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Colour Theories & Some Applications

This document discusses color theory and its applications. It begins with an overview of Goethe and Chevreul's influential theories on color from the 19th century. It then covers the subtractive and additive color models, the visible light spectrum, and how colors are organized on the color wheel based on hue, saturation, and value. The document also examines complementary colors, color schemes like monochromatic and analogous, and how color is used in design, art, and nature. It concludes with a discussion of cultural color associations and practical considerations for using color.

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71 views62 pages

Colour Theories & Some Applications

This document discusses color theory and its applications. It begins with an overview of Goethe and Chevreul's influential theories on color from the 19th century. It then covers the subtractive and additive color models, the visible light spectrum, and how colors are organized on the color wheel based on hue, saturation, and value. The document also examines complementary colors, color schemes like monochromatic and analogous, and how color is used in design, art, and nature. It concludes with a discussion of cultural color associations and practical considerations for using color.

Uploaded by

Azeem SK
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Colour Theories

& Some
Applications
Thepurestandmostthoughtfulmindsarethose
whichlovecolorthemost.
JohnRuskin

Interpretations of Colour
Theory by artists
Goethes Theory of
Colours (1810)
Built on wavelength
theory of light (after
Newton)
Methods interesting
Conclusion refuted
Influential on artists
Ex. Turner
Colour theory weblink

GoethesColourWheel

Research on Colour Theory &


Nomenclature (names) by scientists for
aesthetic products
Michel Eugne Chevreul-Chemist working in Gobelins
carpet factory
Noticed optical mixing of two
adjacent colours
De la loi du contrast
simultan des couleurs 1839
Influential on artists

Complementary Colours in art & design

19th c. theories of Simultaneous Contrast and optical mixing Ex.


Eugne Delacroix Women of Algiers

Detail

Complementary Colours in art & design

optical mixing
Ex. Pointillism (neoexpressionism)--Seurat

Seurat (details)

optical effects of
adjacent tonal values
or colours
link to stroboscopic
effects (complementary
colors seen as grey)
http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/mo
t_strob/index.html

Colour Theory & Practical


Applications in Design
Video Clip from The
Devil Wears Prada

PartofPantonecolorswatchsetwithsamplesofcolortrends
fordesigners(fall2008)
www.pantone.com

Types of Colour
Theories
1. Subtractive Theory

The subtractive, or
pigment theory deals
with how white light is
absorbed and reflected
off of coloured surfaces.

2. Additive Theory

The Additive, or light


theory deals with
radiated and filtered
light.

Subtractive Theory

Black absorbs most light


White reflects most light
Coloured Pigments absorb light and
reflect only the frequency of the pigment
colour.
All colours other than the pigment colours
are absorbed so this is called subtractive
colour theory.
The primary colours in Subtractive
Theory are:
Cyan
(C)
Magenta ( M )
Yellow
(Y)
Black
(K)
Subtractive or Pigment Theory is used in
printing and painting.

Additive Theory

Black radiates no light


White (sun) radiates all light
Video is the process of capturing and
radiating light, therefore it uses Additive
(Light) Theory not Subtractive (Pigment)
Theory.
The primary colours in Additive Theory
are:
Red
(R)
Green
(G)
Blue
(B)

The primary colours add together to


make white
Light Theory is also called Additive
Theory.
Light Theory is used in Television, theater
lighting, computer monitors, and video
production.

The Visible Spectrum

The Colour Wheel

If the ends of the spectrum are bent around a


colour wheel is formed:

The Colour Wheel

Colours on the wheel


can be described
using three
parameters:
1. Hue: degrees from 0 to
360
2. Saturation: brightness
or dullness
3. Value: lightness or
darkness
(As suggested by Henry Albert Munsell in
A Colour Notation, 1905)

The Colour Wheel: Hue

Hue or Spectral
Colour is represented
as an angle.
Primary Colours:

0
120
240

= Red
= Green
= Blue

Secondary Colours:

60
180
300

= Yellow
= Cyan
= Magenta

The Colour Wheel: Saturation

Saturation or Chroma is
the intensity of a colour.
A highly saturated colour
is bright and appears
closer to the edge of the
wheel.
A more unsaturated
colour is dull.
A colour with no
saturation is achromatic
or in the grey scale.

The Colour Wheel: Value


"the quality by which
we distinguish a light
colour from a dark
one."
-

Albert Henry Munsell


A Colour Notation 1905

Value represents the


luminescent contrast value
between black and white

The Colour Wheel: Value

The Colour Wheel: Value

The Colour Wheel 3d


Three parameters to describe a colour: Hue
Chroma Value

Tone = Shade + Tint

Using Color- blue in large regions, not thin lines


red and green in the center of the
field of view (edges of retina not
sensitive to these)
black, white, yellow in periphery
Color Brewer
Pantone

Colour Schemes
Systematic ways of selecting colours

Monochromatic
Complimentary
Analogous
Warm
Cool
Achromatic
Chromatic Grays

Colour Schemes: Monochromatic

Artist: Marc Chagall


Title: Les Amants Sur Le Toit

Monochromatic:
One Hue many values of
Tint and Shade

Colour Schemes: Complementary


(note spelling--NOT complimentary)

Artist: Paul Cezanne


Title: La Montage Saint Victoire
Year: 1886-88

Complimentary: Colours
that are opposite on the
wheel. High Contrast

Color for Categories and


Sequences

Colour Schemes: Analogous

Artist: Vincent van Gogh


Title: The Iris
Year: 1889

Analogous: A selection of
colours that are adjacent.
Minimal contrast

Colour Schemes: Warm

Artist: Jan Vermeer


Title: Girl Asleep at a Table
Year: 1657

Warm: First half of the wheel


give warmer colours. The
colours of fire.

Colour Schemes: Cool

Artist: Pablo Picasso


Title: Femme Allonge Lisant
Year: 1939

Cool: Second half of the


wheel gives cooler colours

Colour Schemes:
Achromatic, Chromatic Grays

Achromatic: Black and white


with all the grays in-between.

Chromatic Grays: Also called


neutral relief. Dull colours, low
contrast.

Colour Pickers & Choice of


Media

HSB, HLS, HSV


RGB
CMYK
Others
Lab
PANTONE

Munsells notation wheel

Colour Pickers: HSB, HLS,


HSV

HSV
Hue
Saturation
Value

HSB (Same as HSV)


Hue
Saturation
Brightness

HLS
Hue
Lightness
Saturation

Colour Pickers: RGB, CMYK


RGB
Red
Green
Blue

Used in Video and Computer


graphics
3 Values in % or between
0-255

CMYK

Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
K = Black

Used for printing

Photoshop CS3 Picker


Combines
HSB,
RGB,
CMYK,
Lab

(Luminance, Red/Green,
Yellow/Blue)

Adobe
http://kuler.adobe.com/

Colour Pickers: PANTONE

Standard for printing/fastion industry

Luminance/Contrast

Primary Colors

Secondary Colors
(colors made by mixing primaries)

Tertiary Colors
(colors that mix primary and secondary)

Using the Wheel


Complementary Colors
Colors opposite from one
another on the wheel.
These colors will provide the
most visual contrast.
Contrast is the noticeable level
of difference between two
colors.

Contrast with Text


But be careful, even though colors may contrast they may not always
work well for text and background pairing.

Simultaneous Contrast occurs when a color like red is fore


grounded on blue. Note how the text appears to slightly vibrate.
This would get annoying real quick.

But simultaneously be aware of extreme lack of contrast in your text and


background choices.

Honestly, this is just painful. Do not make your readers struggle


with this!

Practical Example
Neither of these flyers is
completely ineffective and
both provide shape contrast
with the text box.
But the orange box above
provides a nice contrast with
the blues and grays of the
clothes rack.
The blue box here, however,
is too similar to the clothes
color palette.

Analogous Colors in Nature


Nature offers an excellent
look at analogous colors in
action.
Question: what color of
flower could be added to
this photo to provide a
strong and attention
drawing contrast?

Color and Cultural Association


Colors often come with feelings, moods, and associations that you can
draw from in your work.

For example, the color Red is


largely associated with
danger, aggression,
stimulation, and excitement.
Red stop signs signify danger
if you dont stop, and
stimulates the senses with
excitement less you dont see
one coming up!

Color and Cultural Association

Its an important to remember that these color associations do not come


from the color itself. Without us to interpret it, red is simply light and
doesnt need an interpretive characteristic.
Because these associations depend on us, they can differ from culture to
culture, and they can also change over time.
For example, purple use to be associated with solely belonging to royalty.
This PowerPoint could now be beheaded if it werent made by the King or
Queen!

For More Information


Contact the Purdue Writing Lab:

Email: owl@owl.english.purdue.edu
On the web: http://owl.english.purdue.edu

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