THEORY OF COLORS
color wheel
Third grade
2nd lecture
Shaymaa Jalil
17, Oct. 2023
Color theory
GREEN
Color theory: is the study of how colors (primary and Y
secondary colors) work together and how they affect our
emotions and perceptions. C W RED
RGB
Modern color theory : Digital designers may be more
M
familiar with an RGB color model with red, green and blue BLUE
to mix light. Cyan Magenta Yellow Black, or CMYK, are the
four basic colors to print images, and, as subtractive colors,
get darker when blended.
Color mixing models MAGENTA
M
There are two theories of color mixing models , They are:
1. Additive theory(RGB). For light B B YELLOW
CMYK
2. Subtractive theory (CMYK). For print G
CYAN
1. Additive theory(RGB)
The additive, or light theory deals with radiated and
filtered light.
• In this process color is created by adding lighting colors
(red, green & blue) to dark background. And in between
shades will be the secondary colors like Cyan (C),
Magenta (M), yellow (Y) .
• When all three of the colors are combined and displayed
to their fullest extent, the result is a pure white color.
When combined to their lowest degree, the resulting
color is black.
• Photo editing programs always allow the use of RGB
colors as these offer the widest range of colors.
• The main purpose of the additive colors or light Theory
is for their presentation of colored images and
illustrations in electronic systems, such as televisions,
computers, cellphones, web colors and video projectors.
2. Subtractive theory (CYMK).
The subtractive, or pigment theory deals with how white
light is absorbed and reflected by colored surfaces.
• In this process color is created by adding painting colors
(Cyan, Magenta, yellow) with black to a background. And
in between shades will be the colors like red, green and
blue.
• Used in inks for printing with a black (K) color added ,
because (CMY) pigments and inks rarely give deep, rich
black tones by themselves (they tend to make a muddy
brown) this case related to printing machines.
• Colored Pigments absorb light and reflect only the
frequency of the pigment color.
• Subtractive or Pigment theory is used in printing and
painting.
Color wheel
The color wheel is a visual representation of color theory.
It is one of the basic tools for combining colors, it
represents an organization of hues around a circle, which
shows the relationship between primary colors, secondary
colors, and tertiary colors.
The most common color wheel is consist of (12) hues.
Color wheel consists of:
1. Primary colors
2. Secondary colors
3. Tertiary colors
1. Primary colors
• Group of colors Red, Yellow, Blue (RYB) which represent
the hues that form color wheel base.
• These basic colors can be mixed to produce all other
colors.
• The primary colors cannot be made by combining other
colors.
2. Secondary colors
• Colors that are made by mixing two adjacent primary
colors by 50 percent from each color.
Cyan (Blue) + Magenta (Red) = Violet (purple)
Magenta(Red) + Yellow = Orange
Yellow + Cyan (Blue) = Green
3. Tertiary colors
• Intermediate or Tertiary colors are created by mixing a
primary and a secondary color .
• for example , the tertiary color is produced when mixing
the primary color( blue) with the secondary color
(green) ,is called blue- green.
Color wheel Applications in Architecture
1. “DE STIJL or THE STYLE” art movement :
It used the primary colors (red, yellow and blue) used in
design that have widely varying effects. Used in small dose
to create a powerful visual tool. It can evoke nostalgia for
the 1960’s.
Color wheel Applications in Architecture
2. POMPIDOU CENTRE :
Is a complex building in Paris, functioning as the largest museum for modern art in Europe. The strong
presence of color is one of the key features of the Centre.
Four bold colours, blue, red, yellow and green, enliven its facades and outline its structure according to a
color code devised by the architects:
Blue for air flows
(air-conditioning)
Yellow for electricity
Green for water circuits
Red for pedestrian flow
(escalators and lifts)
Hue
• Another name for color .
• A hue is the purest form of a color.
• Hues are colors that have not been mixed with white,
gray, or black.
Value
• Has to do with how dark or light the color is, ranging
from black to white.
• It gives us many different shades, from a deep reddish
brown to a light pastel pink.
• Value is Refers to the lightness or darkness of a color.
Saturation
Refers to intensity—in other words, whether the color
appears more subtle or more vibrant. Highly saturated
colors are brighter or richer. Desaturated colors have less
pigment.
1. Tint
• Result of adding more white to an existing color.
• The hue mixed with just a touch of white or with so
Value
much white that the hue is very faint.
Tint Shade
2. Shade
• A shade is the hue mixed with black.
• The hue mixed with just a touch of Black or more.
Tone
• It showed When a pigment hue is “toned,” both white
Saturation
and black (gray) are added to the color to reduce the
color’s saturation.
• A tone is the hue mixed with any amount of gray.
Tone
Thank You
Class work
Creating different values of colors
Create some values, tints and
Choose different hues tone of the chosen hues
1.5cm
4.0cm 1.5cm
2.5cm
1.0cm
0.8cm
2.5cm
