Color Terminology
MTSU School of Journalism
Visual Communication
MTSU SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
MTSUjournalism.org
Visual Communication
This material is copyright and belongs to the Middle Tennessee
State University School of Journalism. Unauthorized
reproduction is forbidden by law.
The contents of this manual were written and prepared by
Philip Loubere, assistant professor, MTSU School of Journalism.
[email protected]
Middle Tennessee State University
1301 East Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37132-0001 USA
+1.615.898.2300
PERCEPTUAL COLOR WHEEL
Lighter
YELL0W
COMPLEMENTS
ORANGE
GREEN
RED
BLUE
Darker
PURPLE
Warm
Cool
PRIMARY
SECONDARY
Yellow
Purple
Red
Green
Blue
Orange
CMYK PROCESS COLOR PRINTING INKS
Transparent pigments: Subtractive color
YELLOW
COMPLEMENTS
PRIMARY
Cyan
K: BLACK
MAGENTA
Magenta
CYAN
PURPLE
Yellow
SECONDARY
Red
Green
Blue
RGB DIGITAL DISPLAY
Emitted light: Additive color
RED
GREEN
COMPLEMENTS
PRIMARY
Red
Green
Blue
BLUE
PURPLE
SECONDARY
Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Pigments:
Subtractive color
Light:
Additive color
CYAN
BLUE
RED
GREEN
MAGENTA
YELLOW
RED
MAG.
YELLOW
BLUE
GREEN
CYAN
VALUE:
Light to Dark
Lighter
Darker
INTENSITY:
Bright to dull
Brighter
Duller
INTENSITY and VALUE
INTENSITY
Color Picker
(Saturation)
Duller
Brighter
HUES
Ye
l
n
lo
w
ee
Gr
Red
ue
Bl
a
nt
ge
Lighter
Cyan
Ma
Value
Slider
VALUE
Darker
Shows color wheel with full
range of intensities for all
hues.
Slider changes value.
INTENSITY and VALUE
INTENSITY
Photoshop Color Picker
(Saturation)
Duller
Brighter
Lighter
VALUE
Shows full range of intensities and
values for a single hue.
Slider changes the hue.
Darker
MONOCHROMATIC
Single hue, changing value & intensity
ANALOGOUS
Two hues next to each other
on color wheel
COMPLEMENTARY
Two hues opposite each other
on color wheel
SPLIT-COMPLEMENT
A hue & the hues on either side of
its complement