COLOR THEORY 101

COLOR THEORY 101

Light: the Visible Spectrum
 The Color Wheel

The color wheel is a way to visualize and organize the

entire color spectrum of light. The ends of the spectrum
are bent around a circle to form a color wheel
 Types of Color Theories

Additive Color (RBG) Subtractive Color (CMYK)

The additive (light) theory deals The subtractive (pigment) theory
with radiated and filtered light. deals with how white light is absorbed
and reflected off of colored surfaces.
Additive Theory
• White (sunlight) radiates ALL light
• Black radiates no light
• Light-emitting media use the process
of capturing and radiating light,
therefore they use Additive (Light)
Theory
• Primary colors in Additive Theory:
• Red (R)
• Green ( G )
• Blue (B)
• All the primaries mixed together to
make WHITE
• Additive (Light) Theory is used in
computer monitors, television,
theater lighting, and video
production.
Subtractive Theory
• Black absorbs most light
• White reflects most light
• Colored Pigments absorb light and
reflect only the frequency of the
pigment color.
• All colors other than the pigment
colors are absorbed, so this is called
subtractive color theory.
• Primary colors in Subtractive Theory:
– Cyan (C)
– Magenta ( M )
– Yellow ( Y )
– Black (K)
• Subtractive or Pigment Theory is used
in desktop and commercial printing.
 Subtractive Color: RYB Color Model

• Traditional “Painter’s
Color Wheel”
• Primary Colors (RYB)
are pure pigments
that cannot be mixed:
o Red
o Yellow
o Blue
• RYB is used primarily
with traditional
pigment-based art
media (like painting)
The Color Wheel
Colors on the wheel can
be described using three
elements:
1.Hue: pure color
2.Saturation:
brightness or dullness
3.Value: lightness or
darkness
 Color Theory 101

Hue
• The technical name for color
• Describes the position of a color on a classic color wheel
• Used to name the color (Yellow, Orange, Red, etc.)
 Color Theory 101
Saturation

• Saturation refers to how vivid and intense a color is

Tone = Shade + Tint
 Color Theory 101
• Painter’s Color Wheel

Primary Colors Secondary Colors

 Color Theory 101
• Color Temperature

Warm / Cool Colors

 Color Schemes: Warm
• Warm Colors: Right half of
the color wheel contains
colors associated with fire,
heat

Artist: Jan Vermeer

Title: Girl Asleep at a Table
Year: 1657
 Color Schemes: Warm

Paul Cezanne
The Basket of Apples, 1894
 Color Schemes: Warm

Henri Matisse
The Dessert, Harmony in Red, 1908
 Color Schemes: Cool

Artist: Pablo Picasso Cool: Left half of the wheel has

Title: Femme Allongée Lisant cooler colors associated with
Year: 1939 ice, water
Pablo Picasso
The Old Guitarist, 1903
 Color Theory 101

Color Schemes: Monochromatic

Monochromatic uses different values of the same hue,

including tints and shades
Color Schemes: Monochromatic

• Monochromatic uses
different values of the same
hue, including tints and
shades

Artist: Georges Braque

Title: Le Portugais
Year: 1911
Color Schemes: Monochromatic

Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937

Color Schemes: Monochromatic

• Monochromatic color
palettes in interior design
Color Schemes: Monochromatic
 Color Theory 101
• Color Schemes: Analagous

• Analogous: A selection of
colors that are adjacent on
the color wheel
 Color Schemes: Analogous

Artist: Vincent van Gogh • Analogous: A selection of

Title: The Iris colors that are adjacent on
Year: 1889 the color wheel
Color Schemes: Analogous
Color Schemes: Analogous
Color Schemes: Analogous
Color Schemes: Analogous
 Color Theory 101
• Color Schemes: Complementary

• Complementary: Colors
that are opposite on the
wheel. High Contrast
 Color Schemes: Complementary

• Complementary: Colors
Vincent Van Gogh
that are opposite on the
The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night wheel. High Contrast
1888
Complementary Colors in Art

Georges Seurat, Le Chahut, 1889-90

Complementary Colors in Art

Eugène Delacroix, Women of Algiers, 1834

Complementary Colors in Graphic Design
Complementary Colors in Fashion
 Color Theory 101
• Color Schemes: Triadic

Triadic
Triadic Color Schemes in Design
Triadic Color Schemes in Design
 Triadic Color Schemes in Art

Andy Warhol Piet Mondrian

HINT: Choosing ONE common color can help
tie random color schemes together