COLOR THEORY

Ar. MA. CECILIA C. VIRAY, uap

THE ART OF COLOR
WAVELENGTH OF COLORS
COLOR FROM A PHYSICAL STANDPOINT IS LIGHT BROKEN DOWN IN
SEVERAL WAVELENGTHS. THE HIGHEST WAVELENGTH IS USUALLY
THE COLOR THAT IS PERCEIVED FIRST & THE LOWEST WAVELENGTH IS
THE COLOR THAT IS PERCEIVED LAST.
 COLOR WHEEL 2
COLOR MODELS
ADDITIVE
COLOR MODEL
Result of Projecting 3
different colored
lights on top of each
other. Additive color
model produces
colors by mixing
colored lights.
ADDITIVE COLOR MODEL
RGB COLOR MODEL
RED + GREEN =
YELLOW
GREEN + BLUE = CYAN
BLUE + RED =
MAGENTA
COLOR MODEL IS USED
TO PRODUCE
COLORS ON
COMPUTER
MONITORS WHEREIN
EACH PIXEL EMITS 3
DISCRETE LIGHTS.
COLOR MODELS
SUBTRACTIVE
COLOR MODEL
A single light source is
reflected by
combination of different
color layers. Some part
of the spectrum are
absorbed on the material
while the rest is
reflected back,
producing the color.
SUBTRACTIVE COLOR MODEL
CMYK COLOR MODEL
MAGENTA + YELLOW =
RED
CYAN + YELLOW = GREEN
MAGENTA + CYAN = BLUE
COLOR MODEL IS
REVERSE OF THE
ADDITIVE COLOR
MODEL ALSO CALLED
PROCESS COLOR.
K = KEY IS BLACK, IT
INCREASES THE DEPTH
OF DARK COLORS.
 ADDITIVE SUBTRACTIVE
COLOR MODEL COLOR MODEL
 WARM COLORS
THEY PRODUCE VISUAL RESULTS THAT CAUSES
THESE COLORS TO MOVE TOWARD THE
VIEWER – STAND OUT OF THE BACKGROUND.
MADE UP OF RED TO YELLOW HUES

COOL COLORS
THEY PRODUCE A VISUAL RESULT TO APPEAR
TO RECEDE FROM THE VIEWER SO THEY ARE
GOOD TO USE AS BACKGROUND
MADE UP OF VIOLET TO GREEN HUES
HUE WHICH IS A COMPONENT OF
COLOR IN ITS PURE FORM

TINT = PURE HUE + WHITE

TONE = PURE HUE + GRAY
SHADE = PURE HUE + BLACK
HUE
 COLOR SCHEMES
→ MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME
→ ANALOGOUS SCHEME
→ DIRECT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
→ DOUBLE COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
→ SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
→ TRIADIC SCHEME
→ ALTERNATE COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
→ NEUTRAL SCHEME
 MONOCHROMATIC

MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME
MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME
USING CITRONN
MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME
USING YELLOW
ANALOGOUS SCHEME
ANALOGOUS
SCHEME
USING
VIOLET
PLUM
BLUE
 ANALOGOUS SCHEME
USING RUSSET-ORANGE-FLAME
DIRECT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
 DIRECT
COMPLEMENTARY
SCHEME

USING CITRONN &

MULBERRY

USING BLUE & ORANGE

DIRECT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
USING FLAME - PLUM
 DIRECT COMPLEMENTARY
SCHEME

USING BLUE & ORANGE

DOUBLE COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
 USING

BLUE
ORANGE
VIOLET
YELLOW

DOUBLE COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
 USING

YELLOW
MULBERRY
PLUM

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
USING GREEN-RUSSET-MULBERRY
ALTERNATE COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
ALTERNATE COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME
USING FLAME-CITRONN-SLATE-PLUM
TRIADIC SCHEME
 TRIADIC SCHEME
USING FLAME-CIRONN-PLUM
 TRIADIC SCHEME
USING BLUE-RED-YELLOW
NEUTRAL COLORS
 NEUTRAL COLORS
USING BLACK-WHITE-GRAY
NEUTRAL COLORS
NEUTRAL COLORED with Terracotta accent
 MEANING OF COLORS
YELLOW
POSITIVE MEANING:
CHEERFUL, HAPPY, PLAYFUL, FUN, OPTIMISTIC, UPLIFTING,
ILLUMINATING
LOGICAL, MENTAL CLARITY, AIDS IN DECISION MAKING
CONFIDENCE, ORIGINALITY, CREATIVITY
CHALLENGING, ACADEMIC, ANALYTICAL, WISDOM & LOGIC
COMMUNICATION OF NEW IDEAS

NEGATIVE MEANING:
CRITICAL, JUDGMENTAL, OVERLY ANALYTICAL, IMPATIENT, IMPULSIVE,
EGOISTICAL, PESSIMISTIC, INFERIOR COMPLEX
SPITEFUL, COWARDLY, DECEITFUL, NON EMOTIONAL, LACKING
COMPASSION
 MEANING OF COLORS
RED
POSITIVE MEANING:
ACTION, POWER, ENERGY, SPEED, PASSION, DESIRE AND LUST, STRENGTH
AND COURAGE, ATTENTION GETTING, MOTIVATING, STIMULATING
AND ENERGIZING, DRIVEN AND DETERMINED, EXCITING, WARM,
SPONTANEOUS, ASSERTIVE AND CONFIDENT

NEGATIVE MEANING:
AGGRESSION AND ANGER, DOMINEERING, OVER BEARING AND TIRING,
QUICK TEMPERED, RUTHLESS, FEARFUL
AND INTOLERANT, REBELLIOUS AND OBSTINATE,
RESENTFUL, VIOLENT AND BRUTAL
 MEANING OF COLORS
BLUE
POSITIVE MEANING:
LOYALTY, TRUST AND INTEGRITY, TACTFUL, CARING AND CONCERNED,
RELIABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY, CONSERVATISM AND
PERSEVERANCE, GREAT BALANCER OF HEART AND EMOTIONS,
CREATING EQUILIBRIUM BETWEEN HEAD AND HEART, INVITING
GOOD JUDGMENT

NEGATIVE MEANING:
RIGID, DECEITFUL, SPITEFUL, DEPRESSED AND SAD, TOO PASSIVE, SELF
RIGHTEOUS, EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE,
TOO CONSERVATIVE AND OLD FASHIONED, PREDICTABLE AND WEAK,
UNFORGIVING, ALOOF AND FRIGID.
 MEANING OF COLORS
GREEN
POSITIVE MEANING:
GROWTH AND VITALITY, RENEWAL AND RESTORATION, SELF RELIANCE,
RELIABILITY AND DEPENDABILITY, BEING TACTFUL, EMOTIONALLY
BALANCED AND CALM, NATURE LOVER AND FAMILY ORIENTED,
PRACTICAL AND DOWN TO EARTH, SYMPATHETIC, COMPASSIONATE
AND NURTURING, GENEROUS, KIND AND LOYAL WITH HIGH MORAL
SENSE, ADAPTABLE AND FLEXIBLE

NEGATIVE MEANING:
POSSESSIVE AND MATERIALISTIC, INDIFFERENT AND OVER CAUTIOUS,
ENVIOUS, SELFISH, GREEDY AND MISERLY, DEVIOUS WITH MONEY,
INCONSIDERATE, HYPOCHONDRIAC AND DO-GOODER
 MEANING OF COLORS
ORANGE
POSITIVE MEANING:
ADVENTUROUS, RISK TAKING, VIBRANT AND FLAMBOYANT,
STIMULATING TO THE SENSES, AFFORDABLE, WARM, SOCIABLE,
OPTIMISTIC, ENTHUSIASTIC, CHEERFUL, SELF CONFIDENT,
INDEPENDENT, EXTROVERTED AND UNINHIBITED, CREATIVE FLAIR,
WARM HEARTED, AGREEABLE AND INFORMAL

NEGATIVE MEANING:
SUPERFICIAL AND INSINCERE, DEPENDENT, OVER BEARING AND SELF
INDULGENT, THE EXHIBITIONIST, PESSIMISTIC, CHEAP, UNSOCIABLE
AND OVERLY PROUD
 MEANING OF COLORS
VIOLET
POSITIVE MEANING:
UNUSUAL AND INDIVIDUAL, CREATIVE AND INVENTIVE,
PSYCHIC AND INTUITIVE, HUMANITARIAN, SELFLESS
AND UNLIMITED, MYSTERY, FANTASY AND THE FUTURE

NEGATIVE MEANING:
IMMATURITY, IMPRACTICAL, CYNICAL AND ALOOF, POMPOUS
AND ARROGANT, FRAUDULENT AND CORRUPT,
DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR AND
SOCIAL CLIMBER
 MEANING OF COLORS
WHITE
POSITIVE MEANING:
INNOCENCE, PURITY AND CLEANLINESS, EQUALITY,
COMPLETE AND WHOLE, SIMPLICITY,
IMMACULATE AND NEAT, SELF SUFFICIENT,
PRISTINE AND OPEN, NEW BEGINNINGS

NEGATIVE MEANING:
STERILE AND STARK, FASTIDIOUS,
EMPTY AND ISOLATED,
CAUTIOUS,
CRITICAL AND BORING
 MEANING OF COLORS
BLACK
POSITIVE MEANING:
AUTHORITY, POWER AND CONTROL,
PROTECTION AND COMFORT, STRONG,
CONTAINED AND FORMAL, SOPHISTICATED,
SEDUCTIVE AND MYSTERIOUS

NEGATIVE MEANING:
ALOOF, DEPRESSING AND PESSIMISTIC, SECRETIVE AND WITHHOLDING,
CONSERVATIVE AND SERIOUS,
POWER AND CONTROL,
SADNESS AND NEGATIVITY
 MEANING OF COLORS
GRAY
POSITIVE MEANING:
INTELLECT, KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND SECURITY,
PERCEIVED AS LONG LASTING AND CLASSIC, SLEEK,
PROFESSIONAL, MATURE, REFINED, DIGNIFIED, CONSERVATIVE,
CONTROLLED AND INCONSPICUOUS,
COLOR OF COMPROMISE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE
NEUTRAL AND CONTEMPORARY

NEGATIVE MEANING:
BORING, RIGID, MELANCHOLY AND LONELY, LIFELESS,
BARENESS AND SUBTLE, STAID
 MEANING OF COLORS
GOLD:
POSITIVE MEANING:
WEALTH AND PROSPERITY, ABUNDANCE, VALUE, QUALITY,
LUXURY, EXPENSIVE AND OPULENCE, VICTORY, ACHIEVEMENT,
GRANDEUR, IMPORTANCE, HAPPINESS AND BEAUTY,
EXCELLENCE, PRESTIGE, NOBILITY, EXTRAVAGANCE,
ATTRACTION AND WISDOM

NEGATIVE MEANING:
PRETENTIOUSNESS
SENSE OF SELF IMPORTANCE
INTENSE AND OVERWHELMING
 MEANING OF COLORS
SILVER:
POSITIVE MEANING:
MODERN, SLEEK AND HIGH TECH, SCIENTIFIC, GLAMOROUS,
DISTINGUISHED, ELEGANT, CONSERVATIVE, PRESTIGE, CALMING AND
BALANCING, ILLUSION, INTUITION, IMAGINATION,
FEMININE POWER, SOPHISTICATED, WEALTH AND RICHES,
AIDS MENTAL/EMOTIONAL/PHYSICAL RELEASING AND
CLEANSING, ILLUMINATION

NEGATIVE MEANING:
COLD AND IMPERSONAL, EMOTIONAL AND EVER CHANGING,
INTROSPECTIVE, FENCE SITTING,
HIDING FROM OTHERS
AN ARCHITECT SHOULD USE
COLORS IN ACCORDANCE TO
THE COLOR SCHEMES OF THE
COLOR WHEEL AND
UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN
PSYCHOLOGY ON HOW IT
REACTS TO COLORS. SO DRESS
UP YOURSELF AND DON’T BE
NAKED, USE COLORS!