Color Art Theory

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By Doug Kipperman and

Melissa McKinstry

COLOR DESIGN RULES

Color theory, Art Lesson

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Monochromatic - One color. A monochromatic color scheme uses only

one hue (color) and all values (shades, adding black; tones, adding
gray; or tints, adding white) of it for a unifying and harmonious effect.
Gives the illusion of form, dimension and depth.

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Value refers to the lightness and

darkness of a color. For example, if
light falls on a green ball the part of
the ball nearest the light will be
lightest in value because it reflects
the most light. The part of the ball opposite the light will be the
deepest in the shadow and thus darkest in value.

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Remember - you can also change

the value of a color by adding
black (shade), or white (tint),
or gray (tone). As white is added
to a color it becomes "higher" in
value (lighter). As black is added
it becomes "lower" in value
(darker).

Tamara de Lempicka - Marquis Sommi - 1925

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Use values that are close together

to give the design a calm
appearance.

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Use values of pure hues as well as

those of tints and shades to

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create movement.

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Use value contrasts to show texture and as an effective means of

directing viewer attention in a composition.

Katya - Katya 3 - 2002- Based on color

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theory of Josef Albers

Remember that value is the relationship of light to dark.

Neutral Colors
Neutral colors - contain equal parts of each of the three primary colors - black, white, gray, and
sometimes brown are considered "neutral". When neutrals are added to a color only the value
changes, however; if you try to make a color darker by adding a darker color to it the color (hue)
changes.

Consider that black and white are thought of as neutrals because they do not change color.

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Georgia O'Keeffe - Black Iris III - 1926

Analogous Colors
colors that contain a common hue and are found next to each other on the color wheel, e.g., violet,
red-violet, and red create a sense of harmony. Remember adjoining colors on the wheel are similar
and tend to blend together.

Claude Monet - Water-Lilies -1914

Warm Colors
Warm colors suggest warmth and seem to move toward the viewer and appear closer, e.g., red,
orange, and yellow represent the colors of fire.

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Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - The Kiss - 1892

Cool Colors
Cool colors suggest coolness and seem to recede from a viewer and fall back, e.g., blue and green
are the colors of sky, water, and trees).

Vincent Van Gogh - Starry Night - 1889

Know that the color wheel is simply a guide on how colors relate to one
another, it is by no means a formula for making successful art.
Also keep in mind that mixing colors takes more effort than simply
adding blue to red to get purple.
An artist can spend entire careers developing color pallettes.

Com plem entary Color

Two colors opposite one
another on the color
wheel, e.g., blue and
orange,
yellow
and
purple, red and green.
When a pair of high
intensity complements
are placed side by side,
they seem to vibrate
and draw attention to
the element Not all color schemes,
based on complementary colors are
loud and demanding - if the hues are
of low-intensity the contrast is not
too harsh. Intensity can only be
altered by mixing a color with its
complement, which has the effect of
visually
neutralizing
the
color.
Changing the values of the hues,
adding black or white, will soften the
effect.

Henri Matisse - Woman with the Hat, Paris 1904-5

Intensity
Brightness or dullness of a color. A pure hue is a high-intensity

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color. A dulled hue, a color mixed with its complement is called a low-intensity color.

Triad
A color triad is composed of three colors spaced an equal distance apart on the color wheel. The
contrast between triad colors is not as strong as that between complements.

Primary
Red, yellow, and blue.

Secondary
By mixing two primary colors, you create a secondary
color: Red + yellow =orange; yellow + blue = green; and
blue + red = purple (violet)

Piet Mondrian, Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue 1921

Ellsworth Kelly - Red Blue Green - 1963

Intermediate
Colors are created by mixing a primary and a secondary:
Red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green,
blue-purple, and red-purple.

Henri Matisse - Le bonheur de vivre (The Joy of Life) - 1905-06

Split Complements

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The combination of one hue plus the hues on each side

of its complement. This is easier to work with than a
straight complementary scheme. It offers more variety,
e.g., red-orange, blue, and green.

Double Complementary
Two adjacent hues and their
opposites. It uses four colors
arranged
into
two
complementary color pairs.
This scheme is hard to
harmonize; if all four colors
Frederick Carl Frieseke - Through the Vines - 1908
are used in equal amounts,
the
scheme
may
look
unbalanced, so you should choose a color to be dominant or subdue the
colors.

Com positional Effects of Color

Spatial effects - Such as, hues that are lighter at
maximum saturation (yellows, oranges) appear larger
than those that are darker at maximum saturation
(e.g., blues and purples).
When a color expands visually, it may also seem closer
to the viewer than those that seem to contract, leading
to the common statement that warm colors appear
closer and cool colors fall back.
Artists can bring any color forward or push it back,
depending on what other spatial tricks they use. In
addition, a large shape or form appears to be heavier
than a small shape. Several small shapes or forms can
balance on large one.
An object with a complicated contour is more
interesting and appears to be heavier, than one with a
simple contour. A small complex object can balance a
large, simple object.

Claude Monet - Houses of Parliament, London, Sun Breaking

Through Fog - 1904

Remember that saturation is the relative brilliance or vibrancy of a color. The more saturated a
color, the less black it contains.

Balance and proportion

Use highly saturated or high-intensity colors (a pure hue with no other
colors mixed in) or busily detailed areas to draw attention and
therefore give the appearance of carrying more weight than less
saturated, low-intensity or visually simpler areas.

Emphasis
An area in a work of art that attracts the viewers attention first. The element noticed first is called
dominant; the elements noticed later are called subordinate.

Unity
Allows the viewer to see a combination of elements, principles, and media as a whole. Unity is
created by harmony, simplicity, repetition, proximity, and continuation. For example, you could use
the repetition of a color scheme to unify a composition. Another way to unify a composition is to
simplify the color scheme by allowing one color to dominate the work. This is called tonality.
Tonality does not have to be monochromatic, however, the overall effect appears to be of one color.

Movement
Color can create a sense of movement. When the values in a work jump quickly from very high-key
to very low-key, a feeling of excitement and movement is created. When all of the values are close
together the work seems much calmer. When you want to create movement with color remember

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to use values of pure hues as well as those of tints and shades. Movement creates the illusion of
action or physical change in position.

Rhythm
The use of repeated elements to create the illusion of movement. Visual rhythm is perceived
through the eyes, and is created by repeated positive spaces separated by negative spaces. There
are five types of rhythm: random, regular, alternating, flowing, and progressive.

Uses and Psychological Effects

Physiological effects - mystics have long held we emanate a colored glow, or aura, which is
thought to effect the state of a person's health and spirituality. Today, chromotherapy is used to
heal with colors. This form of treatment dates back thousands of years to the ancient "color halls"
of Egypt, China, and India. A more prominent use of color therapy occurs in environmental design
(the effect of color on health and behavior).

Color symbolism - our responses to color are not just biological. They are also influenced by
color associations from our culture.

Personal color preferences - not only have we inherited cultural associations, but we also
respond to colors in individual ways. Research has revealed some variables that help explain
individual differences in color responses. One thing remains the same in color and that is our own
color preferences are important to us.
Emotional effects - the actual emotional effect of a specific color in an artwork depends partly
on its surroundings and partly on the ideas expressed by the work as a whole. To be surrounded by
blue lighting in an installation is quite different from seeing a small area of blue in a larger color
context. For many of us the emotional effects of art may be difficult to articulate.

Local and expressive color - there are two opposite ways of using color in representational
art. At one extreme is the local color - the color that something appears from nearby when viewed
under average lighting conditions. We think of the local color of a banana as yellow, for example. At
the other end of the extreme is the expressionistic use of color, whereby artists use color to express
an emotional rather than a visual truth.
Any of various colors resembling the color of blood; the primary
color at one extreme end of the visible spectrum, an effect of light
with a wavelength between 610 and 780 nm. (Webster's, p.1614).

Red

Increases pulse rate and breathing and causes blood pressure to

rise. Infants and children respond well to red. Red is for the
amorous, outspoken, and optimistic. People who love red, love life.
The food color. Ever notice that restaurants use red a lot? It makes
you hungry by increasing your body's metabolism.

Hot, passionate, urgent, danger, blood, devil, angry,

enraged, amorous, outspoken, optimistic
A color like that of egg yolk, ripe lemons, etc.; the primary color
between green and orange in the visible spectrum, an effect of light
with a wavelength between 570 and 590 nm. (Webster's, p.2201).

Yellow

The color of the sunny disposition, the idealist. Intellectuals love

yellow. It takes more chemicals in the eye to see the color yellow.
Yellow can have some negative effects -- babies cry more often and
longer in yellow rooms; in convalescent homes it makes older
people shake as it affects their minor motor movement. As you get
older you tend to dislike yellow because it can make you feel
anxious or angry.
Yellow enhances concentration and speeds metabolism.

Warm, cowardice, caution, fearful, bright

Blue

The pure color of a clear sky; the primary color between green and
violet in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength
between 450 and 500 nm. (Webster's, p.228).
The number one color choice of the introspective and educated.
Blue causes the brain to send off 11 chemical tranquilizers and is a
wonderful calming color.

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or
Pumps people up. Proven to increase energy. Weight lifters should
lift in a blue room. Production people will produce more in a blue
room. Not a good color for hospitals.

Responsibility, trustworthiness, compassion, those are the

attributes of royal blue.

Honest, integrity, righteous, puritantical, moral, severe,

prudish, cool, melancholy, sad, glum, downcast, gloomy,
unhappy, quality, first place
A color between yellow and red in the spectrum, an effect of light
with a wavelength between 590 and 610 nm; reddish yellow. A
secondary color that has been formed by the mixture of red and
yellow pigments (Webster's, p.1361).

Orange
Not a color that everyone loves, but those who do are generally
social and fun loving.
Confident, creative, adventurous, fun loving, sociable
A color intermediate in the spectrum between yellow and blue, an
effect of light with a wavelength between 500 and 570 nm.; found
in nature as the color of most grasses and leaves while growing, of
some fruits while ripening, and of the sea. A secondary color that
has been formed by the mixture of blue and yellow pigments
(Webster's, p.837).
A good color for people in transition. Green is Mother Nature's color,
lover's of green may be fickle.

Green

The money color--bound to influence.

In Celtic myths the Green man was the God of fertility.
Universal symbolism: Nature, freshness
Contemporary symbolism: Ecologically beneficial
Nature, health, regeneration, contentment, harmony,
cheerful, lively, friendly, fresh, sickly, unripe, immature,
simple, unsophisticated, gullible, new
Any color having components of both red and blue, such as
lavender, esp. one deep in tone (Webster's, p.1569).

Purple

The color of fantasy. Most men dislike purple.

Royalty,
intelligence,
wealth,
beauty,
inspiration,
sophistication, high rank, exalted, imperial, princely,
excessively ornate rhetoric, profane, shocking
Of a color between white and black; having a neutral hue
(Webster's, p.834).

Gray

A good color for offices. It promotes productivity and stimulates

creativity.
Neutral, ambiguous, intermediate, apathetic, dull, drab,
monotonous, mature, sober, somber, mousy, smoky
Lacking hue and brightness; absorbing light without reflecting any
of the rays composing it. The color at one extreme end of the scale
of grays, opposite to white (Webster's, p.216).

Black

Produces a feeling of solidarity and formality. Black is a natural

classic.
The color of authority and power, yet also implies submission.
Aloof, evil, death, unknown, fear, mystery, dark, night, sad,

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murky, sinful, inhuman, fiendish, devilish, infernal,

monstrous, horrible, nefarious, treacherous, traitorous,
villainous, depressing, somber, doleful, mournful, funereal,
disastrous, calamitous, harmful, deliberate, pessimistic,
dismal, hostile, threatening, wicked, disgrace, morbid,
grotesque, undesirable, dangerous, false
A color without hue at one extreme end of the scale of grays,
opposite to black. A white surface reflects light of all hues
completely and diffusely. Most so-called whites are very light grays:
fresh snow, for example, reflects about 80 percent of the incident
light, but to be strictly white, snow would have to reflect 100
percent of the incident light. It is the ultimate limit of a series of
shades of any color (Webster's, p.2167).

White

Never underestimate the power of this super neutral. It works with

any other color, in any context, anywhere. One color plus white
equals an almost foolproof color scheme.
White would be an inappropriate color for a wedding in China. It is
the color of mourning. If a bride chooses a white wedding gown, her
parents would probably not allow her to get married.
Innocence, purity, virginal, sterility, fairness, snow, frost,
milk, ghostly, ultraconservative, blank, empty, transparent,
honorable, dependable, auspicious, fortunate, harmless
A color varying from light crimson to pale reddish purple (Webster's,
p.1472).

Pink

Makes one feel prosperous, a bit pampered. "Baker Miller" pink

(deep shade of pink, similar to Pepto Bismol) is used in jail holding
cells to calm prisoners. Pink is also used to treat patients suffering
from headache disorders.
Femininity, sweetness, prime, left-wing
A dark tertiary color with a yellowish or reddish hue (Webster's,
p.267).

Brown

Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature.

Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood
or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to
say brown is one of their favorite colors.
Earth, nature, dirt, tanned, drab, coffee, solid, sad

Printing and computer color

Remember that in printing, process colors: yellow, cyan (bright
blue), magenta (blue red), and black make up all other colors.
If you select a color from a color swatch book and ask 1,000 printers
to reproduce that color, you'll get 1,000 different colors.
The color of the paper affects the color of the ink. Know that on
computer or television screens, red, green, and blue make up all
other colors.

Colors viewed on monitors, computer or television will vary significantly unless calibrated.

Spot Color
Consider that spot color results from adding a specific
second color to the single color normally used (black is the
traditional single color).
Use spot color to direct the reader's eye to special sections
or important information for fast identification.

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Screen one, or both, of your colors, and achieve the effect

of printing in multiple colors. Screening is the process by
which you use a percentage (or lower value) of a full color,
creating a lighter shade of the original. You can also add
black to the color to make it darker.
Add a single color to black-and-white photographs (creating
a duo tone) to bring depth and richness to the document.
Look for examples of different duo tones in design books.
Substitute a different color for black in a two-color job as an
effective way to increase the appeal and richness of the
document.
Be smart, a well designed piece with two-colors and screens
(tints of the two colors) will always be less expensive and
probably better looking than a piece designed with
mediocre four-color images.
Know that if you are designing a four-color piece, it will probably require a five, six, or more runs
through the press. You will probably want a spot color (a special non-process color other than Cyan,
Magenta, Yellow, and Black), a varnish (protective coating), and among other things a double hit (a
second printing of a background color).

Color Study Chart

Create a chart to represent each of the items below. Use a one inch square for each set.
Analogous color scheme (colors that contain a common hue and are found next to each other on
the color wheel 1 set in red, red-orange, and red-violet)

1 set in Tones (color plus 30% gray)

Com plem entary

Complementary color scheme (two colors opposite one another on the color wheel)
1 set your choice

1 set in Tints (color plus white)

1 set in Shades (color plus black)

Seven Warm/Aggressive Colors

In a combination of pure color, tints, tones, and shades.

Seven Cool/Receding Colors

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In a combination of pure color, tints, tones, and shades.

Triad color scheme

Composed of three colors spaced an equal distance apart on the color wheel, e.g., the three
primary colors - red, blue, and yellow.
1 set in pure color.

Diad color scheme

Two colors that are two colors apart on the color wheel, e.g., red and orange.
1 set in Tints (color plus white)

1 set in Tones (color plus 30% gray)

1 set in Shades (color plus black)

Split Complementary
Split complementary (one color and using the color on each side of its complement on the color
wheel, e.g., red, yellow-green, and blue-green)
1 set in pure color.

Double Complementary
Double complementary (two adjacent hues and their opposites, e.g., red and red-orange, green
and blue-green).
1 set in pure color.

Intensity
The brightness or dullness of a color. A pure color is a high-intensity color. A dulled hue (a color
mixed with its complement is called a low-intensity color.

Neutralize
Choose a high-intensity (bright) color and neutralizing (dulling it) by adding:
Black, white, gray, and its complement

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