LESSON 4
THE COLOUR WHEEL
STRUCTURE
4.0
OBJECTIVES
4.1
INTRODUCTION
4.2
THE COLOUR W HEEL
4.3
THE VARIOUS COLOURS IN THE COLOUR WHEEL
4.3.1
4.3.2
4.3.3
4.3.4
4.4
PRIMARY COLOUR
SECONDARY COLOURS
SUB-SECONDARY COLOURS
TERTIARY OR INTERMEDIATE COLOURS
ASSIGNMENTS
4.4.1 CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
4.4.2 HOME ASSIGNMENTS
4.5
SUMMING UP
4.6
POSSIBLE ANSWERS TO SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS
4.7
TERMINAL QUESTIONS
4.8
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED FURTHER READING
4.9
GLOSSARY
1
4. THE COLOUR WHEEL
In Unit 1 of this course, you learnt about the importance of colour. This unit
is devoted to the colour wheel and engages you in experimenting with different
categories of colours in the colour system. The present lesson will cover the
study of colour wheel and all the constituent classes of colours. In the next lesson
we shall learn to draw the colour wheel. And in the last lesson of this unit we will
experiment with various colour schemes.
4.0
Objectives
We hope that this lesson will provide you with:
•
A better understanding of the whole colour system.
•
The ability to identify the class to which a colour belongs, at a glance.
4.1
Introduction
You were told that colours can set a mood, direct the attention or make a
statement and also energize or cool a person. Colour can be your most powerful
design element, if you learn to use it effectively.
By using colours consciously and harmoniously we can create outstanding
results. This lesson deals with the colour wheel and explains how colours can
affect us mentally and physically. In short, by using the right colour scheme we
can create an atmosphere of warmth, elegance or tranquility and can convey an
image of playful youthfulness.
So, let us start with a brief study of a wheel that has all the seven colours
and variety of lighter and darker shades, tints and tones of them arranged in a
special manner according to a principle or a rule of the colour world with all of
them having equal importance.
4.2
The Colour Wheel
The COLOUR WHEEL or THE COLOUR
CIRCLE is the basic tool for combining colours (Fig.
4.1).The first colour diagram was designed by Sir Isaac
Newton in 1666.
The colour wheel is designed so that virtually any
colour you pick from it will look good. Over the years,
Fig. 4.1 The Colour Wheel
2
many variations of the basic design have been made, but the most common
version is a wheel of 12 colours based on the RYB (RED, YELLOW, BLUE)
In this lesson, Colour Wheel, and Primary, secondary, and sub-secondary
colours are discussed. Exercises are given to enable the students to create
numerous colours by combining the Primary, secondary, sub-secondary and
tertiary colours.
4.3
The Various Colours in the Colour Wheel
4.3.1 Primary colours
Red, blue and yellow cannot be produced by mixing other colours, so they
are called the primary colours (Fig. 4.2). All colours are created out of
combinations of these primary colours.
Fig. 4.2 Primary colours
4.3.2 Secondary colours
By combining the primary colours, we get the secondary colours (Fig.4.3)
– orange (yellow + red), green (blue + yellow), purple (red + blue).
4.3.3 Sub-Secondary Colours
These colours are created by mixing secondary colours (Fig. 4.4) - orange
+ green, green + purple and purple + orange.
Fig. 4.3 Secondary colours
Fig. 4.4 Sub-secondary colours
4.3.4 Tertiary or intermediate colours
These colours are obtained by mixing Primary and secondary colours (Fig.
4.5).By combinations in this way, it is possible to make a colour wheel of an
infinite number of colours.
3
From times immemorial colour has been a strong universal and perpetual
fascination for the human eye. Its appeal is progressively increasing. Primary
colours being bright are loved by children and primitives.
Wherever the appeal has to be made to people of average intelligence,
primary colours should be given prominence. Teenagers, who have developed
advanced artistic sense, appreciate secondary colours; a limited use of
secondary along with the liberal use of primary colour can be made to attract the
attention of the common people. It is at the advanced stage of development of
one's aesthetic sense and culture when one begins to cultivate a taste for tertiary
and a wider range of combination of colour pattern. By mixing white in Primary,
Secondary and Tertiary colours a number of mild tints are created which are
meant for artists and people of advanced aesthetic sense.
Before learning how to make the colour wheel, it is important to know the
materials required.
Self-check Questions
1. Who designed the colour wheel and when?
2. Name the three primary colours?
3. Name the three secondary colours?
4. Name the sub-secondary colours?
5. Fill in the blanks:
i) A combination of primary colours Yellow and Red produces
_________colour.
ii) A combination of the primary colour Blue and Yellow produces
________ colour.
iii) A combination of the primary colour Red and Blue produces
_________ colour.
Activity
1. In order to make the colour wheel the following activity has to be worked
out in class.
•
Materials Required:
o Cellophane paper in Red, Yellow and Blue.
o Glue - fevicol, gum, wooden sticks 6’’ long and 12 in numbers.
•
Method:
4
o Take cellophane paper of the three primary colours.
o Cut 7”x7” squares out of the three different colours.
o Paste the 6” wooden sticks that you have got, on the 4 sides of the
square.
o Try to overlap the primary colours, two at a time; you get secondary
colours.
o Try to overlap them and see the different colours that you obtain, and
note.
4.4
Assignments
4.4.1 Class assignments
i) Write down your observations at each step of the activity you have
completed in the class, and make a presentation of it.
4.4.2 Home assignments
ii) Collect at least two items of each type of colours - Primary, secondary and
tertiary.
4.5
Summing Up
There are:
4.6
•
Three primary colours - Red, Yellow, Blue.
•
Three secondary colours - Green, Orange, Purple.
•
Six tertiary or intermediate colours - yellow-orange, red-orange, bluegreen, yellow-green, blue-purple and red-purple.
Possible Answers to Self-check Questions
1.
Sir Isaac Newton in 1666
2.
Red, blue and yellow
3.
Orange (yellow + red), green (blue + yellow), purple (red + blue).
4.
Orange + green, green + purple and purple + orange.
5.
Fill in the blanks:
5
i) Secondary
ii) Green
iii) Purple
4.7
Terminal Questions
1. Write about the colour wheel and the three classes of colours, viz
primary, secondary and tertiary colours.
2. How does the liking of colours by the people vary for different age
groups?
4.8
References and Suggested Further Reading
1. Chijiiwa, H. 1987. Colour Harmony: A guide to creative colour
combinations. Rockport Publishers, Rockport.
2. Stockton, J. 1984. Designer’s Guide to Colour-2. Chronicle Books, San
Francisco.
3. Sutton, T. and Whelan, B. M. 2005. The Complete Colour Harmony.
Rockport Publishers, Rockport.
4. http://www.tigorcolor.com
4.9
Glossary
1. Aesthetic
Pleasing, Relating to beauty
2. Version
A written work (as a novel) that has been
recast in new form
3. Variations
Changes
4. Primary
Basic, necessary
5. Secondary
At the second level
6. Tertiary
Third Level
7. Immemorial
Beyond memory record
8. Perpetual
Continuing forever or indefinitely
9. Prominence
Relative importance
6