Elements of DesignElements of DesignElements of DesignElements of Design

COLORCOLOR

Today we will…• Define color.• Identify primary, secondary, and

tertiary colors.• Develop a color wheel.• Identify a color as a tint, shade, or tone.• Distinguish between the types of color

schemes.

Color is…

• the visual response of the eye to various reflected wavelengths and pigments.

Color

• Is one of the most important elements of a design

• It gives a design life, energy, and personality

No Ugly Colors!!!

• It is improper use or placement of color that makes a color objectionable.

The Color Wheel• What we use to study colors and

their relationships• Made up of 12 colors (hues) • hue= a particular color• 3 categories:

– Primary – Secondary – Tertiary

Primary Colors

• RED, YELLOW, and BLUE• Colors from which all others are

made• Building blocks for the color

pigment system

RED

• Advancing• Exciting• Warm

YELLOW

• Brilliant• Cheerful

BLUE

• Cool• quieting

Secondary Colors

• The mixture of any 2 primary colors

YELLOW + RED = ORANGE

BLUE + YELLOW = GREEN

RED + BLUE = VIOLET

Tertiary Colors

• Primary color + adjacent secondary color

• Formed by mixing a secondary color with one of its primary parents.

• Primary color is always listed first

Tertiary Colors

YELLOW-GREENBLUE-GREENBLUE-VIOLETRED-VIOLET

RED-ORANGEYELLOW-ORANGE

Neutral colors/Earth Tones

• Not seen on color wheel• BLACK, WHITE, GRAY• BROWN, BEIGE, TAN

TINT

• color + white• Light yellow is a tint of yellow• Light blue is a tint of blue

SHADE

• color + black• Maroon is a shade of red• Dark blue is a shade of blue

TONE

• color + gray• Adding gray makes the brightness

of a color decrease

Color Schemes

• What colors “match” or look good together in a design.

• There are 5 types

Monochromatic- one color- Uses a single color to complete a

design- Can become monotonous- Should use tints, tones, and

shades- Ex. Red

Analogous- 3 or more colors in sequence on

the chart- Next to each other on the color

wheel- Have a primary color in common- Harmonious, pleasing to the eye- Ex. Orange, Red-orange, and

Yellow-orange

Complementary– Direct opposites on the color

wheel– Contrast– Do not share a common color – Vibrant when placed side by side

(can be hard to look at)– Create a focal point– (Red and green, blue and orange,

yellow and violet)

Split Complementary-• 3 colors• One color and the 2 colors on

either side of its compliment • Ex. Red and (not green but) yellow

green and blue green

Triadic• 3 colors equally spaced on the

color wheel• Unrelated colors• Ex. Green, Orange, and Violet

Worksheet

• Differentiate between the types of color schemes

Questions

• What is color?• Why is color important in floral

design?• What are the primary colors?

Secondary colors? Tertiary colors?

More questions• Light blue is a _______ of blue.• Maroon is a ________ of red• When we want to make a color

dull we add______, and that is called______.

Summary