Colour Theory and Colour Emotions For Design Exams

Color Theory and
Emotions
What is color
Color is what the human eyes see when light is reflected off
an object.
• When light shines on an object, some colors bounce off the
object and others are absorbed by it. Our eyes only see the
colors that are bounced off or reflected.
• The Sun’s rays contain all the colors of the rainbow mixed
together. This mixture is known as white light. When white
light strikes a white object, it appears white to us because it
absorbs no color and reflects all color equally. A black object
absorbs all colors equally and reflects none, so it looks black
to us.
What is Light
• Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation within the portion of

the electromagnetic spectrum that can be perceived by the human eye.
• Light is defined as the electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths

between 380 and 750 nm which is visible to the human eye. Visible
light is having wavelengths in the range of 400– 700 nanometers.
WAVE LENGTH IN NANOMETER
How do we perceive a color
• As strange as it sounds, objects themselves don’t have color. They
have properties that determine which all wavelengths of light are
absorbed, and which are reflected. It is the mixture of the reflected
light that enters our eyes and gives us the perception of color.
• Example - Think about a red car under a streetlight. All the colors
from the halogen light are shining on it, yet we only see red. That’s
because the car’s paint absorb the green and blue rays of the white
light and reflects the red. When you look at the car, your retina
perceives the reflected red light and sends a message to the brain: This
car is red.
Color Wheel
• The color wheel was invented in 1666 by Isaac Newton, who mapped the
color spectrum onto a circle. The color wheel is the basis of color theory,
because it shows the relationship between colors.
• There are two types of color wheel

1) ADDITIVE color WHEEL
2) SUBTRACTIVE color WHEEL
Classification of color Wheel
Additive Color
Theory Color vision in humans is based on the additive color theory.
This theory states that all perceivable colors can be made by mixing
different amounts of red, green, and blue light, the primary colors of
the additive color system.
Equal amounts of the three primaries give the sensation of white,
while the absence of additive primaries is black.
Subtractive Color Theory
• When we mix colors using paint, or through the printing process, we
are using the subtractive color method.
• Subtractive color mixing means that one begins with white and ends
with black; as one adds color, the result gets darker and tends to
become black. For all practical purpose in art , we study only the
PIGMENT colors i.e. the SUBTRACTIVE colors.
CMYK color wheel
The CMYK color model (also known as process color, or four color) is
a subtractive color model, based on the CMY color model, used in color
printing, and is also used to describe the printing process
itself. CMYK refers to the four ink plates used in some color
printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black).
The CMYK model works by partially or entirely masking colors on a lighter,

usually white, background. The ink reduces the light that would otherwise
be reflected. Such a model is called subtractive because inks "subtract" the
colors red, green and blue from white light. White light minus red leaves
cyan, white light minus green leaves magenta, and white light minus blue
leaves yellow.
In additive color models, such as RGB, white is the "additive" combination

of all primary colored lights, black is the absence of light. In the CMYK
model, it is the opposite: white is the natural color of the paper or other
background, black results from a full combination of colored inks. To save
cost on ink, and to produce deeper black tones, unsaturated and dark
colors are produced by using black ink instead of the combination of cyan,
magenta, and yellow.
Color Classification based on
Subtractive Colors
1. Primary colors
2. Secondary colors
3. Tertiary colors
4. Warm colors
5. Cool colors
6. Complementary colors
7. Split complementary colors
8. Analogous colors
1.Primary colors
• Colors which cannot be made by
mixing any other colors. Eg. Blue,
Yellow & Red
2.Secondary colors
Colors which are formed by mixing any two
primary colors. Eg. Violet, Green and Orange
Green=yellow+ blue Orange=yellow +red Violet=red
+blue
Tertiary colors
Tertiary color is a mixture of any two secondary
colors. The secondary colors are Violet, Green and
Orange (V, G, and O)
1. V+G = TERTIARY colors = (R+B)+(B+Y) = 2BYR
2. O+V = TERTIARY colors = (R+Y)+(R+B) = 2RYB
3. G+O=TERTIARY colors = (B+Y)+(Y+R)=2YBR

Qualifiaction of colors
Based on the properties of colors, they can also be qualified
as HOT/WARM, COOL and NEUTRAL colors.
1) HOT/WARM colors:
Hot or Warm colors are the
colors which give a feel of
warmth by looking at them.
• Example: Yellow, Orange,
and Red as they remind of
Sun and fire etc.
2) Cool colors
The colors which give a
feel of calm and cool by
looking at them.
Example: Violet, Blue

and Green as they
remind of Water and
Grass etc.
Neutral colors
Neutral colors means “No color” but technically they
do have some color into them.
• Example: White, beige, tan, brown, gray, taupe, and
black.
• These colors are very light and do not catch your
eye,
rather they blend into background.
• They can also be categorized into Warm Neutral,
e.g.,
BROWNS, TANS, GOLDS, BEIGE, AND BLACK, and
• Cool neutral colors, e.g., shades of WHITE, CREAM,
IVORY, GRAY, AND SILVER.
Color Harmony:
Different Color harmonies have been identified using many color combinations and finding their reason of
causing attraction to human eyes.
Complementary colors
• Complementary colors are opposite colors on color
wheel.
• They can also be defined as pairs of colors which,
when combined or mixed, cancel each other out
(lose hue) by producing a grayscale color like white
or black.
• When placed next to each other, they create the
strongest contrast for those two colors.
• Complementary colors may also be called
"opposite colors."
Split Complementary Colors
• Split complementary colors are the side-by
colors of the complementary colors of a given
color .
• Example: Blue and red are split
complementary
color for yellow.
• Similarly, violet and orange are split
complementary
colors for green.
Analogous colors
• the color grouping has similarities.
• These color scheme types have close
relationships to one another.
• examples : Yellow, yellow-green, green. Violet,
red-violet, and red
• Analogous colors are all the same hue, but vary
in value from light to dark and include tints, tones,
and shades.
• colors which are close together on the color
wheel.
Triadic colors
• All triadic color examples consist of three colors that are evenly spaced out on the traditional color wheel.
• Black and/or white may also be present within a triadic harmony.

• A traditionally-balanced triadic color scheme focuses on one dominant color, with the other two evenly
spaced colors both serving as accents.
1.Red, Yellow, Blue
2.Red-orange, Yellow-green, Blue-violet
3.Orange, Green, Violet
4.Yellow-orange, Blue-green, Red-violet.
triadic
Tetradic color
• A special variant of the dual color scheme, with the equal distance between all colors.
• All four colors are distributed evenly around the color wheel, causing there is no clear dominance of
one color.
• Examples : Red, green, blue-purple, and yellow-orange. Yellow, purple, blue-green, and red-orange.
• The rectangle color scheme is a four-color
combination consisting of a base color and three
colors that are 60 degrees, 180 degrees, and 240
degrees apart from the base color.
• Rectangle color schemes work best when one color

is dominant.
Square colors
• In a Square color harmony we use a combination of four colors equally
spaced around the color wheel. For example: orange, yellow-green,
blue and violet.
• These colors form a square on the color wheel, with each color being
spaced two colors apart from the the other colors.
Emotion depiction
Color and emotions
Questions
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A SHADES?
-ANY COLOR PLUS BLACK

-ANY COLOR PLUS GREY
-ANY COLOR PLUS WHITE
-ANYCOLOR PLUS HUE
What color is associated with anger?
- YELLOW
- RED
What color is associated with fear?
-Black
-Pink
-Blue
-Red
What is an example of complimentary colors?
-Red and Violet
-Yellow and Violet
-Violet and blue
-Red and Orange

What is Color?
-Color is an Element of Art
-Color is reflected light into the eye
-Color is spectrum of light
-All of the above Todo

What is Hue?
-Pure Color
-Color + white
-Color + Black
-Primary Color + Primary Color

Which is the example of concentric circles?
● What color scheme is this an most the example of?
● Warm Colors
● Cool Colors
● Complimentary Colors
● Analogous Colors
What is the complementary color of yellow?
answer choices
-Green
-Orange
-Violet
-Red
Reds, Yellows, and Oranges depict feelings of heat, passion,
and intensity. These colors are also known as:
-Cool Colors
-Primary Colors
-Secondary Colors
-Warm Colors
What color shceme is this?
Primary
Monochromatic
Neutral
Analogous
What is the purpose of this palette?
select a filter
to arrange images
to select colors
select a gradient
Violet represents...
Strength
Envy
Royalty
Happiness
Orange represents...
Love
Envy
Attraction
Tenderness
When white is added to a color the emotional meaning…
becomes stronger
does not change
becomes softer
remains the same

In this example, blue is associated with which emotion?
alternatives
sad
depression
melancholy
In this example, black is associated with which idea?
alternatives
sophistication
classy
elegant
Define the Picture Emotion
Surprize
Notwell
Sad

Colour Theory and Colour Emotions For Design Exams

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Colour Theory and Colour Emotions For Design Exams

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Colour Theory and Colour Emotions For Design Exams

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Color Theory and

• Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation within the portion of

• Light is defined as the electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths

• There are two types of color wheel

The CMYK model works by partially or entirely masking colors on a lighter,

In additive color models, such as RGB, white is the "additive" combination

1. V+G = TERTIARY colors = (R+B)+(B+Y) = 2BYR

2. O+V = TERTIARY colors = (R+Y)+(R+B) = 2RYB

3. G+O=TERTIARY colors = (B+Y)+(Y+R)=2YBR

Example: Violet, Blue

• Black and/or white may also be present within a triadic harmony.

• Rectangle color schemes work best when one color

-ANY COLOR PLUS BLACK

-Red and Violet

-Yellow and Violet

-Violet and blue

-Red and Orange

-Color is an Element of Art

-Color is reflected light into the eye

-Color is spectrum of light

-All of the above Todo

-Primary Color + Primary Color

does not change

remains the same

You might also like