C O L O R S A R E T H E
S M I L E S O F
N AT U R E .
Colours
How is the
Imagine world without colour?
Colourless
COLOURFUL
Introduction
• When light strikes an item and is reflected back into the eye
as a result of a hue developing in the optic nerve, colour is
present.
• Hue, chroma or intensity, and value are the three
characteristics of the element of colour, which is composed
by hues.
PRANG
COLOUR
WHEEL
PRANG COLOUR THEORY
• In 1876, Louis Prang (1824 -1909) advanced color wheel
theory and developed a color wheel which is commonly
known as the Artist’s or Prang color wheel.
• This may have been the color wheel that you were
introduced to in elementary school.
Primary
Colour
• In traditional color theory (used in
paint and pigments), primary colors
are the 3 pigment colors that
cannot be mixed or formed by any
combination of other colors .
• All other colors are derived from
these 3 hues.
Secondary
colour
• Secondary colors are created by
mixing the two neighboring
primary colors.
• Blue+Red=Purple
• Red+Yellow= Orange
• Yellow+Blue= Green
TERTIARY
COLOURS
• Tertiary or intermediate colors are
created by mixing a primary and a
secondary color .
• The tertiary colors are
• Yellow+orange= yellow-orange
• Yellow+green= yellow–green
• Blue+green= blue-green
• Blue+violet= blue-violet
• Red+orange= red-orange
• Red+violet= red- violet.
Munsell colour
system
Munsell colour system
• There are five primary and five secondary hues in this
system.
• The primaries are red, purple, blue, green and yellow.
• Hue, Value and Chroma are then rated with numbers.
• Colours can be very accurately described using this system.
• A three dimensional model using Munsell’s system is called
a color tree.
• This system is based on a unique colour-solid arrangement,
which more accurately demonstrates hue, value and intensity
of colour.
3 Dimensions
• Hue
• Value
• Intensity
Hue
• Hue is the other word used for
colour.
• Some of the hue names are red,
orange, yellow, green, blue,
violet, magenta, etc.
• It is also indicates the warmth or
coolness of the colour.
• Red colour is a pure hue.
• It has many variations.
Va l u e
• Value is concerned with the lightness or
darkness of a colour.
• The extreme values are black and white .
• Some colors like yellow, are naturally light.
• Some, like violet, are darker.
• All hues can be made in all values.
• White added to a hue, creates a tint.
• Adding black paint will make most pigments
darker and adding black to a hue results in
shades .
INTENCITY
/ CHROMA
• Intensity is brightness and dullness of a
colour.
• The colors on the colour wheel are of
full intensity.
• When grey or its complement color is
added it becomes less intense.
• A colour without any brightness (no
hue) is achromatic
• On the other hand black and white are
neutrals.
Colour
Harmony
• Colors when combined should be used
at the right proportion or else they
clash and give an awkward appearance
rather than being beautiful.
• Color schemes are the ways that
colors are used together.
• An understanding of well-known color
schemes helps us to achieve different
results by using different
combinations of colors.
H A R M O N Y O F R E L AT E D
COLOUR
• Analogous
• Monochromatic
• Achromatic
Analogous
• An analogous color scheme uses
neighboring colors on the wheel.
• It is sometimes called a related color
scheme since two or three “related”
colors are used.
• The combination of yellow, yellow-
green, and green is an analogous
scheme with three hues.
• In nature, the yellow, orange, and red
of autumn is an analogous color
scheme.
Analogous
Monochromatic
• A monochromatic color scheme is a one-color plan that uses different
tints, and shades.
• Neutrals such as black & white can be added to a monochromatic scheme
for contrast and interest.
Mono chromatic
Achromatic
• An achromatic color
scheme is one that is
colorless using blacks,
whites and grays.
• Black and White are
neutrals.
A C R O M AT I C
HARMONY OF
CONSTRACTING COLOUR
• Triadic colour
• Tetradiccolour
• Complimentary colour
• a.Single Complimentary
• b.Double Complimentary
• c.Split Complimentary
• Clash colour
Tr i a d i c c o l o u r
• A triadic color scheme combines
three colors, which are of
equidistant on the wheel.
• Examples are red, yellow, and blue,
or purple, green, and orange.
• It has a great deal of contrast.
• To soften the contrast, one may
choose to combine pleasing values
and intensities.
TRIADIC
Te t r a d i c
• These colors form a rectangle on the color
wheel.
• The colors on the short side of
the rectangle are spaced one color apart.
• This is a rich color harmony that offers
many opportunities for variations.
• To be most effective it is best to let one of
the 4 colors dominate.
• It is also important to pay attention to the
relationship between the warm and the
cool colors used in this harmony.
Te t r a d i c
Single complementary
• The complementary color scheme is made of two colors that
are opposite each other on the color wheel.
• This scheme looks best when you put a warm color against
a cool color, for example, red versus green-blue.
• The complementary scheme is intrinsically high-contrast.
Single complementary
Double Complimentary /
Te t r a d i c
It used two pairs of components, one space apart on the wheel.
Split Complementary
• The split-complementary color scheme is
a variation of the complementary color
scheme.
• In addition to the base color, it uses the
two colors adjacent to its complement.
• This color scheme has the same strong
visual contrast as the complementary
color scheme, but has less tension.
•
Clash colour
• It is one colour selected, then use one colour from either
side of its complementary.
Every colour has
its own character
/ emotions
Red
• D a n g e r, b l o o d , a t t r a c t i o n a n d ro m a n c e .
• Ta s k - o r i e n t e d e x t ro v e r t s
• Enjoy challenges.
• Quick decisions
• Ta k i n g r i s k s .
• Natural leaders.
Blue
• Enthusiastic, sympathetic,
communicative, compassionate,
idealistic, sincere and imaginative.
• They care and want to contribute to
everything they are a part of.
Ye l l o w
• Yellow is a color associated
with sun.
• It symbolizes optimism,
energy, joy, happiness and
friendship .
• Intellect.
• Cheerful
Purple
• An artistic and
unique individual
• A good judge of
character
• Participate in
humanitarian
issues.
Green
• Perfectionistic, analytical,
conceptual, cool, calm, inventive and
logical.
• They seek knowledge and
understanding as well as always
looking for explanations and answers.
• Greens can be good researchers –
looking for facts and asking lots of
questions.
Orange
• Eager and bold.
• They need fun, variety, stimulation and
excitement.
• Freedom to act is also important to an
Orange.
• Oranges have energy and like to bounce
around to different projects or tasks.
Black
• Strong-willed and
determined character ,
• In color psychology, black's
color meaning is symbolic
of mystery, power,
elegance, and
sophistication .
White
• Hygiene and
cleanliness.
• Calm and balanced.
• P u r i t y, b i r t h a n d
innocence.
Thank You
