Vocabulary Color Wheel Color Values Color Schemes

The color wheel is a CIRCURAL DIAGRAM that fits together like a puzzle - each color in a specific place. Being familiar with the color wheel not only helps you mix colors when painting, but in adding color to all your art creations.

Primary Hues or Colors Primary Hues cannot be mixed from other colors and they constitute all other colors. Red Yellow Blue

Secondary ColorsSecondary ColorsSecondary ColorsSecondary Colors are created by mixing two primary hues together such as: Red + Yellow = Orange Yellow + Blue = Green Blue + Red = Purple

or Tertiary, colors are created by mixing a primary hue with a secondary hue. red-orange yellow-orange yellow-green blue-green blue-purple red-purple Intermediate Colors

Colors such as Black, White, Gray and sometimes Brown. They are also called ACHROMATIC hues. Neutral Colors

Color values are the relative lights and darks of a color. You create these values by adding black or white (‘neutrals”) with a color. white + color = tint color + black = shade

Tints are a mixture of color with WHITE which increases the lightness of a color. Always begin with white and add a bit of color to the white until the desired tint is obtained. Tint

Shades are a mixture of a color with BLACK which reduces lightness. Always begin with the color and add just a bit of black at a time to get the desired shade of a color. Shade

Color Schemes are a systematic way of choosing colors used in a design or piece of art work … you use color schemes in your art work, putting together the clothes you wear, deciding what colors to paint your room…..

Warm hues are found on the one side of the color wheel. They are colors found in fire and the sun such as red, orange and yellow. Warm colors make objects look closer in a painting or drawing. Warm Hues

This is an illustration of the use of warm colors - reds, oranges and yellows.

Cool colors are found on the other side of the color wheel. They are the colors found in snow and ice such as blue, green and violet and tend to recede in a composition. Cool Hues

Note the cool color scheme in this painting (greens, purples and blues).

“Mono” means “one”, “chroma” means “color”… monochromatic color schemes have only one color and its values. The following slide shows a painting done in a monochromatic color scheme. Monochromatic

This non-objective painting has a monochromatic color scheme - blue and the values (tints and shades) of blue.

Complementary colors are directly opposite one and other on the color wheel. This provides high contrast - if you want to be noticed wear complementary colors! Complementary Hues

This painting has complementary colors and their values - blues and oranges.

The analogous color scheme is 3-5 colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel. This combination of colors provides very little contrast. Analogous Hues

Analogous colors are illustrated here: yellow, yellow-green, green and blue- green.

Contrasting Hues The use of opposing elements can produce an intensified effect in a work of art.

All illustrations in this presentation are scanned original paintings or graphics by Lazzelle Parker. PowerPoint Presentation © Lazzelle Parker 2000 Cave Spring Middle School Roanoke County Schools Roanoke VA

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