paints that contain only one pigment – are generally considered to be best in mixtures because the more different pigments are mixed together, the muddier the resulting colour.
If single pigment colours are important to you, then the Pigment Colour Index is invaluable to make sure you are using a single-pigment version of a color.
If single pigment colours are important to you, then the Pigment Colour Index is invaluable to make sure you are using a single-pigment version of a color.
How to identify colors that you see using four attributes:
How to identify colors that you see using four attributes:
- Hue: denotes the placement around the color wheel
- Chroma: where the color falls within the color wheel
- Value: represents a range of tone from white to black
- Temperature: Not quantifiable and very subjective, it's more "felt" by the painter- goes with intuition.
Work from general to specific, breaking down color into its attributes.
Work from general to specific, breaking down color into its attributes.
What is the hue?
What is the hue?
The word hue refers to the name of the color along the visible spectrum- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet (the rainbow).
The word hue refers to the name of the color along the visible spectrum- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet (the rainbow).
Everyday colors, like a glass of milk, running water, or dirt can be classified as being part of the hue family, a subset of their prismatic parents.
Everyday colors, like a glass of milk, running water, or dirt can be classified as being part of the hue family, a subset of their prismatic parents.
Try changing your hue instead of your value when modulating changes in your lights.
Try changing your hue instead of your value when modulating changes in your lights.
How would you describe the colors of things that you routinely encounter- a glass of milk, running water, or dirt? Those can be classified as being a part of the hue family, a subset of their prismatic parents.
How would you describe the colors of things that you routinely encounter- a glass of milk, running water, or dirt? Those can be classified as being a part of the hue family, a subset of their prismatic parents.
WHEN YOU PUT YOUR BRUSH TO THE PALETTE YOUR FIRST QUESTION NEEDS TO BE:
WHEN YOU PUT YOUR BRUSH TO THE PALETTE YOUR FIRST QUESTION NEEDS TO BE:
IS MY SUBJECT MOSTLY RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, OR VIOLET? OR, IS IT WITHIN THE SPECTRUM OF THAT HUE FAMILY?
IS MY SUBJECT MOSTLY RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, OR VIOLET? OR, IS IT WITHIN THE SPECTRUM OF THAT HUE FAMILY?
What is the chroma?
What is the chroma?
Chroma refers to a color note's position on an intensity scale. In the center of the scale/wheel, is a color that does not lean towards any particular hue family (i.e.- gray). The hue can change in intensity, becoming less saturated as it moves towards the center of the color wheel.
Chroma refers to a color note's position on an intensity scale. In the center of the scale/wheel, is a color that does not lean towards any particular hue family (i.e.- gray). The hue can change in intensity, becoming less saturated as it moves towards the center of the color wheel.
Chroma does not refer to the value (lightness or darkness) of a color; it denotes the intensity of a color.
Chroma does not refer to the value (lightness or darkness) of a color; it denotes the intensity of a color.
AS YOU ARE PAINTING, THE SECOND QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK IS:
AS YOU ARE PAINTING, THE SECOND QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK IS:
HOW INTENSE OR NEUTRAL IS THE HUE THAT I AM PAINTING? IS THE TOMATO FIRE-ENGINE RED, BRICK RED, OR A MUTED RED-VIOLET?
HOW INTENSE OR NEUTRAL IS THE HUE THAT I AM PAINTING? IS THE TOMATO FIRE-ENGINE RED, BRICK RED, OR A MUTED RED-VIOLET?
What is the value?
What is the value?
A measure of a color's lightness on a scale between black and white. Value gives us shades and tints, which provide the impression of light hitting an object and casting shadows. It anchors color in a space, giving it depth and believability.
A measure of a color's lightness on a scale between black and white. Value gives us shades and tints, which provide the impression of light hitting an object and casting shadows. It anchors color in a space, giving it depth and believability.
THE THIRD QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF IS:
THE THIRD QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF IS:
HOW LIGHT OR DARK IS THE COLOR THAT I AM LOOKING AT?
HOW LIGHT OR DARK IS THE COLOR THAT I AM LOOKING AT?
What is the temperature?
What is the temperature?
Refers to the relative amount of yellow/orange (warm) or blue/violet (cool) in a color compared to the colors around it. Studying the temperature of a color helps us understand how to think about color in general.
Refers to the relative amount of yellow/orange (warm) or blue/violet (cool) in a color compared to the colors around it. Studying the temperature of a color helps us understand how to think about color in general.
When painting in neutral colors (grays, nudes, whites, etc.) the hope for believable color comes from a study of warm and cool.
When painting in neutral colors (grays, nudes, whites, etc.) the hope for believable color comes from a study of warm and cool.
Start by identifying the most extreme temperature notes: the clearest warm note and the most chromatic cool note.
Start by identifying the most extreme temperature notes: the clearest warm note and the most chromatic cool note.
THE FINAL QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF IS:
THE FINAL QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF IS:
IS THE COLOR NOTE THAT I AM LOOKING AT WARMER OR COOLER THAN THE COLOR NOTE NEXT TO IT?
IS THE COLOR NOTE THAT I AM LOOKING AT WARMER OR COOLER THAN THE COLOR NOTE NEXT TO IT?
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