Colour Theory

Question 1

Define Primary Colours

Answer 1

• Are blue red and yellow
• These colours cannot be created by mixing any colours together
• Represent colours/hues in their purest form

Question 2

Define secondary colours

Answer 2

• Are Green, Orange and Violet

- These colours are created by mixing equal amounts of two of the primary colours

Question 3

Define Tertiary or Intermediate colours

Answer 3

• The six tertiary (intermediate) colours are red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet and red-violet.
• tertiary colours are created by mixing equal amounts of one primary and its related secondary colour together.
• these colours list the primary colour used first, the secondary second.

Question 4

How many colours are on the colour wheel?

Answer 4

There are 12 colours on the colour wheel

Question 5

How do you mix secondary colours?

Answer 5

Orange : created with equal amounts of yellow and red
Green : created with equal amounts of yellow and blue
Violet : created with equal amounts of blue and red

Question 6

How do you mix tertiaries (intermediates)?

Answer 6

Yellow - Orange: two parts yellow and one part red
Red - Orange - two parts red and one part yellow
Yellow - Green - two parts yellow and one part blue
Blue - Green - two parts blue and one part yellow
Blue - Violet - two parts blue and one part red
Red - Violet - two parts red and one part blue

Question 7

Define Tints

Answer 7

White added to a colour to lighten it

Question 8

Define Shades

Answer 8

Black added to a colour to darken it

Question 9

Define tones

Answer 9

Black and white (grey) added to a colour by mixing the complementary colour

Question 10

Define intensity?

Answer 10

Brightness or dullness of a colour by adding “grey” or the complementary colour.

Question 11

Define Colour schemes

Answer 11

Is the title given to a group of colours that dominate a work of art

Question 12

Define Warm Colours

Answer 12

Colours that make you feel comfortable or remind you of hot things like fire, sun, dessert

Question 13

Define cool colours

Answer 13

Colours that make you feel isolated or remind you of things like water, sky, grass…

Question 14

Define complementary

Answer 14

Colours directly opposite each other on the colour wheel. They strengthen or enhance each other. Red and green are, blue and orange are, and yellow and Violet.

Question 15

Define Monochromatic colours

Answer 15

Different values (lighter or darker) of one colour (hue)

Question 16

Define Neutrals

Answer 16

Non-colours that do not exist on the colour wheel Ex. Black, white, grey and brown

Question 17

Define analogous colours

Answer 17

A family of colours that are side by side on the colour wheel that share a hue.
Example orange, yellow -orange, yellow, yellow - green

Question 18

Colour spectrum order?

Answer 18

Yellow, yellow -green, green, blue - green, blue, blue - Violet, violet, red - Violet, red, red - orange, orange, yellow - orange.

Question 19

Define colour blending

Answer 19

Slowly transitioning from one colour to a second colour to create a new colour in between