Elements of Color

We see color that is bright, dull, exciting, chaotic, and harmonious.

We cross streets filled with color, make

purchases because of color, eat, sleep, and drink color.

Some colors cause us to cheer (school colors)

Other colors cause us to cry, feel happy or depressed.

Color begins with light – either natural or artificial.

We see the sensation of color because we respond to different

wavelengths of light.

We can see this when we examine a glass prism. The rays of light
are bent or refracted as they pass through at different angles and
are seen as different colors.
Primary
These colors are considered to be
foundation colors because they are
used to create all other colors.

Red

Yellow

Blue
Secondary
By combining two of the primary colors,
three secondary colors are formed.

Orange

Green

Violet
Tertiary
The six tertiary colors are made
by combining a primary and an
adjacent secondary color.

Red-Violet
Red-Orange
Yellow-Orange
Yellow-Green
Blue-Green
Blue-Violet
Complementary Colors
These colors share similar colors ad
are compatible when mixed together:

Red + Green

Yellow + Violet

Blue + Orange
Analogous Colors
These colors share similar colors ad
are compatible when mixed together:

Red + Orange

Orange + Yellow

Blue + Green
Color Temperature
Warm Colors: red, orange, yellow

Cool Colors: violet, blue, green

Properties of Color
Hue

Value

Saturation
Hue
All of the colors of the spectrum are
hues. Red, orange, yellow, green,
blue and violet. Magenta and cyan
are also hues.

These are pure colors.

Value
Value is the relative lightness or
darkness of a color. Some colors (such
as yellow) are naturally light. Others
(like violet) are darker.

Adding white = lighter value

Adding black = darker value

Value can exist without hue.

Black, white, and gray are values
without color.
Saturation/Intensity
Saturation is the purity of a color.
A fully saturated color is the color
as it appears on the color wheel.

Fully saturated colors can vary in their

intensity or brilliance. For example,
pure yellow is very brilliant, but pure
violet has low intensity.

Colors are desatured by adding black,

white, grey or the complement.
Contrast of Color
Contrast of Hue
The best example: red, yellow, blue
Contrast of Value
Illustrated by black, white, gray
Contrast of Value
Illustrated in blue
Contrast of Warm + Cold

The example: red and blue

Contrast of Warm + Cold
Contrast of Saturation

The contrast between between pure

colors and and diluted colors.

The four corners are neutral gray in

the same value as the pure color.
Color Vibration

This is sometimes referred to

as figure-ground effect. It is a
perceptual phenomenon that
causes some colors to appear
bigger or more vibrant when
placed against other colors.

They have the same value so

they appear to move.
Examples