Colour

Visual Arts 8

Colour

• There are many different terms used in reference to colour

• The chroma refers to the description of the colour including the following descriptors

• The hue describes the actual colour• Saturation describes the amount of hue that is

present• The tint or shade describes how much white or

black are mixed with the colour• The value describes the lightness or darkness of

a colour

Saturation

• Refers to the intensity of a specific hue

Hue

• There are three primary colours

• These colours cannot be made by mixing any other colours

• The primary colours are red, yellow, and blue

Secondary Colours

• There are 3 secondary colours• Secondary colours are made by mixing equal

parts of two primary colours• The secondary colours are green, orange, and

purple

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Tertiary Colours

• Made by mixing a primary and secondary colour

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Tints & Shades

• Tints are made by adding white

• Shades are made by adding blackTints Shades

The Colour Wheel

• The colour wheel shows how the colours work together

Colour Schemes

• There are many ways to combine colours based on the affect you are trying to achieve.

Complimentary Colours

• Complimentary colours are colours which are opposite each other on the colour wheel

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Analagous Colours

• These are colours that are beside each other on the colour wheel

Monochromatic Colours

• The monochromatic color scheme uses variations in lightness and saturation of a single color.

Accented Neutral

• This combines a neutral colour with a strong accent colour.

Triadic Colour

• The triadic color scheme uses three colors equally spaced around the color wheel.

Double Complimentary

• The tetradic (double complementary) scheme is the richest of all the schemes because it uses four colors arranged into two complementary color pairs.

Cool Colours

• These colours make the viewer think of cool temperatures. They include blues, greens, and purples.

Warm Colours

• These colours make the viewer think of warmth. They include reds, yellows, and oranges.

Neutral Colours

• These colours combine well with a variety of colours

• Grey is considered a cool neutral

• Browns and creams are warm neutral colours

• In some cases white and black may also be considered neutrals

Neutral Colour Gradients