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COLOUR

The most striking aspect of clothes is their colour. Colour is the one factor that makes one instantly

like a garment. Colour is a major deciding factor in everything. New colours are introduced during each

fashion seasons as they stimulate scales. The chosen colour should be appropriate for the seasons and

occasion for which it is to be worn.

Colour Dimensions:

Three dimensions of colour areHue, Intensity and Value.

Colour forms an integral part of everyday life. Colour attracts our attention. It is one of the least expensive

factors that can be altered.

Colour types:-

a. Warm colours: The colours that are associated with sun and fire are known as warm colours.E.g. Red, yellow, orange. These colours signify aggressiveness and liveliness. Red is the colour of

Love and Romance and is also associated with danger. Yellow colour of sunlight signifies brightness,

cheerfulness and optimism makes objects appear larger and closer than the colours. It

emphasizes the body and shape of the dress.

b. Cool colours: Cool colours are of the sky and sea such as blue, green and purple. Since blue isrestful colours generally for denim material blue colour is used. It is a peaceful colour that soothes

and calms a person. These colours are associated with wealth and dignity. Cool colours have

receding effect, that is making objects appear smaller and farther away as compared to the objects

in warmer hues.

c. Neutral colours: Neutral colours are a part of every fashion season. They complement othercolours and are therefore always popular. Some examples: neutral white, black, beige, tan, brown,

gray.

Hue: Hue is the word used to distinguish one colour from other. It

refers to colour visible to the eye when any surface is viewed. The

colour on the surface depends on the light waves it reflects and those

it absorbs. The name given to the colour such as red, blue, etc are

hues.

Intensity: Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a colour. Bright

colours have higher intensity as compared to pale colours. Addition of

white or grey, black to any colour produces lower intensity. All grey

colours are called tones.

Value: Value is the degree of lightness or darkness of the colour.

White is added to get tints and black is added for shades. A higher

value is achieved by adding white and which is pure light and a lower

value by adding black.

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Apparel:-

Colours and Patterns: Colour can be made a part of the garment in the form of pattern such as-

Stripes, plaids, checks and florals. The selections of the patterned fabric requires a clear picture of the

pattern or design as regard its motifs. Its arrangement in terms of background area, colour combinations,

textured effects and the end use of the fabric.

Influence of clothing colour:

Colours of the clothes greatly influence various factors, such as complexion, body, shape, age and

emotions of the wearer.

Complexion- clothing selected should be in harmony with the complexion.

Soft colours and clear tints are best for people with light skin colour. Dark values drain colour from

the skin and make a fair person look pale, while light values add colour to their skin. Warm or contrasting

colours look flattening on people with dark skin. Bright colours bring out their complementary colourssuch as green dress would make a blushing face. Undesirable tones in the skin can be subdued by using

analogous colour scheme in garment.

Body shape Light values and warn bright colours tend to enlarge figure- should be avoided by heavy

people. They are suitable for skinny people. Dark colours make the figure slimmer are suitable for heavy

persons. Light colours and shiny surface fabrics which reflect light increase size of the place where they are

used. Therefore they should not be used in problem areas like large busts, broad hips and heavy arms.

Dark or very low values outlines the silhouette and light or high values reflect the light falling on them,

emphasizing body appearance.

Value contrast should be placed on the area of the body that needs to be high lighted such as neck waist

and bust.

Colour and illusions: Colours can be helpful in providing an illusion of height when garment are

made with a single colour or tones of that colour. The illusion is further enhanced if it is floor length

garment.

Light colour used in the upper garment and dark colours at lower give an illusion of tallness. Dark colours recede visually and can be used to give an illusion of slimness. Light colours are suitable for skinny people as they provide an illusion of widened areas. Bright colours should be used to high light the beautiful and appealing parts of body.

Optical illusion and colour phenomena:-

1. Colours are modified in appearance by their proximity to other colours.2. All light colours seen most striking against black.3. All dark colours seen most striking against white.4. Dark colours upon light colours look darker than on dark colours.5. Light colours upon dark colours look lighter than on light colour.6. If complementary colours are put side by side each seems more intense than by itself. Eg.Red and

green.

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7. Dark hues on a background, which is not complementary will appear weaker than complementaryground.

8. A bright colour against a dull colour of the same hue will further dull the colour9. When a bright colour is used against a dull colour the contrast will be strongest when the colour is

complementary (blue and orange).

10.Light colours on light grounds can be greatly strengthened if bounded by narrow bands ofcomplementary or black colour.

11.Dark hues on dark grounds will strengthened if bounded by narrow bands of white or light colours.Modification of colour:

Each colour can be modified by mixing it with another colour (change in hue).

A colour can be mixed with white to get a tint (change in value).

A colour can be mixed with black to get a shade (change in value).

A colour can be mixed with grey to reduce its luminosity (change in intensity).

A colour can be mixed with its complementary (change in value and intensity).

Primary colours:- Red, Yellow and Blue are the purest and brightest colours. They are primary colours.

Others are derived from them.Secondary colours:- Obtained by mixing of two primary colours in equal proportion. A mixture of red and

yellow makes orange.

Yellow + red = orange;

Red + blue = violet;

Blue + yellow = green.

Teritiary colours:- A mixture of primary colour with its neighbouring secondary colour gives teritiary colour

such as Yellow green, blue green.

When two secondary colours are mixed in equal proportions we get totally new colour called teritiary

colour yellow green, blue green, blue violet, red violet, red orange and yellow orange one of the

primary colour is always present in the teritiary colour.

Intermediate colours:- Uneven mixture of two primary colours produce intermediate colours. These are

yellowish orange, reddish violet, bluish green, yellowish green.

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Colour Harmonies:

Colour combination having one or more colours with vivid tints and shades and creating a pleasant and

agreeable sensation to eye and the mind of the observer are called colour harmonies.

Colour schemes facilitate in assembling a set of colours that synchronise or contrast well with each other.

1. Monochromatic Harmony: Colour executed in one colour with its tints and shade. Amonochromatic colour scale gives us the value and intensity of a single colour. It may include suchas pink, red, and maroon.

2. Analogous colour scheme: It is a scheme of colours from one of the family. Any three consecutivecolours on colour wheel produce this type. Eg red orange, orange, yellow orange.

3. Complementary colours: Colours placed opposite to each other on colour wheel arecomplementary such as red and green; blue and orange; yellow orange and blue violet.

4. Double complementary: A pair of two consecutive colours in a colour wheel and their diagonallyopposites are called double complementary. Eg yellow and orange and its opposite pair of violet

and blue are called double complementary.

5. Split complementary:A harmony formed by a colour with two adjacent of its complementary aresaid to be in split complementary. Eg yellow with red violet and blue violet; blue and yellow orange

and red orange.

6. Double split complementary: It is a harmony formed by two adjacent of a colour with two adjacentcolours of its complementary. The harmonies formed by yellow orange; yellow green and violet

blue and violet red.

Physical effects of colour:

The designers colour palette usually changes with the season. Cool, light colours are preferred in

summer because they neglect light and heat, and are therefore cooler to wear. Warm dark colours are

worn in winter. White objects may absorb as little as 10 percent of light rays hitting their surface, black

objects may absorb over 95 percent of light rays.