7 simple facts
for understanding
color theory
information found @ 99design.com/blog
1. Technically, color doesn’t exist.
•
Color is created only when our
brain tries to make sense from
light signals it receives from
the outer world. In other
words, it’s all in your head.
•
Without that, our world is a
monochromatic place.
•
The key takeout? We should
probably have a national
holiday just to celebrate the
colorful marriage of our eyes
and brains.
2. Humans are trichromats.
•
If you ever thought RGB color
model is a recent discovery
from Silicon Valley, you’d be
three centuries off target.
•
We are able to see colors
because of red, green and
blue receptor cells in our
retina.
3. There are two ways to create colors.
•
By mixing light (RGB or
additive) or by mixing paint on
paper (CMYK or subtractive).
•
“Subtractive" color simply refers
to the fact that you subtract the
light from the paper by adding
more color. Confusing, isn’t it?
•
Additive color theory refers to
the more light you add, the
brighter the color mix becomes,
which is the reason this mixing
process is called “additive”.
4. No single device is capable of
reproducing all visible colors
•
In other words, your color
options are limited depending
on what you’re working with.
•
If you’re using RGB screens,
you can mix some very bright
and saturated colors.
•
Your options get reduced to a
limited color spectrum of a
CMYK printer.
5. We describe colors using color models
•
The RGB model: Each color is
described as set of Red, Green and
Blue values on a scale from 0 to 255.
•
The HSB model: Each color is
described as a combination of Hue,
Saturation and Brightness values
which allows for quick and intuitive
color choices.
•
The CMYK model: Each color is
represented by a corresponding value
of cyan, magenta, yellow and black
inks, on a scale from 0% to 100%.
•
Spot Colors: Each color is generated
by an ink (pure or mixed) that is
printed using a single run.
6. Color wheel is the best
way to think about colors
•
•
Traditionally, the color wheel
consists of:
•
Primary colors: Red, Yellow and Blue.
•
Secondary colors: Created by mixing
primary colors
•
Tertiary colors: Created by mixing a
primary color with a secondary color.
But why is this useful?…it
helps you quickly grasp how
colors relate to each other
and which combinations work
best.
7. Colors come in harmonies