Scribd
Upload
29 views13 pages

Colortheory

Uploaded by

Jade Lacson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
29 views13 pages

Colortheory

Uploaded by

Jade Lacson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 13

Basic Color Theory

Basic Interior design Principles


By cbpascual
The Color Wheel
• The color wheel is divided into
three categories: primary,
secondary, and tertiary. The three
primary colors are red, yellow and
blue. These colors are considered
to be foundation colors because
they are used to create all other
colors. By combining two of the
primary colors, three secondary
colors are formed. They are
orange, green and violet. The six
tertiary colors are made by
combining a primary and an
adjacent secondary color. These
colors are red-orange, red-violet,
yellow-green, yellow-orange,
blue-green and blue-violet.
Categories of Colors
• Colors are also divided into
cool and warm categories.
• The cool colors are green,
blue and violet.
• Warm colors are red,
orange and yellow.
What decorators mean when they use
these color terms :
• HUE
• Each section in the color wheel is called a hue. To change a hue
another color ( not white, black or pure gray ) must be added to
it. Every hue has a different wavelength from every other hue.
Mixed with its complement equally it produces gray
• PRIMARY COLORS
• It is also called “normal” also “fundamental” . Primaries are the
three pigment colors which cannot be produced by any mixture
of other pigments. These are red like that of a geranium flower,
yellow like that of ripe lemons, blue like the deep clear hue of a
sunny southern sky.
• SECONDARY COLORS
• Secondaries are the three colors which are produced by mixing
two of the three primaries in equal amounts.
• RED + YELLOW = ORANGE
• RED + BLUE = VIOLET
• YELLOW + BLUE = GREEN
What decorators mean when they use
these color terms :
• TERTIARY COLORS
• Tertiary are the three colors produced by mixing a primary with
a secondary, the exact shade shade depending upon the
proportion.
• RED + ORANGE = RUSSET, BURNT ORANGE, CORAL
• RED + PURPLE = MULBERRY, AMETHYST ORCHID
• BLUE + PURPLE = HELIOTROPE,PERIWINKLE, LAVANDER
• Mixtures of complimentaries not included because these
produce shades of gray - a neutral.
• COMPLEX COLORS
• All colors which are made up of more complicated mixtures than
those producing secondary and tertiary colors are called
complex.
• NEUTRAL COLORS
• Black and white are considered neutral. Also all those tints and
shades in which tones of gray or brown predominate.
• TINTS
• The light tones resulting
when white is mixed with a
color. Much white makes a
color cold
• SHADES
• The dark tones resulting
when black is mixed with a
color. Much black deadens
the color.
What decorators mean when they use
these color terms :
• TONE
• Each hue has many tones. By tone - or tonal value - we mean the
relative strength of the hue as it approaches black or white at the
opposite ends of the value scale. Mixed with white, a color is “pale”
in tone; mixed with black, It is dark in tone.
• CHROMA
• This term is used interchangeably with value , tonal value, and
intensity. The chroma of a color such as yellow is “light” ; the
chroma of a color such as Navy blue is “dark” .
• LUMINOSITY
• This term is used to describe a quality of warm clear colors in light
reflecting tones and finishes, such as light golden-yellow. Clear
white is also luminous. Literally “luminous” are only metals in gold,
silver,etc.
Color Schemes
• RELATED SCHEMES
• MONOCHROMATIC
• This color scheme uses a single hue. (example: red and its varying
tints and shades)
• ANALOGOUS
• This scheme uses adjacent hues. (example: red, red-orange, and
red-violet)

• CONTRASTING SCHEMES
• COMPLEMENTARY
• If two hues are opposite each other on the color wheel they are
considered to be complementary colors. When used
together in a design they make each other seem brighter and
more intense. (example: red and green)
Split Complementary
• This color scheme uses three
colors: any hue and the two
adjacent to its complement.
(example: red, yellow-green,
and blue-green)
Triadic
• This scheme also uses three
colors. They are evenly
spaced from each other.
(example: red, yellow, and
blue)
DISCORTING SCHEMES
Double Complement
• This color scheme uses two
pairs of complements.
(example: yellow and violet,
blue and orange)
Alternate Complement
• This scheme uses four
colors: a triad and a
complement to one of the
hues. (example: red, yellow,
blue and violet)
Tetrad
• This scheme uses four
colors evenly spaced on the
color wheel. A primary,
secondary and two tertiary
colors are used. (example:
red, green, yellow-orange,
and blue-violet)

You might also like