COLOR THEORY

Color is the perceptual characteristic of light described by a color name. Specifically, color is light, and light is composed of many colors—those we see are the colors of the visual spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet (ROY G BIV). Objects absorb certain wavelengths and reflect others back to the viewer. We perceive these wavelengths as color.

Shade: A hue produced by the addition of black Tint: A hue produced by the addition of white.

THE COLOR WHEEL

Primary Colors Secondary Colors Tertiary Colors

Complementary colors cancel each other out when mixed to create dark neutrals: Complementary Colors: Those colors located opposite each other on a color wheel When used together, complementary colors become extremely vibrant and have heavy contrast. They are useful when you want to make something stand out.

Analogous Colors: Those colors located close together on a color wheel Analagous colors usually match extremely well, but they also create almost no contrast. They're good for very serene-feeling designs and artwork where you want viewers to feel comfortable.

Warm Colors: Colors such as red, yellow, and orange Warm Colors: Colors such as red, yellow, and orange. These colors evoke warmth because they remind us of things like the sun or fire. Cool Colors: Colors like blue, green, and purple (violet). These colors evoke a cool feeling because they remind us of things like water or grass.

Neutral colors: In color theory, a color that is neither warm nor cool. Neutral colors result from the combination of two complementary colors (e.g., red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and purple).

`