Color Rules of Thumb

These are rules of thumb about color that you may find helpful.

Colors may appear different from those created with pigments.

Color Abstractions - This assignment provides students the opportunity to see color through the exploration of different art movements, periods, and artists to find a style or genre that they would like to emulate.

Compositional Effects of Color | Uses and Psychological Effects | Printing and Computer Color | Spot Color | Color Study Chart - thanks to Laura Hill at Coronado High School from whom I borrowed much of the following information.

Color Schemes

Monochromatic - One color. A monochromatic color scheme uses only one hue (color) and all values (shades, adding black; tones, adding gray; or tints, adding white) of it for a unifying and harmonious effect. Gives the illusion of form, dimension and depth.

Tamara de Lempicka - Marquis Sommi - 1925 -
http://cgfa.sunsite.dk/lempicka/p-lempick2.htm

Value refers to the lightness and darkness of a color. For example, if light falls on a green ball the part of the ball nearest the light will be lightest in value because it reflects the most light. The part of the ball opposite the light will be the deepest in the shadow and thus darkest in value.

Remember - you can also change the value of a color by adding black (shade), or white (tint), or gray (tone). As white is added to a color it becomes "higher" in value (lighter). As black is added it becomes "lower" in value (darker).

Use values that are close together to give the design a calm appearance.

Use values of pure hues as well as those of tints and shades to create movement.

Use value contrasts to show texture and as an effective means of directing viewer attention in a composition.

Remember that value is the relationship of light to dark.

: Katya - Katya 3 - 2002- Based on color theory of Josef Albers
http://www.marymount.k12.ny.us/marynet/TeacherResources/summer/html/albers2.htm
for more of her work see: http://www.marymount.k12.ny.us/marynet/TeacherResources/summer/html/katya.htm

Red	Any of various colors resembling the color of blood; the primary color at one extreme end of the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 610 and 780 nm. (Webster's, p.1614). Increases pulse rate and breathing and causes blood pressure to rise. Infants and children respond well to red. Red is for the amorous, outspoken, and optimistic. People who love red, love life. The food color. Ever notice that restaurants use red a lot? It makes you hungry by increasing your body's metabolism. Hot, passionate, urgent, danger, blood, devil, angry, enraged, amorous, outspoken, optimistic
Yellow	A color like that of egg yolk, ripe lemons, etc.; the primary color between green and orange in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 570 and 590 nm. (Webster's, p.2201). The color of the sunny disposition, the idealist. Intellectuals love yellow. It takes more chemicals in the eye to see the color yellow. Yellow can have some negative effects -- babies cry more often and longer in yellow rooms; in convalescent homes it makes older people shake as it affects their minor motor movement. As you get older you tend to dislike yellow because it can make you feel anxious or angry. Yellow enhances concentration and speeds metabolism. Warm, cowardice, caution, fearful, bright
Blue	The pure color of a clear sky; the primary color between green and violet in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 450 and 500 nm. (Webster's, p.228). The number one color choice of the introspective and educated. Blue causes the brain to send off 11 chemical tranquilizers and is a wonderful calming color. or Pumps people up. Proven to increase energy. Weight lifters should lift in a blue room. Production people will produce more in a blue room. Not a good color for hospitals. Responsibility, trustworthiness, compassion, those are the attributes of royal blue. Honest, integrity, righteous, puritantical, moral, severe, prudish, cool, melancholy, sad, glum, downcast, gloomy, unhappy, quality, first place
Orange	A color between yellow and red in the spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 590 and 610 nm; reddish yellow. A secondary color that has been formed by the mixture of red and yellow pigments (Webster's, p.1361). Not a color that everyone loves, but those who do are generally social and fun loving. Confident, creative, adventurous, fun loving, sociable Top
Green	A color intermediate in the spectrum between yellow and blue, an effect of light with a wavelength between 500 and 570 nm.; found in nature as the color of most grasses and leaves while growing, of some fruits while ripening, and of the sea. A secondary color that has been formed by the mixture of blue and yellow pigments (Webster's, p.837). A good color for people in transition. Green is Mother Nature's color, lover's of green may be fickle. The money color--bound to influence. In Celtic myths the Green man was the God of fertility. Universal symbolism: Nature, freshness Contemporary symbolism: Ecologically beneficial Nature, health, regeneration, contentment, harmony,cheerful, lively, friendly, fresh, sickly, unripe, immature, simple, unsophisticated, gullible, new
Purple	Any color having components of both red and blue, such as lavender, esp. one deep in tone (Webster's, p.1569). The color of fantasy. Most men dislike purple. Royalty, intelligence, wealth, beauty, inspiration, sophistication, high rank, exalted, imperial, princely, excessively ornate rhetoric, profane, shocking
Gray	Of a color between white and black; having a neutral hue (Webster's, p.834). A good color for offices. It promotes productivity and stimulates creativity. Neutral, ambiguous, intermediate, apathetic, dull, drab, monotonous, mature, sober, somber, mousy, smoky Top
Black	Lacking hue and brightness; absorbing light without reflecting any of the rays composing it. The color at one extreme end of the scale of grays, opposite to white (Webster's, p.216). Produces a feeling of solidarity and formality. Black is a natural classic. The color of authority and power, yet also implies submission. Aloof, evil, death, unknown, fear, mystery, dark, night, sad, murky, sinful, inhuman, fiendish, devilish, infernal, monstrous, horrible, nefarious, treacherous, traitorous, villainous, depressing, somber, doleful, mournful, funereal, disastrous, calamitous, harmful, deliberate, pessimistic, dismal, hostile, threatening, wicked, disgrace, morbid, grotesque, undesirable, dangerous, false
White	A color without hue at one extreme end of the scale of grays, opposite to black. A white surface reflects light of all hues completely and diffusely. Most so-called whites are very light grays: fresh snow, for example, reflects about 80 percent of the incident light, but to be strictly white, snow would have to reflect 100 percent of the incident light. It is the ultimate limit of a series of shades of any color (Webster's, p.2167). Never underestimate the power of this super neutral. It works with any other color, in any context, anywhere. One color plus white equals an almost foolproof color scheme. White would be an inappropriate color for a wedding in China. It is the color of mourning. If a bride chooses a white wedding gown, her parents would probably not allow her to get married. Innocence, purity, virginal, sterility, fairness, snow, frost, milk, ghostly, ultraconservative, blank, empty, transparent, honorable, dependable, auspicious, fortunate, harmless
Pink	A color varying from light crimson to pale reddish purple (Webster's, p.1472). Makes one feel prosperous, a bit pampered. "Baker Miller" pink (deep shade of pink, similar to Pepto Bismol) is used in jail holding cells to calm prisoners. Pink is also used to treat patients suffering from headache disorders. Femininity, sweetness, prime, left-wing
Brown	A dark tertiary color with a yellowish or reddish hue (Webster's, p.267). Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors. Earth, nature, dirt, tanned, drab, coffee, solid, sad