Objectives
- Explain meaning of different colors
- Understand how color influences human behavior
- Describe the relationships between colors on color wheel
- Give examples of color harmonies
- Plan pleasing color harmonies
Understanding Color
- Color is a property of light
- It can help create certain moods by communicating different emotions
- Each color has certain psychological effects
Colors & Their Meaning
- Red – power, danger, fire
- Too much in a room can be overpowering
- Orange – cheerful, warm, energetic
- Yellow – happy, friendly, cheerful
- Too much can be distracting
- Green – refreshing, friendly, peaceful
- Associated with good luck and hope
- Blue – cool, quiet, reserved
- Associated with serenity & formality
- Violet – color of royalty, dignified & dramatic
- Black – sophisticated & mysterious
- White – fresh, peaceful, pure
- More information HERE
Color Spectrum
- The Color Spectrum is the full range of all existing colors
- The number of colors is unlimited, but 10 million have been identified
- Spectral colors are produced by a beam of white light passing through a prism
- This happens in nature as a rainbow
- Example HERE
The Color Wheel
- The Color Wheel is a tool used to understand the basis of color relationships
- There are many types of color wheels, but usually they all show 3 important types of colors:
- Primary – basic colors that cannot be made by mixing other colors together (red, blue, yellow)
- Secondary – colors made by mixing 2 primaries
- Intermediate (tertiary) – made by mixing a primary & secondary; named after the 2 hues that made them
- Examples HERE and HERE
Color Characteristics
- Each color has 3 characteristics:
- Hue – the name of the color
- Value – the relative lightness or darkness of a color
- Yellow has the lightest normal value & violet has the darkest
- A tint is a lighter version of a hue, made by adding white; pink is a tint of red
- A shade is a darker version of a hue, made by adding black; maroon is a shade of red
- Example of tint HERE
- Example of shade HERE (bottom half of chart only)
- Intensity – the brightness or dullness of a hue
- A hue can be made dull by mixing its compliment – the color opposite of it on the color wheel
- Example HERE
Warm Colors
- Colors can be classified as either warm or cool
- Warm colors include yellow, orange, and red and colors near them
- They are called warm because they remind us of heat and fire
- Warm colors are also called advancing colors because they appear closer to you
- Warm colors can make you feel happy & energetic; studies have shown that red can actually increase your blood pressure & heartbeats
Warm/Cool
- Warm colors are vivid and energetic
- Cool colors are calm and soothing
Cool Colors
- Cool colors include blue, green, and violet and the colors around them
- They are called cool because they remind you of water, grass, and trees
- They are also called receding colors because they make objects seem smaller and farther away
- Cool colors are often used in hospitals since they help people feel calm and relaxed
Color Harmonies
- A color harmony is a pleasing combination of colors based on their respective positions on the color wheel
- There are 7 basic harmonies:
- Monochromatic
- Analogous
- Complementary
- Split-complementary
- Triadic
- Double complementary
- Neutral
Monochromatic
- Monochromatic color harmony uses one single hue from the color wheel
- Variation is achieved by changing the value and intensity of the hue
- (EXAMPLE)
Analogous
- Analogous harmonies use colors that are next to each other on the color wheel
- Usually 3-5 colors are used
- Since the colors are related they blend well together
- This color harmony is often found in nature as well
- When using this harmony it is best to pick one hue as the dominant color and use smaller amounts of the other hues to add interest
- (EXAMPLE)
Complementary
- Complementary harmonies use two colors positioned opposite each other
- These colors make each other seem more vibrant when paired
- (EXAMPLE)
Split-complementary
- Split-complement harmonies use one hue with the 2 hues next to its complement
- Example: If you select green, the other hues would be red-violet and red-orange
- (EXAMPLE)
Double-complementary
- A double-complementary harmony is using two hues and their complements
- In this way, 4 colors are used
- (EXAMPLE)
Triadic
- Triadic harmonies use and 3 colors that are equally spaced on the color wheel
- This harmony can produce sharp contrasts so usually two of the colors are made less intense
- (EXAMPLE)
Neutral
- Neutral color harmonies use black and white instead of hues from the color wheel
- This harmony uses black/white/gray or sometimes brown/tan/beige
- Small amounts of other colors are sometimes added for interest
- (EXAMPLE)
Using Color Harmonies
- Color harmonies can be used to create color schemes – color selected for the design of a room or house
- A well-planned color scheme will use harmonies to unify the design of the home as you move from one room to another
Choosing the Right Colors
- The colors you choose for a home depend on a few different factors:
- Mood & style
- Lifestyles of family members
- Items in the room
- Location of the room
Mood & Style
- Colors can be used to create specific moods as seen earlier
- Different styles, such as southwestern or country, call for specific colors as well
- A southwestern room usually has warm desert colors
Lifestyles
- Choosing colors can also depend on the lifestyles of the household members
- For kids you might choose darker colors & shades that don’t show dirt
- Kids rooms also use more primary colors because they are more intense
- Rooms for adults usually use less intense colors
Items in the Room
- Colors can also be chosen based on other items in a room
- There may be a large rug, a couch, or painting in the room that you can build a color scheme around
- You would select one color from the item and use it as the main color for your scheme
Location of the Room
- The direction the room faces will impact your color scheme
- Light from the sun looks different depending on which way the room faces & some colors may look different
- Also consider the color schemes of the adjoining rooms
- Similar colors can be used in different rooms
Some Guidelines
- Color seems to gain intensity over large areas
- Colors chosen from paint chips may appear too dark or intense when put on a wall
- Contrasting colors draw attention
- Color harmonies look better when one color, the base, dominates
- Select low-intensity colors for large areas of the room
- Textured surfaces make colors appear darker
- For a small room, chose colors that will make it seem larger & vice versa
