Color

Color surrounds us

Color Most expressive element of art Color shares a powerful connection with emotion. –“I’m feeling blue.” –“She was green with envy.” Expressive qualities create an instant reaction in people.

Color Almost everyone has a favorite color. Our appreciation for color affects many of the choices we make.

How We See Color Color is an element of art that is derived from reflected light. You see color because light waves are reflected from objects to your eyes.

White Light White light from the sun is a combination of all colors.

Color Spectrum When light passes through a wedge- shaped glass, called a prism, the beam of light is bent and separated into bands of color, called the color spectrum.

The Spectrum in Nature

Light Reflection Objects absorb some light waves and reflect others. Color receptors in your eyes and brain detect the color of the reflected light waves.

Afterimage Sometimes your eyes can fool you.

Properties of Color –Hue (the name of the color, i.e. red, yellow, blue, green, brown, violet) –Value (the lightness or darkness of a color) –Intensity (the brightness or dullness of a color) Work together to make the colors we see.

Hue The name of a color in the color spectrum A color wheel is the spectrum bent into a circle. It is a useful tool for organizing hues.

Primary Hues

Secondary Hues

Tertiary (Intermediate) Hues

Value The element of art that describes the lightness or darkness of a color.

Tint A light value of a hue, created by adding white.

Shade A dark value of a hue, created by adding black. The term shade is often used incorrectly to refer to both tints and shades

Value High-Key paintings use many tints Often used to represent a light, happy feeling. Mary Cassatt. Margot in Blue Pastel. 24x19-1/2”

Value Low-Key paintings use many shades. Often used to create a sense of mystery, foreboding, or danger Rufino Tamayo. Girl Attacked by a Strange Bird Oil on canvas. 70x50-1/8”

Intensity The brightness or dullness of a hue

Intensity The brightness or dullness of a hue High-IntensityLow-Intensity

Intensity Complementary Colors: Opposite of one another on the color wheel.

Intensity To reduce the intensity of a color, add its complement The more of the complement added, the lower the intensity

Hue, Value, and Intensity Do not operate independently They rely on one another to create all of the colors that you see around you. You will see: –Dull tints –Bright tints –Dull shades –Bright shades –Light hues –Dark hues

Color Schemes A color scheme is a plan for organizing colors according to their relationship on the color wheel. Helps create harmony and unity to your composition.

Monochromatic Colors A color scheme that uses only one hue and its tints and shades. Very limited, therefore unifying. Often used in decorating interiors and for matching clothing.

Pablo Picasso. The Tragedy Oil on wood. 41-1/2 x 27-1/4”.

Analogous Colors Colors that sit side by side on the color wheel and have a common hue.

Complementary Colors Creates the strongest contrast. Exciting –Loud –Demand to be noticed Frequently used to catch viewer’s attention

Color Triads Composed of three colors spaced equally apart on the color wheel.

Split Complements A combination of one hue plus the hues on each side of its complement.

Warm and Cool Colors Warm colors are usually associated with warm things and tend to move toward the viewer Cool colors are usually associated with cool things and tend to recede from the viewer

The Expressive Effects of Color Artists use color to express thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Methods –Optical Color –Arbitrary Color –Space –Movement –Tonality

Optical Color Color reproduced as seen by the eye. Includes the colors seen by surrounding objects.

Optical Color Impressionists focused on optical color Relationship to light Applied dots and dabs of color Did not use black Not concerned with photographic representation Claude Monet. The Four Trees Oil on canvas. 32-1/4 x 32-1/8”

Arbitrary Color Used to express feelings Colors chosen arbitrarily, not realisticlly, in order to express meaning. Colors affect feelings: –Light, bright colors create happy, upbeat moods. –Cool, dark colors can express mysterious or depressing themes.

Franz Marc. The Large Blue Horses. Oil on Canvas.

Space The placement of warm and cool colors can create the illusion of depth. Paul Cezanne. The Basket of Apples Oil on canvas. 25-1/4 x 32”.

Tonality When one color dominates a work. Not necessarily monochromatic. Childe Hassam. Jelly Fish Oil on canvas. 20-1/4 x 24-1/4”