↑ Color Theory Exam Study Guide

Recognize and understand the following

terms:
o Achromatic H &
o Harmony
Color harmony suggests a pleasing
Achromatic colors are without combination of colors that is
saturation and have no discernible ordered and balanced.
hue.
o High-Key
: o Analogous High-key values range from white to
light gray on the value scale.
When multiple hues neighbor each
other on a color wheel, they are
considered to be analogous. o Monochromatic
A monochromatic colors scheme Pure
Yellow
other hues

o Chroma #HE chromat going THE color) -

to
employs a single, fixed hue. ↓ -e dark
normal
V

Chroma ↓
going ** (vivid
E Intensity
normal values

See Saturation. chromax=

to
-
=
↑
* Normal Value
of color.
o
a
saturation strength or purity
Saturation is the relative
hav Yue-violet
as Intensity or Chroma. is

The normal value of a hue is its

Also known

o Chromatic H,
inherent value when at maximum
#

Chromatic colors have a noticeable CHIHttE nee

level of saturation, allowing their saturation.

nee

hue quality to be perceptible.

o Optical Mixing IHEIt New color.
Optical mixing occurs when small ex)
o Complementary
Two hues that lie directly opposite 111II"
-

areas of color appear to blend

u me
an e
one another on a color wheel are Kopposite visually to form a new color.
-

considered complementary. inIII

o Primary #
A hue is considered primary in given
o Fluting
color system if it cannot be obtained
Fluting arises in a sequence of
through the mixture of other hues.
successive color steps where the
illusion of a gradient is created Stepole
o
A Process colors"CMYK"
across the surface of each color.
Colors derived through a
#

combination of cyan, magenta,

o Gamut FE
yellow, and black inks are known as
The gamut of a color system is the
process colors.
full range of color that can be
produced using its primary hues.
o Secondary
o Gradient I 2FEOI Mixing two primary hues of color
A gradient is progression in color system in equal proportions creates
with a continuous transition, a secondary hue.
Stepol
Ott
eliminating any discrete steps
between the parent colors.
o Simultaneous contrast N Recognize the following color schemes:
Simultaneous contrast describes the o Analogous nextto base -> color

apparent shift in color that occurs Have limited contrast in hue and
between neighboring colors where share a common hue bias.
their similarities are reduced and*
their differences are emphasized. ItH0I o Complementary
Opposite color

o Tertiary Primaryhue secondaryhue

+

o Split complementary
tertiary
Mixing a primary hue of a color Base color
tertiary
system with an associated o Double-complementary
secondary hue creates a tertiary Double opposite color

hue. o Triad

o Tone Pure hue Gray

+ o Tetrad -t
A tone is a color variation generated Four hues that are equidistant from
*8721
by adding gray to a hue. one another on the color wheel
have a tetrad relationship
A
o Vanishing Boundaries =>copposite effect) color vibration

Vanishing boundaries describes a

invisual experience where the edges

between adjacent colors become
indistinct and difficult to discern.
1

--
opposite

2 ·It

oppositeit
o Warm Hues
Hues such as red, orange, and ybyssin -
yellow, which are associated with
sunlight and fire, and considered skiR
e
warm.

o Cool Hues *White, black, and achromatic grays can

Hues such as green, and blue, which added to any colors scheme without
are associated with foliage, water, affecting the hue relationship
L
and snow, are considered cool.
* White the hue relationship
->
wo affecting
Colors Scheme + black
achromatic gray
 Understand who the following artists are & o High contrast:
match them to the coordinating color Wide range of dissimilar value
theory principle: = impact / clarity
o Albers (color square interaction) o Low contrast:
Narrow range of similar value
=quiet / introspective
CH,

exactly same color

7 dissimilar v
wide range of
-

Butlooks
*
differentcolor
Cuz of background color.

o Munsell Color System (hue, value,

and saturation scale)

wa
range similar
of
narrow

chroma
Other principles: contrasthue
-Pure hue W
o Color Vibration similar
Chromat
Contrasting hue /similar hues/
L

values high
-
↑ gat
=
Achromatic
saturation I It the

v ibrationcan bediminishedin neighboringcolorsbydecreasingtheir hecontrast

color
o Itten (Color Wheel with primary, EHteliminate i nteraction.
direct

o RGB vs CMYK
secondary, and tertiaries)
RGB: Primary hue of light
Red, Green, Blue
Primary:RTB
⑭ <->
& ⑰
secondary:Orange,
I & CMYK: Primary hues for transparent
Puple,
Green ⑰ I ink
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow ·key(:Black)
&
tertiaries:Yellow
-
Orange ⑭
Red-orange
R
ed Purple
&
CMYK can produced with the
&
-

Blue Purple
primary hues, known as the Gamut.
-

Blue-Green
Yellow Green
-
-

Visually recognize the differences between:

o Low key values: Black – dark gray RYB:
o Mid key values (= intermediate) The primary hue is Red, yellow, blue.
: dark gray – light gray Mixing red, yellow, blue paint s in
o High key values: White – light gray practice normally produces a dark

-
brown color.
 o Color as light combines to make o The color of objects are determined
white vs Color as a pigment by reflected color
combines to make black/neutrals
(Additive vs subtractive color) white Objects that are white reflected
All EAA
* determine all wavelengths of light.
=

Light Combining all hues in the visible

White spectrum produces white light. Black Objects that are black absorb nearly
rtt
=

color
=all all wavelengths of light.
-additive
Color that is experienced directly, as
projected light, is classified as Color
Objects with other colors selectively
additive color. reflect wavelengths of light that
pigment =color HE
Ex) Televisions, computer monitors, It
of
correspond to their color and absorb
-Black theater lighting o f color
rest
all other wavelengths.
-Subtractive Color #
Light =White

Color that is experienced indirectly,

as reflected light, is classified as
subtractive color.
Ex) Paint, ink

Pigment = Black

o Visual weight of color contrasts

(low contrast recedes while high
contrast advances)

High contrast: Full values /

Low contrast: a few values

o Visual weight of warm vs cool hues

Warm: forward advance

Cool: Backward recede

o Contrasting colors create focal

points, low contrast creates
unity/sense of organization.
A High contrast: focal point
Low contrast: organized
 o The 3 properties of color: hue, Question T/F
value, and saturation • When adding an
achromatic color to a pure adding IIHA
When
it, to

Every color in existence is defined by hue, the saturation of the THIE

*
I hue
But
-

properties of hue, value, and resulting color always

* achromatic p, hue
-

Ed +
saturation. decreases while the hue
---
saturation always
remains the same.
->

same.
hue:
Hue is the first defining property of
color. It is the name of a color in its >this is because the purity of
purest state. the existing hue is diluted,
and no additional hues are
lightness
value: Hue is a single property of color, introduced to the mixture.
while color is a combination of three
different properties. • Depending on the value of
critrangi defining propert

Value (lightness) describes overall

the gray being added, tones
can be lighter or darker in
value of the gray
All tef2ttones of

Ott

intensity to how light or dark a color value than the original hue. & value of gray

I
*
v
is. It is the only dimension of color tones
=
lighter
that may exist by itself. > Adding gray that is lighter ↓value of gray
in value than the original hue -> tones -darker

Saturation(Chroma) will create a tone that is

Also known as Intensity or chroma, lighter in value. Adding gray
saturation is the relative strength or that is darker in value than
purity of a color. the original hue will create a
Neutral color has low level of tone that is darker in value.
saturation. They are muted and Adding gray that is equal in
contain a large proportion of white, value to the original hue will
black, or gray. El create a tone of equal value.
While tints, shades, and
Achromatic Color is without saturation and have Achromatic tones are all specific types of
white,
no discernible hue. Black, white, and Ba" desaturated gray variations that describe
-

fully desaturated gray are all

THIE I
changes in value and
achromatic. saturation, the terms are
Achromatic colors convey stability often misused in everyday
and sophistication. language to describe slight
variations in hue.
white= firt
0
Adding white to a hue creates a 0
tint
b of the hue. Hue Black shade
=

Gray tone
⑧ to a hue creates a
=

Adding black
&shade of the hue.

Adding 0
O
gray to a hue creates a tone
of the hue.
 midtones
intermediate values -

• Color interaction • Color composition

Color interaction
Making color a relative and mutable visual Contrast can exist in any combination of
quality. hue, value, or saturation: the greater the
Simultaneous
overall difference, the stronger the
-

Contrast
This apparent shift in color is known as contrast.
-- Optical mixing simultaneous contrast.
High color contrast assume greater visual
Optical mixing effect is opposite to weight.
simultaneous contrast.
Different impact on the illusion of depth. In
I their similarities.
Optical mixing averages & terms of hue, warm hues appear to
advance, while cool hues appear to recede.
=Backward
Color vibration occurs when neighboring Forward
-

Occur
colors have⑪contrasting hues,&similar values, The overall use of value and saturation in a
- >

Contrasting hues ~ - -

and⑬high saturations. composition will additionally affect its

-

Similarvalueto the * unity.

I Color vibration can be diminished in -

are
strong saturation
diminished neighboring colors by decreasing their hue of high
color contrast or
greater visual
weight
Areas composition, theyassume
-

decreasing hue contrast, increasing their value contrast, more pronounced in a

or saturation.
weak
of color contrast
contrast
reducing their saturation levels, or by than areas low
weight
Visual
increasing
-

value separating the colors to eliminate direct A greater

contrast
interaction. &
High contrast
->

levels
reducing
-

saturation

-Separating the colors eliminate

to
directinteraction.
strong saturati
Repeating this effect over multiple steps
creates the appearance of fluting similar to
grooves in an architectural column.

oppt area
do
=

↳- of
small

Color vibration diminished

I I
occur

Contrast
hue ta

value similar notsimilar

saturation High Low

OR
simultaneous contrast
separating the

colors to eliminate
direct interection.