Color

Pink Floyd “Dark Side of the Moon” Album Cover Color is a characteristic of light. White light is the combination of all the colors of light, as is illustrated in this famous album cover from the 1970’s.

Science discovered that the color we see is created by light rays being absorbed into and/or reflected from the surface it falls on. The particular combination of absorption and reflection determines the color we see.

This is why we are told if we want to stay cool in the summers, we should wear white or light colored clothes because they reflect the most light rays, thus keeping the wearer cooler. In the winter, we are told to wear black or darker colored clothing because it absorbs more light rays making the wearer warmer.

Neutrals Black, White, and grays are not really colors, though we often refer to them as colors. They are called neutrals. Black is the absence of color in light and the combination of colors in pigment. White is the presence of all colors in light and the absence of color in pigment.

There are three characteristics or qualities to color. Color has: Hue is another name for the chroma in color. Value - is the lightness or darkness that is in color. Intensity - color has brightness and dullness. An artists conscious understanding of these characteristics will help him to more effectively use color

Miriam Shapiro “l’m Dancing as Fast as I Can” 1985 Hue is another name for color. It is the chroma that we think of and that gives color its name.

Thomas Hart Benton “Hollywood” 1937 Color has value. The lightness or darkness in colors helps them stand out from one another.

Thomas Hart Benton “Arts of The West” 1932 The color Intensity in this painting is bright and tends to visually come forward or advance.

The intensity of the colors in this painting is low or dull and tends to recede, or go back in a composition. Richiriusa Hiro Shige “Rain at Shono” 1835

A color wheel is a simple system for organizing color. In order to effectively use color, an artist must organize it in a useful way. The color wheel does not deal with all colors, actually very few colors, twelve colors in all. But, the color wheel organizes colors so that we can see relationships between colors.

Color Wheel Primary Secondary Intermediat e

Primary Colors are the initial colors you must have. The are located on the color wheel at the points of an equilateral triangle. They cannot be created by mixing other colors. They are red, yellow, and blue. Secondary Colors are located at the points of an equilateral triangle, centered between each primary color. A secondary color is created by mixing two primary colors together, (theoretically), in equal amounts Intermediate Colors are colors located between each primary and secondary color. They are created by mixing two primaries colors together in unequal amounts.

Once we have organized and know the twelve colors of the color wheel, then we can make use of them. The color wheel is useful because it helps us to see the relationships that colors have with each other.

The color wheel is a simple system for organizing colors, so it does not take into account additional things that can be done to color. Colors can be made lighter or darker. A color may be made darker by adding black. This creates what is called a shade. A shade is darker than standard colors. When black is added to cool colors they get darker. When black is added to warn colors they turn “muddy.” By learning to add other colors with a darker value, a color can become darker and not muddy. Dark colors made this way are “richer” and have more “life” than colors mixed with black. A color may be made lighter by adding white. This creates what is called a tint. A tint is lighter than standard colors. Often when adding white to lighten a color, if one adds a small amount of an additional color it will make the lighter color “richer” and more “lively” than it would otherwise be.

N. C. Wyeth “Captain Billy Bones” (Treasure Island) 1911 In this painting, Wyeth used many shades and tints of colors to create this powerful final image.

N. C. Wyeth “The Hostage” (Treasure Island) 1911 In this other scene from Treasure Island, Wyeth uses tints and shades of colors to create high drama.

Warm Colors Warm colors have a sense of warmth and tend to advance or come forward in a composition. They are red, red-orange, orange, yellow- orange, and yellow. Red-violet and yellow-green could be considered warm in comparison to certain cooler colors. Cool Colors Cool colors have a sense of coolness and tend to retreat or go back in a composition. They are violet, blue-violet, blue, blue-green, and green. Red-violet and yellow-green could be considered cool colors in comparison to certain warm colors. The relationship between warm and cool colors would be considered one of contrast or difference. Emphasizing the differences in color temperature, makes things stand out, and can make things visually more appealing.

Cool colors are to the left of the black diagonal, and warm colors are to the right.

Pierre Bonnard “The Breakfast Room” 1930

Alex Jawlensky “Spanier” 1909

Complimentary Colors are colors that are located directly opposite of each other on the color wheel. Complimentary colors create the most contrast because they are the most different. When placed side by side complimentary colors make each other stand out the most. When complimentary colors are mixed, they dull each other out by lowering the brightness and intensity of each other and create colorful grays or middle tones.

Complimentary Color Relationships

Why are complimentary colors often used for the uniforms of sports teams? Complimentary colors are the most different. Because of the contrast, they create a tension like the action experienced on the field of play.

Raoul Dufy “Sailboat at Sainte - Adresse 1912

N. C. Wyeth “Deer Slayer Threw All His Force Into a Desperate Effort” 1925

Frederic Remington “Buffalo Hunters Big Horn Basin” 1909

N. C. Wyeth “Fence Builders” 1915

Claude Monet “Rouen Cathedral Facade in Sunlight” 1894

Analogous Colors are three colors that are located right next to each other on the color wheel.

Monochromatic Tints and shades of one Color Toshusai Sharaku “The Actor Nakayama Tomisaburo as Miyagino”

Helen Frankenthaler “Cape Provincetown” This painting below the yellow and green line is monochromatic.

Thelma Hubert “Rock Underwater Water”