COLOR THEORY

Color is the aspect of things that is

caused by differing qualities of light being
reflected or emitted by them.
To see color, you have to have light. When light
shines on an object some colors bounce off the
object and others are absorbed by it. Our eyes
only see the colors that are bounced off or
reflected.
How does color affect the space?

Can color really influence

behaviour?
What is COLOR THEORY?
• Color theory is a set of guiding principles that can help create
an arrangement of colors or combinations
HUE
• Pertains to the color itself
TINT
• In color theory, a tint is a
mixture of a color
with white, which
reduces darkness
SHADE
• Is a mixture with black
• Color theory is a practical combination of art and science that’s
used to determine what colors look good together. The color
wheel is the basis of color theory, because it shows the
relationship between colors.
Primary colors
COLOR HARMONY
Monochromatic
• Monochromati
c colors are all
the colors (ton
es, tints and
shades ) of a
single hue.
Complementary
• Colors that are
opposite each other
on the color wheel
are considered to
be complementary
colors (example: red
and green). The high
contrast
of complementary
colors creates a
vibrant look especiall
y when used at full
saturation.
Analogous
• Analogous color schemes
use colors that are next to
each other on the color
wheel. They usually
match well and create
serene and comfortable
designs.
• Analogous color schemes
are often found in nature
and are harmonious and
pleasing to the eye.
• Make sure you have
enough contrast when
choosing an analogous
color scheme.
TRIADIC
• Three colors that are
evenly spaced on the
color wheel. This
provides a high
contrast color
scheme, but less so
than the
complementary color
combination —
making it more
versatile. This
combination creates
bold, vibrant color
palettes.
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.
• The split-complimentary
color scheme is often a good
choice for beginners,
because it is difficult to mess
up.
RECTANGLE (TETRADIC)
• The rectangle or tetradic
color scheme uses four
colors arranged into two
complementary pairs.
• This rich color scheme
offers plenty of
possibilities for variation.
• The tetradic color scheme
works best if you let one
color be dominant.
• You should also pay
attention to the balance
between warm and cool
colors in your design.
SQUARE
• The square color
scheme is similar to the
rectangle, but with all
four colors spaced
evenly around the color
circle.
• The square color
scheme works best if
you let one color be
dominant.
• You should also pay
attention to the balance
between warm and cool
colors in your design.
PSYCHOLOGY OF
COLORS
RED
• PROS
• Strength, warmth,
excitement, stimulation

• CONS
• Defiance, anger,
aggression
BLUE
• PROS
• Trust, serenity, logic

• CONS
• Cold, unfriendly
YELLOW
• PROS
• Optimistic, frieldy, creative

• CONS
• Depression, anxiety
GREEN
• PROS
• Reassurance, rest,
harmony

• CONS
• boredom
ORANGE
• PROS
• Food, sensuality, fun

• CONS
• immaturity
VIOLET
• PROS
• Spirituality, royalty

• CONS
• introversion
BROWN
• PROS
• Warm, reliable

• CONS
• Lack of humor
BLACK
• PROS
• Sophistication, security

• CONS
• oppression
WHITE
• PROS
• Purity, efficiency, simplicity

• CONS
• Cold, elitism