Lessons

Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666.

 The Color Wheel describes the relationships between colors. It is laid out so that any two

 PRIMARY COLORS (red, yellow, blue) are separated by the SECONDARY COLORS (orange,

 violet, and green).

 Primary Colors are basic and cannot be mixed from other elements. They are to color what prime numbers are to mathematics.

One can mix two primaries to get a Secondary Color. You will notice that each Secondary Color on the Color Wheel is bounded by two primaries. These are the components that one would mix to get that Secondary Color.

 Color Complements are color opposites. These colors contrast each other in the most extreme

 way possible. They also help to make each other more active. Color Complements are on opposite sides of the Color Wheel.

 Hint: All colors travel in waves within light. Color Complements have drastically different

 wavelengths and, consequently, cause some perception problems for a viewer if they are placed

 close to each other in a work of art. The cones and rods of the eye cannot handle so much

 information, so we sometimes detect a quivering or optical distortion when two complements are used near each other.

 Color that we see is the result of a part of the visible spectrum that is reflected. We see yellow

 because only that part of the spectrum is reflected. Black occurs because all the colors of the

 spectrum are absorbed rather than being reflected. There is the opposite result when all

 primaries are mixed in light.

 This process is also called subtractive color mixing and it is used in pigment and in commercial

 printing processes

 Color in pigment is reliant on light. It depends on the reflection of the specific color. White light is a mixture of all colors and when a color is present only that color is being reflected. For example, in red pigment, all other colors except red are absorbed. Red is reflected and this is what the eye perceives.

Optical color mixing is created through our perception of color. When one looks at two small amounts of different colors laid down side by side the two appear to create a different color. This color is usually something similar to the result when the two are mixed in pigment. The only difference is that when two colors are mixed in pigment, they lose some of their intensity. When two colors mix optically, they retain their intensity and they sometimes appear brighter.

 This type of color mixing was practiced by the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. The best

 example is work by the Pointillists (Georges Seurat being the most recognizable) who laid down

 small dots of different colors and allowed the viewer to optically mix them. A good specific example of this is in Seurat's The Side Show.

 A similar example of this process occurs in color newspaper photos. If you look at a color

 newspaper photograph using a magnifying glass, you will see not a solid color, but small dots

 which, when optically mixed, create other colors. Although this process is subtractive and the

 Impressionists worked additively, the visual effect is largely the same.

Color Harmony

Harmony can be defined as a pleasing arrangement of parts, whether it be music, poetry, color, or even an ice cream sundae.

In visual experiences, harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye. It engages the viewer

 and it creates an inner sense of order, a balance in the visual experience. When something is

 not harmonious, it's either boring or chaotic. At one extreme is a visual experience that is so

 bland that the viewer is not engaged. The human brain will reject under-stimulating information.

 At the other extreme is a visual experience that is so overdone, so chaotic that the viewer can't stand to look at it. The human brain rejects what it can not organize, what it can not

 understand. The visual task requires that we present a logical structure. Color harmony delivers

 visual interest and a sense of order.

In summary, extreme unity leads to under-stimulation, extreme complexity leads to over-stimulation. Harmony is a dynamic equilibrium.

Colors express many emotional, often subliminal messages - that is, we are often unaware of the message that color conveys. In many respects, its subconscious nature makes color a more powerful messenger than words. Let's look at some of the ways color can be used to convey messages.

Primary, Secondary, and Intermediate

Primary colors are seen as bold and direct, especially in high levels of

saturation. They are often used for children and young people.

Secondary colors can also be viewed as bold in high levels of saturation, but they have a somewhat less direct appeal.

Intermediate colors are seen as more complex and provide greater subtlety, especially when used in lower levels of saturation.

Color Temperature

Colors give varying feelings of warmth and coolness