elements 6

Color, Value and Hue10. Accented neutral color scheme is one that consists primarily of

neutral colors, but there is then one bright and bold color from the color wheel also used. You might choose to use major part in a neutral color and then special regions with the accent color.

Color, Value and Hue Use in Rendering

Color, Value and Hue This is great for a composition when you don't want to paint the

entire composition in a dull neutral color, but you are not risking to use a bold color.

By tweaking neutral colors, it is possible to give the paint a unique personality - an added coolness or even warmth - that lets the accent color speak its own language.

Color, Value and Hue This relationship works for all of the reasons a monochrome

relationship works youre using just one color, so theres a sense of unity to it. The added benefit of an accented neutral relationship is that youre also bringing in whites, blacks, and grays, neutrals that help darken or brighten the color scheme.

This is a great option when you want to draw attention to a specific spot, while making everything else fade back. Generally speaking, youd want to use only one or two shades of your chosen color and rely on the neutrals for additional shades, rather than multiple shades of your color like a true monochrome relationship. Youd then use that accent color on a particular spot to pull attention to it, while the majority of your piece remains neutral.

Color, Value and Hue11. The last relationship is usually called Clashing, or Random. This

is when your color scheme isnt methodically chosen; theres no direct relationship to the colors, and no set way of picking them.

Color, Value and Hue These combinations can feel intimidating to apply, but they could

work well too. Think of red and blue; those two colors arent next to each other, or directly across from each other. They have no real relationship to each other that makes sense, but they still look good together. Theres nothing clashing about them visually our eyes still find them pleasing. Thats the very definition of a random relationship that works.

Color, Value and Hue A lot of random color schemes could prove to be happy accidents.

Because they dont fit into a pattern like the other color relationships do, theres going to be a lot of visual interest and contrast with random colors, simply because our brains want to classify or puzzle out a relationship that isnt there. So, use these when you want a more complex color scheme that is inherently interesting or a lot of contrast.

Color, Value and Hue Divisionism (also called Chromoluminarism) was the characteristic

style in Neo-Impressionist painting defined by the separation of colors into individual dots or patches which interacted optically.

Inspiration was derived from the theories of Michel EugneChevreul and Eugne Delacroix, which stated optical mixing would produce more vibrant and pure colors than the traditional process of mixing pigments. Mixing pigments physically is a subtractive process with cyan, magenta, and yellow being the primary colors. On the other hand, if colored light is mixed together, an additive mixture results, a process in which the primary colors are red, green and blue.

Color, Value and Hue By requiring the viewer to combine the colors optically instead of

physically mixing pigments, Divisionists believed they were achieving the maximum luminosity scientifically possible. Georges Seurat founded the style around 1884 as Chromoluminarism, drawing from his understanding of the scientific theories on color mixing. Divisionism developed along with another style, Pointillism, which is defined specifically by the use of dots of paint and does not necessarily focus on the separation of colors.

During the emergence of Neo-Impressionism (1886 onwards), Seurat and his followers strove to refine the impulsive and intuitive artistic mannerisms of Impressionism. Neo-Impressionists used disciplined networks of dots in their desire to instill a sense of organization and permanence. In further defining the movement, Seurat incorporated the recent explanation of optic and color perceptions.

Color, Value and Hue

Pointillism - A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Georges-Pierre

Seurat, 1884-86

Color, Value and Hue The optical mixture which characterized Divisionism the

process of mixing color by juxtaposing pigments is different from either additive or subtractive mixture, although combining colors in optical mixture functions the same way as additive mixture, i.e. the primary colors are the same.

In reality, Seurat's paintings did not actually achieve true optical mixing; for him, the theory was more useful for causing vibrations of color to the viewer, where contrasting colors placed near each other would intensify the relationship between the colors while preserving their singular separate identity.


Vincent van Gogh, Self Portrait, 1887, using Pointillist technique

Color, Value and Hue Johannes Itten was one of the first people to define and identify

strategies for successful color combinations. He was a Swiss expressionist painter, designer, teacher, writer and theorist associated with the Bauhaus school.

Through his research he devised seven methodologies for coordinating colors utilizing the hue's contrasting properties.

Color, Value and Hue1. THE CONTRAST OF SATURATION

The contrast is formed by the juxtaposition of light and dark values and their relative saturation.

Color, Value and Hue2. THE CONTRAST OF LIGHT AND DARK

The contrast is formed by the juxtaposition of light and dark values. This could be a monochromatic composition.

Color, Value and Hue3. THE CONTRAST OF EXTENSION

Also known as the Contrast of Proportion. The contrast is formed by assigning proportional field sizes in relation to the visual weight of a color.

Color, Value and Hue4. THE CONTRAST OF COMPLEMENTS

The contrast is formed by the juxtaposition of complementary colors on color wheel or the perceptual opposites.

Color, Value and Hue5. SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST

Simultaneous contrast refers to the manner in which the colors of two juxtaposed areas affect each other.

The effect is more noticeable when shared between objects of complementary color. The composition seems to vibrate.

Two colors, side by side, interact with one another and change our perception accordingly. Some interesting illusions are accomplished with this contrast.

Color, Value and Hue Simultaneous contrast applies not just to sight but also to the

senses of touch and taste. Jumping out of a sauna into a cold pool accentuates the coldness. Drinking orange juice after eating something sweet accentuates the acidity of the juice.

In the image here, the two inner rectangles are exactly the same shade of grey, but the upper one appears to be a lighter grey than the lower one due to the background provided by the outer rectangles.

Color, Value and Hue Successive contrast occurs when the perception of currently

viewed stimuli is modulated by previously viewed stimuli.

For example, when one stares at the dot in the center of one of the two colored disks on the top row for a few seconds and then looks at the dot in the center of the disk on the same side in the bottom row, the two lower disks, though identically colored, appear to have different colors for a few moments.

Applicable for successive screens.

Color, Value and Hue6. THE CONTRAST OF HUE

The contrast is formed by the juxtaposition of different hues. The greater the distance between hues on a color wheel, the greater the contrast.

Color, Value and HueTHE CONTRAST OF HUE - PRIMARIES

The contrast is formed by the juxtaposition of primary hues.

Color, Value and Hue7. THE CONTRAST OF WARM AND COOL

The contrast is formed by the juxtaposition of hues considered 'warm' or 'cool.'


Psychological Implications of Color

Market researchers have done extensive studies exploring the emotional responses of people to color. Some of these responses seem to be powerful and fairly universal. However, much of this information is culturally biased.

We know that cultural traditions endow colors with powerful meanings that can differ greatly from place to place.

For example, in Europe and the United States, black is the color of mourning. In many tropical countries and in East Asia white is the color of death. On the other hand, white is the color worn by American brides, while brides in much of Asia wear red.


Different hues could have different influences.

Based on research done in the United States and Europe, we know that the following associations are generally found to hold in Euro-American societies -


WHITE. Positive - Hygiene, clarity, purity, cleanness, simplicity, sophistication, efficiency, classy.Negative - Sterility, coldness, barriers, unfriendliness, elitism.

Just as black is total absorption, so white is total reflection. In effect, it reflects the full force of the spectrum into our eyes. Thus it also creates barriers, but differently from black, and it is often a strain to look at. It could be considered to communicate "Touch me not!. White is associated with purity and, like black, uncompromising; it is clean, hygienic, and sterile. The concept of sterility can also be negative. Visually, white gives a heightened perception of space. The negative effect of white on warm coloursis to make them look and feel offensively or distressingly bright, glaring.


BLACK. Positive - Sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, efficiency, substance.Negative - Oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness.

Black is all colours, totally absorbed. The psychological implications of that are considerable. It creates protective barriers, as it absorbs all the energy coming towards you, and it enshrouds the personality. Black is essentially an absence of light, since no wavelengths are reflected and it can, therefore be menacing; many people are afraid of the dark. Positively, it communicates absolute clarity, with no fine nuances. It communicates sophistication and uncompromising excellence and it works particularly well with white. Black creates a perception of weight and seriousness. It is a myth that black clothes are slimming:

The truth behind the myth is that black is the most recessive coloura matter of not drawing attention to yourself, rather than actually making you look slimmer.


GREY. Positive - Psychological neutrality, good background.Negative - Lack of confidence, dampness, depression, hibernation, lack of energy.

Pure grey is the only colour that has no direct psychological properties. It is, however, quite suppressive. A virtual absence of colour is depressing and when the world turns grey we are instinctively conditioned to draw in and prepare for hibernation. Unless the precise tone is right, grey has a dampening effect on other colours used with it. Heavy use of grey usually indicates a lack of confidence and fear of exposure. But in a positive sense, it is frequently used to reflect neutrality, or non-bias. Also gives a metallic sense, non-human.


RED. Positive - Physical courage, strength, warmth, energy, basic survival, 'fight or flight', stimulation, masculinity, excitement.Negative - Defiance, aggression, visual impact, strain.

Being the longest wavelength, red is a powerful color. Although not technically the most visible, it has the property of appearing to be nearer than it is and therefore it grabs our attention first, and for the longest distance. Hence its effectiveness in traffic lights the world over. Its effect is physical; it stimulates us and raises the pulse rate, giving the impression that time is passing faster than it is. It relates to the masculine principle and can activate the "fight or flight" instinct. Red is strong, and very basic. Pure red is the simplest color, with no subtlety. It is stimulating, lively and friendly. At the same time, it can be perceived as demanding, aggressive and dangerous.


BROWN. Positive - Seriousness, warmth, Nature, earthiness, reliability, support.Negative - Lack of humour, heaviness, lack of sophistication.

Brown usually consists of red and yellow, with a large percentage of black. Consequently, it has much of the same seriousness as black, but is warmer and softer. It has elements of the red and yellow properties. Brown has associations with the earth and the natural world. It is a solid, reliable colour and most people find it quietly supportive - more positively than the ever-popular black, which is suppressive, rather than supportive.


ORANGE. Positive - Physical comfort, food, warmth, security, sensuality, passion, abundance, fun.Negative - Deprivation, frustration, frivolity, immaturity.

Since it is a combination of red and yellow, orange is stimulating and reaction to it is a combination of the physical and the emotional. It focuses our minds on issues of physical comfort -food, warmth, shelter etc. - and sensuality. It is a 'fun' color. Negatively, it might focus on the exact opposite - deprivation. This is particularly likely when warm orange is used with black. Equally, too much orange suggests frivolity and a lack of serious intellectual values.


YELLOW. Positive - Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity.Negative - Irrationality, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety, suicide.

The yellow wavelength is relatively long and essentially stimulating. In this case the stimulus is emotional, and yellow is considered by many as the strongest color, psychologically. The right yellow will lift spirits and self-esteem; it is the colour of confidence and optimism. Its association with sunlight gives an uplifting feel. Lighter tints could prove blinding when used in excess or inappropriately. Being the color of many ripe fruits and grains, many positive associations are held with yellow. Too much of it, or the wrong tone in relation to the other tones in a colour scheme, can cause self-esteem to plummet, giving rise to fear and anxiety.


GREEN. Positive - Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration, reassurance, environmental awareness, equilibrium, peace.Negative - Boredom, stagnation, blandness, enervation.

Green strikes the eye in such a way as to require no adjustment whatever and is, therefore, restful. Being in the centre of the spectrum, it is the color of balance - a more important concept than many people realise. When the composition contains plenty of green, this could be associated with the presence of water, and lesser danger of famine, so we are unconsciously reassured on a primitive level. Negatively, it can indicate stagnation, wilderness and, incorrectly used, will be perceived as being too bland.