Color and the Color Wheel

Two ways to view color 1. Objectively: laws of chemistry, physics, and physiology 2. Subjectively: psychology The perception of color means different things to different people

Types of color to be discussed 1. Local- natural. Reproduces colors seen in daylight 2. Optical- hues seen in light that is not daylight. 3. Arbitrary- emotional. Artist’s feelings or interpretations

Local Arbitrary Optical

Color Terminology Hue: Intensity or Chroma: Another term for color The name that we give it. Intensity or Chroma: The brightness or dullness of a hue. A Hue can be dulled by adding its compliment or adding gray

Value: The lightness or darkness of a hue in relation to black and white Tint: a hue with white added Shade: a hue with black added Tone: A hue with gray (both black and white) added Pure Hues vary in value. Yellow is lighter than viloet. Needs to adjusted with black/white to be equal in value

Sources of Color Colored Pigments or Dyestuffs Natural compounds in the earth like plants, minerals, or animals. Artificial chemicals or compounds.

Sources of Color Spectral Light Colored light that comes from nature. Spectral colors are colored light bands known as the visible energy spectrum. Spectral colors appear as the colors of the rainbow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh-zvLB27XA&feature=email

Newton: wavelength

How We See Color Subtractive color theory: 1.) Light hits a colored object. 2.) All of the spectral wave bands are absorbed or subtracted except the hues that are painted, pigmented, or dyed. 3.) The remaining waves enter our eyes where the brain deciphers them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8ejTUNwgTo

How We See Color Additive color theory: 1.) Light wavelengths combine. 2.) They produce a new color based on their combination 3.) Related to cone receptors in our eyes. 4.) Most common in computer monitors & TV screens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCs8mK1rzc0

The Process Wheel Primary- Yellow, Magenta, Cyan Secondary- Blue Green Often used in color printing, photography, and pigment (ink) manufacturing. Primary- Yellow, Magenta, Cyan Secondary- Blue Green Red

The Light Wheel Additive Color- light rays and transparent color. Primary- Red, Green, Blue Secondary- Yellow, Cyan, Magenta

The Munsell Wheel Partitive Color- based on the viewer’s reaction to colors when they are placed next to each other.

Primary- (5) Yellow Red Green Blue Purple

“Tree” Trunk Branches Neutrals

The Pigment Wheel Mixing based on subtractive color. Primary colors: Red, Yellow, Blue Secondary colors: Orange Green Violet Tertiary colors: RO, YO, YG, BG, BV, RV

The Standard Color Wheel Warm colors: red, yellow, orange. Cool colors: blue, green, violet. Neutral colors (A-chromatic): black, white, gray Colors with no identifiable hue. Neutralized colors: beige, brown, taupe, cream, ivory, off-black Colors that fall midway between the warm and cool color groups

How We See Color Colors placed very near one another are visually mixed by a process known as subtractive or optical color mixing. The human eye can potentially decipher over 10 million colors.

After Imaging- an optical reaction that occurs after we stare intensely at a hue and then shift our eyes to a white surface. the second hue is the after image. Stare at Red and the after image is Blue-Green.

How We See Color Factors that affect color: Season and climate Direction of light North, South, East and West Artificial Light

How We See Color Metamerism The apparent change in color from one light to another. True color is best viewed under full spectrum light (AKA natural daylight). Color is best viewed in the setting in which it will be used.

Laws of Color Small amounts of high chroma are noticed and backgrounds are ignored

Color is more intense: Placed next to its opposite Places against a dull/ wht/gry/blk

Color is less intense: - Places next to neighbors - Colors of the same value

Visual Acuity and Deficiency Visual Acuity- the ability to see or not see color. Some of us have more than others. Color deficiency or color blindness- the inability to correctly distinguish value or pairs of complements from one another. Red and green are the most common to be confused. http://www.xrite.com/online-color-test-challenge

Let’s Get to Painting! That Rainbow of color… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHjg8WClzz0