Color Vocabulary
COLOR THEORY Albert Einstein playing with a prism noticed that when light waves were bent they produced the colors of the rainbow For our eyes to see color light waves must hit an object and reflect colors back to our eyes Therefore the theory states an object is actually absorbing all the color waves except the one we see (grass is absorbing everything but green)
PROPERTIES OF LIGHT Primary colors of light Red Blue Green When the three primary colors of light are blended they make white light
Three Properties of Color Hue Value Intensity
HUE The name of any six colors in the visible spectrum Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet ROY G BV
Types of Colors Primary - red, yellow, blue; cannot make by mixing colors together; make all other colors Secondary - orange, violet, green; made by mixing two primaries Tertiary - red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, red-violet Neutrals - black, white, and gray
Yellow Yellow-green Yellow-orange Green Orange Blue-green Red-orange Red Blue Red-violet Blue-Violet Violet
INTENSITY Intensity: the brightness or brilliance of a color A color is at its most brilliant state when it comes straight from the bottle Dull: lower the intensity by adding gray or complement
Values of Color Value: lightness or darkness of a color Tint: mix white; lightens the color Shade: mix black; darkens the color
Color Schemes Color Schemes: Using one or more colors in a piece of art Complementary Split-Complementary Triad Monochromatic Analogous Cool Warm
Complementary Complementary: opposites on the color wheel
Split-Complementary Split-complementary: next to the opposite
Triad Triad: makes a triangle
Monochromatic Monochromatic: one color with its tints and shades
Analogous Analogous: two or more colors next to each other
Cool Colors Blues, greens, and violets; remind us of cool things like water and shade
Warm Colors Reds, oranges, and yellows; remind us of warm things like sun and fire