Color Theory (Q3) Flashcards
Wavelength in relation to frequency
Wavelength defines the
frequency of the electromagnetic wave
How is wavelength measured?
- Wavelength is measured from
crest to crest - The longer the wavelength is
the lower the frequency - The shorter the wavelength is
the higher the frequency
How is frequency measured?
- Frequency is measured in
number of cycles per second - The higher number of cycles
that “fit” into one second
creates a higher frequency - Shorter wavelengths will allow
more cycles to “fit” into that
one second of time
Which of visible lights has the lowest frequency?
Red
Which of visible lights has the highest frequency?
Violet
What does infrared mean?
Below red
What does ultraviolet mean?
above violet
What is white light?
All color frequencies are being observed simultaneously
What receptors are in the retina?
rods and cones
What are rods?
parts of the eyes that respond to degrees of lights (grayscale)
What are cones?
- Parts of the eyes that perceive color
- three types of cones: red, green, blue
What are the primary colors?
- red, green and blue
- no colors can be mixed together to create the three colors
- they are also the colors the cone receptors have
What are the prang system primary colors?
- Red, yellow, blue
What is the difference between the primary color system and the prang color system?
- Primary: being emitted
(when they are the source of light) stage lighting - Prang: being reflected
(color of material being seen) painting
Secondary Colors of the Prang Color Wheel
- two primary colors are mixed they create a new color
- Orange, green, violet
Intermediate Color
- A primary and a secondary color
- The naming of intermediate
colors is done by putting the
primary color name first,
and the secondary color
name second - yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, red-violet, red-orange, yellow-orange
Complements
- Colors which are opposite from
each other on the wheel - When these two colors seen together, they complement one another
Non-Complementary
Colors which are not
complements will “clash” when
seen next to each other
Complements of primary colors
- The complement of any primary color is a secondary color
- This secondary color is created by the remaining two primary colors
Ex. Blue, complement is orange,
orange is made by red and yellow
Split Complement
Two colors adjacent to the complementary color are the split complement of a color
Triad Color Scheme
Three colors evenly spaced
on the color wheel
ex. red, yellow and blue are a triad
Tetrad Color Scheme
- Combination of four colors
- Two colors and their complements
- can make a “square” on the color wheel
Analogous Colors
- A set of three colors: one
primary OR secondary color,
and the two intermediate
colors on either side of the
first color - These three colors all share
one color in common
ex. Orange, Yellow-orange, and red-orange
Temperature
- Each color gives a natural “feel” of temperature- warm, or cool
- Warm: Yellow, Yellow-Orange, Orange, Red-Orange, Red, Red-Violet
- Cool: Yellow-Green, Green, Blue-Green, Blue, Blue-Violet, Violet
What is the warmest color?
Orange
What is the coolest color?
Blue
What colors must be added to cause a color to “warm up”
yellow or red
Temperature and Complements
each color’s complement will be
the opposite “temperature”
ex. red’s complement is green: red is warm, green is cool
Three Dimensions of Color
- Hue
- Value
- Intensity
What is hue?
Hue is the color
What is value?
- Value is the level of light or dark
- how much white or black is added
Ex. red + white = pink
red + black = maroon
What does white do to the value of a color?
When white is added, a tint is made
What does black do to the value of a color?
When black is added, a shade is made
What is intensity?
- Intensity is the saturation
- How much gray is added
- gray is equal parts black and white
What does gray do to the intensity of a color?
Makes the color lose intensity
What does the addition of gray do to the intensity of a color?
When gray is added, a tone is made
Easy way to remember the products of the dimensions of color
Hue = color
Tint = color + white
Tone = color + gray
Shade = color + black
What does monochromatic mean?
- Means “one color”
- A set of tints, tones, and shades of one hue
What does Achromatic mean?
- Means “without color”
- A scale of white, gray and black
Tertiary Colors
A color made from two secondary colors
Ex. Brown= orange and green
Pigment
- Pigments are imperfect
human-made materials/colors - Mixing pigments in reality
may not match up perfectly
with mixing theory - They may react with each other
differently or react with light differently
