Color
It’s Magic!
Color Experiment
• Work with a partner
• Complete the handout
COLOR
• A ray of light is the source of all color
• Color is light broken into rays of varying
wavelengths, which causes the viewer to see
different colors.
• A prism, soap bubble, oil spill, or a rainbow
demonstrates this division of color
• Red is the longest and Violet is the shortest
wavelength
HUE
• Hue:
– the specific name for a color.
– The feature, individual nature that makes
each color different.
– Each color on the color wheel is a hue
– Black, white, and grey do not have a hue.
THE COLOR WHEEL
• Is the most commonly
used tool to
understand the basis
of all color
relationships.
• It consists of three
types of colors:
primary, secondary,
and intermediate
(tertiary)
Color each type
PRIMARY COLORS
blue
• Yellow, Red, & Blue.
• By mixing, lightening,
or darkening the
primary colors, all
other colors can be
made.
• No other colors can
be combined to
create the primary
colors. They occur
naturally.
SECONDARY COLORS
• Orange, Green, and
Violet.
• Are produced by
mixing EQUAL
amounts of two
primary colors.
– Red + Yellow = Orange
– Blue + Yellow = Green
– Red + Blue = Violet
orange
INTERMEDIATE (TERTIARY)
COLORS
YellowOrange
BlueViolet
• Yellow-Green, BlueGreen, Blue-Violet,
Red-Violet, RedOrange, and YellowOrange
• Made by mixing a
primary color with a
secondary color.
• Note: The primary
color is always listed
first.
YELLOW
e
violet
INTENSITY
• The Brightness or Dullness of a color
created by adding its compliment.
– Color’s are brightest in their natural form. (i.e.
pure yellow, pure red, pure blue)
• Objects with Bright high intensity colors
seem larger. Rooms feel larger.
– Bold and intense colors are best used sparingly or as accents
• Objects with Dull low intensity colors
seem smaller. Rooms feel smaller.
VALUE
• The lightness or darkness of a hue.
– The value of a hue can be made lighter by
adding white, creating a TINT of that hue.
– Appearance of greater room size or height.
– Pink is a tint of red, Peach is a tint of orange
– The value of a hue can be made darker by
adding black, creating a SHADE of that hue.
– Maroon is shade of red. Rust is shade of orange
– Appearance of smaller room size or height
– The intensity (bright/dull) of a hue may be
lowered by adding some of its complement, or
gray – creating a TONE.
WARM COLORS
Separate these colored pencils
Blue
Blue-violet
Blue-green
Violet
Green
Red-violet
Yellow-green
Red
Yellow
Yellow-orange
Red-orange
Orange
WARM COLORS
• Are considered “warm”
because of their association
with warm objects of the
same color, such as the sun
and fire.
• Also called advancing
colors because they make
objects appear larger or
closer than they really are.
–
Makes a room appear smaller
• They can make a room feel
active, exciting, warmer and
cozy.
COOL COLORS
Separate these colored pencils
Blue
Blue-violet
Blue-green
Violet
Green
Red-violet
Yellow-green
Red
Yellow
Yellow-orange
Red-orange
Orange
COOL COLORS
• Associate with water,
grass, and trees.
• Are called receding
colors because they
make objects seem
smaller and farther
away.
–
Makes a room appear larger
• Make a room feel
restful, peaceful, and
cooler.
NEUTRAL COLORS
Separate these colored pencils
• White, Black, and
Gray.
• Not considered colors
because they do not
have a hue.
• Brown, tan, and beige
are considered
neutral colors, but
based on the hues
red, orange, and
yellow.
Color Can…..
• BE SYMBOLIC
• CHANGE OUR MOODS
• AFFECT OUR PERFORMANCE AND
ABILITIES
• ALTER THE APPEARANCE OF FORM
AND SPACE
Choosing the Right Color
• Mood
– What mood do you want to create
• People
– Think about the people who will be in the area
• Style
– The style may influence the color choice(s). Spanish style = rust colored walls
• Items in the room
– Choose an item in the room, and one of it’s colors as the main color for your
room. Then choose accent colors based on your knowledge of color schemes.
• Time
– The amount of time that will be spent in the room
• Existing Colors
– Some room components can’t be changed so incorporate them.
• Adjacent Rooms
– Create a unified look with rooms that you can see.
• Lighting
– Natural light shows objects in true colors. Artificial lights make color
appear blue or yellow
Using Color Correctly
• Colors seem more intense when applied to large
areas. Choose a color several tints lighter than the
color actually desired.
• Using contrasting colors draws attention.
Remember, too many strong contrast values in a
room can be confusing and tiring.
• Choosing colors that have similar values will create
a restful mood in the room.
• Color schemes/harmonies look better when one
color, the base color, dominates. When you use
equal amounts of two or more colors, your eyes
become confused and your color selection seems
cluttered
• The value of a hue changes the apparent size of a room.
– Dark ceiling (dull) appears lower and closer and light
(bright) colored walls appear further away.
• If a room is small, choose colors that will make the room
appear larger. (tints, low-intensity colors, and cool hues)
– Lighter walls makes it appear larger
• If a room is very large, choose colors that will make it look
smaller. (Shades, high-intensity colors, and warm hues)
– Darker walls make a room appear smaller
• Bright colors convey an informal environment
• Use High-intensity colors in small amounts such as accent
colors in accessories or small pieces of furniture.
• Black unifies when a number of colors are used.
Color Assignments
• Color Experiment with a partner
– (turn in separately)
• Creating Effects with Color
– Create a solution for the room design challenge.
• Homes and Interiors Textbook page 410-411
• Many Looks of Color
– Color each square based on its label
• Paint
– Color Wheel
– Value: Tint, Tone, Shade
– Intensity