f 6.1 notice the variety of colors used in this painting

� FIGURE 6.1 Notice the variety of colors used in this painting. Where in your environmentdo you find colors like these? Are these calming colors? If not, how would you describe them?

Wassily Kandinsky. Tension in Red. 1926. Oil on board. 66 � 53.7 cm (26 � 211�8�). The Solomon R.Guggenheim Museum, New York, New York. Gift, Solomon R. Guggenheim, 1938. © 2003 Artists RightsSociety (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris.

134 CHAPTER 6 Color

Figure 6.1 was paintedby the Russian artist

Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944). Kandinsky was a founder of the“Der Blaue Reiter” (The Blue Rider) movement.The group followedthe art style known as Expressionism. Its goal was to express rawemotion, mainly through composition. Kandinsky, an innovator,created abstract compositions at a time when most artists were producing lifelike subjects. He also stood out by using bold, brash colors as a unifying element.

Interpret. Study the bright colors and sharp, angular lines of Figure 6.1.Read the title. Do you think the title captures the mood of this work? Doyou experience tension and unrest in this work, or do you find it peacefuland calm?

Color is everywhere. We see it in the blue of the sky and

in the yellows, reds, and oranges of the changing

autumn leaves. The expressive qualities of color are so

powerful that they can create instant emotional reactions.

The color green can be soothing; the color red, exciting.

In this chapter, you will:

Identify hue, value, and intensity as the properties

of color.

Compare and contrast the use of color and value

in different artworks.

Demonstrate effective use of color art media in

drawing, painting, and design.

Analyze the use of color in the artworks of others to

express meaning.

CHAPTER 6Color

135

136 CHAPTER 6 Color

LESSON 1

Hue, Value, and Intensity

Color is the most expressive element of art. It shares a powerful connectionwith emotion. That relationship is why we hear people say, “I’m feeling

blue,” or, “She was green with envy.” The connection of color to emotion isalso illustrated in a question we often ask friends—“What’s your favoritecolor?” Almost everyone has a favorite color. It might remind us of a favoritechildhood toy or a piece of clothing that we love to wear. Our appreciation ofcolor affects many of the choices we make.

In this lesson you will learn what color is and how you see it. You willlearn the properties of color. You will also learn how to mix colors to createshades you might use in your artwork.

How We See ColorColor is an element of art that is derived from

reflected light. You see color because lightwaves are reflected from objects to your eyes(Figure 6.2). White light from the sun isactually a combination of all colors.

When light passes through a wedge-shapedglass, called a prism, the beam of white light isbent and separated into bands of color, called thecolor spectrum.

Vocabulary

colorcolor spectrumhuecolor wheelvaluetintshadeintensitycomplementary colors

� � FIGURE 6.2 Chagall has used many differenttints and shades of blue. He has also used a fewother colors for emphasis. Identify some of theobjects he has emphasized this way. As the lightoutside changes throughout the day, how do youthink the artwork changes? What if the day werestormy or rainy? How do you think the artistplanned for this?

Marc Chagall. The American Windows. 1977. Stained glass.The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Gift of theAuxiliary Board of The Art Institute of Chicago in memory of Richard J. Daley, 1977. 938. © 2003 ArtistsRights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris.

LESSON 1 Hue, Value, and Intensity 137

The colors of the spectrum alwaysappear in the same order: red, orange,yellow, green, blue, and violet.

A rainbow is a natural example of aspectrum. Rainbows occur when sun-light is bent by water, oil, or a glassprism. You can find rainbows in the skyafter a storm, in the spray from a gar-den hose, or in a puddle of oil.

We see color because objects absorbsome of these light waves and reflectothers. A red apple looks red because itreflects red waves and absorbs the restof the colors. Special color receptors in your eyes detect the color of thereflected light waves. Another type ofreceptor detects the lightness or dark-ness of the color. Colors don’t change.

� FIGURE 6.3 What color do you seewhen you shift your gaze from the red tothe white area? Your eyes can fool youabout color.

Your ability to distinguish betweenthem does. That is why your eyes havetrouble seeing colors in dim light. Notenough light is reflected off of objectsfor you to see their color.

When you are looking at colors, youreyes can sometimes fool you. Forinstance, stare at the bright red shapein Figure 6.3 for 30 seconds; thenquickly shift your gaze to the whitearea below it. Did you see a greenshape on the white surface? This iscalled an afterimage. It occurs becausethe receptors in your eyes retain thevisual stimulation even after it hasceased. Your brain creates the afterim-age as a reaction to the color you staredat originally.

138 CHAPTER 6 Color

Primary Primary Secondary+ =

Red Yellow Orange+ =

Blue Yellow Green+ =

Red Blue Violet+ =

� FIGURE 6.4 Primary and secondary hues.

� FIGURE 6.5 The color wheel.

The afterimage of a color is the oppo-site of that color. Green is the oppositeof red. So the afterimage of green is thecolor red. The afterimage of black iswhite, and the afterimage of blue isorange. An afterimage isn’t a strongcolor—it is only the ghost of a color.Some artists make use of the way youreyes work when they create optical illu-sions of color and movement.

Three properties of color work togetherto make the colors we see. These proper-ties are hue, value, and intensity.

HueHue is the name of a color in the color

spectrum, such as red, blue, or yellow.Red, yellow, and blue are the primaryhues. You cannot make primary hues bymixing other hues together. However,by combining the three primary colorsand black and white, you can produceevery other color.

The secondary hues are made by mix-ing two primary colors (Figure 6.4).Red and yellow make orange; red andblue make violet; and blue and yellowmake green. Orange, violet, and greenare the secondary hues.

The six intermediate colors are madeby mixing a primary color with its sec-ondary color. For example, red andorange make red-orange, red and violetmake red-violet, blue and violet makeblue-violet, and so on. You can makemany additional variations by combin-ing the intermediate colors.

A color wheel is the spectrum bent intoa circle. It is a useful tool for organizingcolors. The color wheel in Figure 6.5 isa twelve-color wheel showing the threeprimary, three secondary, and six inter-mediate hues.


Other Color SystemsThe three primary hues—red, yellow,

and blue—are specifically the primaryhues of pigment found in paints, pastels,or colored pencils. There are differentcolor systems that apply to the colorsseen on computer screens and thoseprinted in magazines and photographs.

The primary colors of light, as on acomputer screen, are red, green, andblue, commonly referred to as RGB.Because these colors are created byadding light, the pigment color systemdoes not apply.

Another color system is used byprinters—the CMYK color system.CMYK is short for the four primary colors of this system—cyan (also calledprocess blue), magenta, yellow, andblack. If you have worked with com-puter graphics software, you have prob-ably seen references to CMYK color.

ValueValue is the art element that describes

the darkness or lightness of a color. Theamount of light a color reflects deter-mines its color value. Not all hues of thespectrum have the same value. Yellow isthe lightest hue because it reflects themost light. Violet is the darkest huebecause it reflects the least light.

Black, white, and gray are neutral colors (Figure 6.6). When white lightshines on a white object, the objectreflects all of the color waves and doesnot absorb any. As a result, you see thecolor of all the light, which is white.

� FIGURE 6.6 Neutral colors:black, gray, and white.

140 CHAPTER 6 Color

� FIGURE 6.8 Everything except Margot’s eyesand hair are painted with tints of color. Even theshadow in the upper left corner of the picture hasbeen softened with gray. The white highlightsshimmer and create the effect of a sunny day.

Mary Cassatt. Margot in Blue. 1902. Pastel. 61 � 50 cm (24 � 195⁄8�). The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland.

Tints Shades

� FIGURE 6.7 Color value scales.

A black object absorbs all of the colorwaves. Black reflects no light; black isthe absence of light. Gray is impurewhite—it reflects an equal part of eachcolor wave. The more light that grayreflects, the lighter it looks; the more itabsorbs, the darker it looks.

You can change the value of any hueby adding black or white (Figure 6.7). Alight value of a hue is called a tint, and adark value of a hue is called a shade. Theterm shade is often used incorrectly torefer to both tints and shades. A tint iscreated by adding white; a shade is cre-ated by adding black.

When artists want to show a bright,sunny day, they use tints (Figure 6.8).Paintings having many tints are referredto as high-key paintings. Cassatt’s Margotin Blue is an example of a high-keypainting. Low-key paintings have shades,

TINTS SHADES


� FIGURE 6.9 The darkvalues in this work enhanceits ominous mood. Everyhue in this work has beendarkened with the additionof black except one. Whichhue has not been changed?Why?

Rufino Tamayo. Girl Attacked by aStrange Bird. 1947. Oil on canvas.177.8 � 127.3 cm (70 � 501�8�).Museum of Modern Art,New York, New York. Gift ofMr. and Mrs. Charles Zadok.

or dark values, which are used when theartist wants to represent dark, gloomydays, nighttime, and dusk. Dark valuescan add a feeling of mystery to a work.They can also be used to create a senseof foreboding or danger (Figure 6.9).

If the change in value is gradual, thedesign produces a calm feeling. If thevalues take large leaps up and down thescale, from almost white to almostblack, the artwork has an active, evennervous, effect.

142 CHAPTER 6 Color

IntensityIntensity is the brightness or dullness

of a hue (Figure 6.10). If a surfacereflects only yellow light waves, forexample, you see an intensely brightyellow. If a surface reflects other lightwaves, the color will appear duller. Apure or bright hue is called a high-intensity color. Dull hues are called low-intensity colors.

Complementary colors are the col-ors opposite each other on the color wheel.The complement, or opposite, of a hueabsorbs all of the light waves that thehue reflects (Figure 6.11). Red andgreen are complements. Green absorbsred waves and reflects blue and yellowwaves. (Blue and yellow waves combineto appear green.) Red absorbs blue andyellow waves and reflects red waves.

Mixing a hue with its complementdulls the hue, or lowers its intensity.The more complement you add to ahue, the duller the hue looks. Eventu-ally, the hue will lose its own color qual-ity and appear a neutral gray.

The hue used in the greatest amountin a mixture becomes dominant. Forthis reason, a mixture might look dull

� FIGURE 6.10 Intensity scale. This scale shows how the intensity of one hue changes as you addits complement to it. The first box is pure, high-intensity green. Each time you add more red, the greenbecomes duller. Eventually the even mix of green and red creates an interesting, low-intensity gray.

Creating Values

Demonstrating Effective Use of ArtMedia and Tools in Painting. Select ahue. Draw a row of three equal shapes. Ifyou are using an opaque paint, such astempera, add only a small amount of thehue to white with a brush or paletteknife. Fill the first shape with the lightvalue. Paint the second shape with thepure hue. Add a small amount of black tothe hue to create a dark value, and paintthis in the third shape.

If you are using a transparent water-color paint, make a light value by thinningthe paint with water to let more whitepaper show through. Make a hue darkerby adding a small amount of black. Fill thethree shapes as in the above directions.

Computer Option. Look at the colorpalette of your software program.Choose only the tints and shades of onehue to create a computer drawing of asimple cityscape or underwater scene.Colors do not have to be used realisti-cally.Your software program will deter-mine the number of tints and shades thatyou can use. If your software has thecapabilities, mix your own tints andshades for use in this assignment.


orange or dull blue, depending on theamount of color used. Orange and bluemixtures usually yield brownish results.

Hue, value, and intensity do notoperate independently. They rely onone another to create all of the colorsthat you see around you. When youobserve colors, you will see dull tintsand bright tints, dull shades and brightshades, light hues and dark hues.Knowing the three properties of colorhelps you to understand and use color.

Check Your Understanding

1. What are the three properties of color?2. Define color wheel. What does a color

wheel show?3. Describe the difference between tint

and shade.4. Compare and contrast the use of

value in Figure 6.8 on page 140 andFigure 6.9 on page 141.

Working withIntensity

Applying Your Skills. Contrary to whatyou may have thought, tree trunks are notreally brown.They reflect a variety oflight and dark low-intensity grays. Drawseven or more bare trees on a largesheet of white paper. Use real trees asmodels, if possible; if not, find pho-tographs. Combine varying amounts ofone primary color and its complement aswell as white and black to create a num-ber of different, low-intensity light- anddark-valued colors.Then use these colorsto paint each tree a different color.

Computer Option. Design a simplemotif using only two solid colors. UseCopy and Paste options to make fivecopies of the motif. Fill each motif withone primary color or intermediate colorand its complement. If your software hasthe capabilities, mix the two comple-ments together to create a dull or low-intensity version of each. Label each setof complements and mixture sets.

� FIGURE 6.11 Sets of complements. The leftcolumn are sets of primary and secondarycomplements. The right column are sets ofintermediate complements.

LESSON 2

Color Schemes

Colors are like musical instruments. Each instrument has its own spe-cial sound. When you hear an instrument in an orchestra, the sound

you hear is affected by the sounds of the other instruments. When themusicians tune up before a performance, you hear confusing, evenunpleasant, noises. When they play together in an organized way, theycan make beautiful sounds. In the same way, putting colors together with-out a plan can be confusing and unpleasant to your eyes. Color withoutorganization can look like a visual argument. A plan for organizing colorsis called a color scheme.

When two colors come into direct contact, their differences are more obvi-ous. A yellow-green surrounded by a green looks even more yellow. A yellow-green surrounded by yellow, however, appears greener. Grayish-green willseem brighter when it is placed against a gray background. This effect is calledsimultaneous contrast (Figure 6.12).

A color scheme is a plan for organizing colors according to their relation-ship on the color wheel. By following a color scheme, you can avoid puttingtogether colors in a confusing or unpleasant way. The following are some ofthe most frequently used color schemes.

Vocabulary

monochromaticanalogous colors

144 CHAPTER 6 Color

� FIGURE 6.12Your perception ofany color is affectedby the colors thatsurround it. This effectis called simultaneouscontrast.

LESSON 2 Color Schemes 145

� FIGURE 6.13 The artist has captured the sad mood of thesepeople by using a monochromatic blue color scheme. He has kept itinteresting by using the full range of tints and shades from white toblack. Where are the whitest areas? Where are the blackest areas?Look at the title. Does the painting evoke this feeling?

Pablo Picasso. The Tragedy. 1903. Oil on wood. 105 � 69 cm (411�2 � 271�8�).National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. © 1998 Board of Trustees. Chester DaleCollection. © 2003 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

� FIGURE 6.14 Analogous colors are related.

Monochromatic ColorsMonochrome means one color. A mono-

chromatic color scheme is a color schemethat uses only one hue and the tints and shadesof that hue. Because this is such a limitedscheme, it has a strong, unifying effect ona design (Figure 6.13). It is very easy toorganize furniture or clothing usingmonochromatic colors. The drawback to amonochromatic color scheme is that itcan be boring.

Analogous ColorsAnalogous colors are colors that sit

side by side on the color wheel and have acommon hue (Figure 6.14). Violet, red-violet, red, red-orange, and orange allhave red in common. A narrow colorscheme would be limited to only threehues, such as violet, red-violet, and red.An analogous color scheme creates adesign that ties one shape to the nextthrough a common color (see Figure13.34 on page 380).

ComplementaryColors

The strongest contrast of a hue is pro-duced by complementary colors. Whena pair of high-intensity complementsare placed side by side, they seem tovibrate. It is difficult to focus on theedge where the complements touch.Some artists use this visual vibration tocreate special effects. They make designsthat sparkle, snap, and sizzle as ifcharged with electricity (Figure 6.15).

Complementary color schemes areexciting. They are loud, and theydemand to be noticed. They are fre-quently used to catch the viewer’s atten-tion. How many ways do people use thered-and-green color scheme? Where elsehave you seen complementary colorschemes used to grab attention?

Not all color schemes based on com-plements are loud and demanding. Ifthe hues are of low intensity, the con-trast is not so harsh. Changing the val-ues of the hues will also soften the effectof the design.

Color TriadsA color triad is composed of three col-

ors spaced an equal distance apart onthe color wheel. The contrast betweentriad colors is not as strong as thatbetween complements. The primarytriad is composed of red, yellow, andblue. The secondary triad containsorange, green, and violet (Figure 6.16).

A high-intensity primary triad is verydifficult to work with. The contrastbetween the three hues is so strong thatthey might make people uncomfortable.A triad can be made more comfortableto the viewer by changing the intensityor values (Figure 6.17). A triad of sec-ondary colors is less disturbing.

� FIGURE 6.16 Color triads.

� FIGURE 6.15 Which set of complementary colors dominates thispainting? Where is the contrast the strongest? Which area has thedullest contrast? Explain how the artist has done this?

Piet Mondrian. Sun, Church in Zeeland. 1910. Oil on canvas. 90.5 � 62.1 � 2.9 cm(353�8 � 241�2 � 11�8�). Tate Gallery, London, England. © Tate Gallery, London/ArtResource, NY. ARS, NY.

146 CHAPTER 6 Color


Split ComplementsA split complement is the combination

of one hue plus the hues on each side ofits complement (Figure 6.18). This iseasier to work with than a straight com-plementary scheme because it offers

� FIGURE 6.17 Even though this painting is basedon the primary triad, it is very comfortable to view.How has the artist organized the colors to makethis painting easy to look at?

Fritz Glarner. Relational Painting, Tondo #40. 1955–56. Oil onMasonite. Diameter: 111.8 cm (44�). Walker Art Center,Minneapolis, Minnesota. Gift of the T. B. WalkerFoundation, 1956.

� FIGURE 6.18 Split complement.

more variety. For example, start withred-orange. Check the color wheel tofind its complement, blue-green. The twohues next to blue-green are blue andgreen. Red-orange, blue, and green forma split-complementary color scheme.

148 CHAPTER 6 Color

Warm and CoolColors

Sometimes the colors are divided intotwo groups, called warm and cool (Fig-ure 6.19). Warm colors are red, orange,and yellow. They are usually associatedwith warm things, such as sunshine orfire (Figure 6.20). Cool colors are blue,green, and violet. They are usually asso-ciated with cool things, such as ice,snow, water, or grass (Figure 6.21).Warm colors seem to move toward theviewer and cool colors seem to recede,or move away.

War

m

Coo

l

� FIGURE 6.19 Warm and cool colors.

� FIGURE 6.20 Albizu is a Puerto Rican artist. Many of her paintings werecommissioned by jazz musician Stan Getz to be used as covers for his recordalbums. Can you see how the small areas of black jump out from the warmcolors to visually suggest music with a Latin jazz beat?

Olga Albizu. Growth. c. 1960. Oil on canvas. 127 � 107 cm (50 � 421�8�). Lowe Art Museum,University of Miami, Miami, Florida. Gift of Esso Inter-American, Inc.


� FIGURE 6.21 The title for this work can be translated as “sadfact” or “sad figure” or even “metaphor for sadness.” Examine thework to find a figure sitting in the center with legs and torso bent.The figure is surrounded by intersecting blue, black, and whiteshapes. Does the color scheme enhance the mood the artistintended to convey? Explain.

Francis Picabia. Figure Triste. 1912. Oil on canvas. 118.1 � 119.4 cm (461⁄2 �47�). Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York. Gift of the Seymour H.Knox Foundation, Inc., 1968. © 2003 Artists Rights Society (ARS) NewYork/ADAGP, Paris.


1. Describe a monochromatic colorscheme.

2. What types of colors, when placedside by side, seem to vibrate?

3. Compare and contrast the colorschemes in Figures 6.20 and 6.21.

Using ColorSchemes

Demonstrating Effective Use of ArtMedia in Design. In your sketchbook,draw several squares. Arrange your ini-tials or the letters of your name in adesign in one of the squares.The lettersmust touch the four edges of the square.Do several different designs using theremaining squares. Play with the letters—turn them upside down, twist them out ofshape, make them fat, or overlap them.Consider the letters as shapes.They donot have to be readable.

When you find a design you like, repro-duce it on four squares of white paper.Now paint each design using one of thefollowing color schemes: monochromatic,analogous, complementary, triad, split-complementary, warm, or cool. How dothe color arrangements affect the design?

Computer Option. Create a designwith the initials or letters of your name.The letters must touch the four edges ofthe screen. Experiment with theletters—make them different sizes andturn them upside down or twist themout of shape.They do not have to bereadable.

When you find a design you like, saveit. Use various tools to fill in all theshapes, lines, and spaces with each of thefollowing color schemes: monochromatic,analogous, complementary, triad, split-complementary, warm, and cool.

When you finish all the color schemes,evaluate their effect on the basic design.

The amount of warmth or coolness isrelative. Violet on a red backgroundappears much cooler than violet alone.However, the same violet on a bluebackground seems much warmer thanthe violet alone.

LESSON 3

Understanding the Natureand Uses of Color

Artists use color to create special effects in art. Not only do they usecolor to depict objects the way they actually look, but artists also use

color to express ideas and emotions (Figure 6.22). By experimenting withcolor, you will learn what it can do, and you will learn how to use it so thatyou achieve the results you want. Understanding the nature and uses ofcolor allows you to express yourself artistically.

PaintAll paints used in art are made up of three basic ingredients: pigment,

binder, and solvent. Artists’ pigments are finely ground, colored powders thatform paint when mixed with a binder. Pigment colors cannot match the purityand intensity of the colors of light. The binder is a material that holds togetherthe grains of pigment in a form that can be spread over some surface. Linseedoil is the binder for oil paints. Wax is used for encaustic paint, gum arabic forwatercolor paints, and acrylic polymer for acrylic paints. A chemical emul-sion is used to make school tempera paint. Many professional artists use atraditional method of mixing pure pigments with egg yolk for a translucenttempera paint. These binders each give different qualities to the paint.

The solvent is the liquid that controls the thickness or the thinness of the paint.Turpentine is the solvent for oil paints. Water is the solvent for watercolorsand tempera. Water or acrylic medium is the solvent for wet acrylic paints,but once acrylic paint dries, it is waterproof.

Paint pigments do not dissolve—they remain suspended in the binder.When applied, the pigments stay on top of the surface and dry there. Pigmentsthat dissolve in liquid are called dyes. Dyes do not remain on the surface aspaints do. Dyes sink into and color the surface by staining it.

Visual Effects of PaintThe pigment, the binder, the solvent, and the surface to which the paint is

applied all affect the color you see. Wet colors look brighter and darker thandry ones. Tempera and watercolor paints look duller and lighter after theydry. Oil paints glow even when dry because of their oil binder. If diluted withturpentine, oil paints dry to a dull finish.

The color and density of the surface receiving the paint affects the way thelight waves will be reflected back to your eyes. If you apply red paint to a col-ored surface and to a white surface, your eyes will perceive the red paint dif-ferently on each surface. The colored surface absorbs some light waves,whereas the white surface reflects all light waves.

Have you ever tried to match colors that are on two different surfaces? Abrown leather bag can never truly match a fuzzy brown sweater. Dense sur-faces always look brighter because they reflect more light.

Vocabulary

pigmentsbindersolventdyes

150 CHAPTER 6 Color

LESSON 3 Understanding the Nature and Uses of Color 151

� FIGURE 6.22 Murray hasused a complementary colorscheme for her artwork. Althoughthis kind of color scheme cansometimes be loud and demanding,the artist has reduced the intensityof the colors. How has she donethis? Why do you think she haschosen this color scheme?

Elizabeth Murray. Things to Come. 1988.Oil on canvas. 292.1 � 287 � 68.6 cm (115 � 113 � 27�). Paula CooperGallery, New York, New York. PrivateCollection, San Francisco, California.

Elizabeth Murray was born in Chicago in 1940. From an early age, she showed

an interest in art, which her parents encouraged. In elementary school she sold

drawings of elephants, cowboys, and stagecoaches to her classmates for 25 cents

apiece. This early success kept her interest in art alive.

A high school teacher recognized her talent and created a scholarship for her

at the Art Institute of Chicago. Murray took classes in figure drawing, landscape

painting, and traditional techniques. She walked through the exhibit halls of the

Art Institute museum. Surrounded by masterpieces, she was inspired to become

a painter.

In the 1960s, she was told that painting was dead. Everything that could be

done had been done. Murray refused to listen and kept painting. Through her

perseverance, she developed a style that combines painting with sculpture.

Murray is now considered a master of the shaped canvas.

MEET THE ARTIST

ELIZABETHMURRAY

American (b.1940)

152 CHAPTER 6 Color

Sources of PigmentIn the past, pigments came from ani-

mals, vegetables, and minerals. A kindof beetle and the root of a certain plantwere both sources for red pigment.Another plant produced a deep, trans-parent blue. Ultramarine blue was madeby grinding a semiprecious stone. Thecolor ocher was created by using naturalclay colored by iron rust.

Today, synthetic (artificially made)pigments have been developed by scien-tists. The synthetics are brighter andmore permanent than natural pigments,but some artists still prefer to use nat-ural colors (Figure 6.23). Manyweavers color their yarns with naturaldyes. Some contemporary painters useonly natural earth pigments.

� FIGURE 6.23Aboriginal bark paint-ings enjoy a long cul-tural tradition inAustralia. Like thisone, they are typicallycreated by applyingnatural pigments toeucalyptus bark.

Yäma Mununggiritj.Yellow Ochre Quarry.1961. Natural pigmentson eucalyptus bark. 69.9� 30.5 cm (271�2 �12�). The Kluge-RuheAboriginal Art Collectionof the University ofVirginia, Charlottesville,Virginia.

Mixing Colors

Applying Your Skills. Collect and grindthree of your own earth pigments (seeTechnique Tip 11 on page 432 in theHandbook). Mix them with a binder andsolvent and experiment with them.Tryusing a variety of brushes and surfaces.Finally, paint a design that shows all thecolors you can obtain from the pigments.

Computer Option. Mixing colors withlight on a computer is very different frommixing colors with pigment. If your com-puter software has the capabilities, prac-tice making secondary and intermediatecolors. Also mix tints, shades, and inten-sity changes. Fill a variety of geometricshapes with all the new colors you havemade, and show off your work by fillingyour screen with repeated shapes.

The Expressive Effectsof Color

Artists use color in the language ofart. They use color to express thoughts,ideas, and emotions. There are manyways to use color to convey feelings,and realistic representation is only oneof them.

Optical ColorSometimes artists reproduce colors as

they see them. Until the late nineteenthcentury, this was the way most Westernartists painted. Artists would try to cap-ture color as it actually appeared. As wesaw earlier in the chapter, colors canchange depending on their surround-ings. For example, in an automobiledealer’s showroom, the color of a bluecar is affected by the light, the color ofthe floor and the walls, and even thecolors of the other cars. The car maysparkle as it reflects the showroom


The Impressionists were deeplyinvolved with optical color and its rela-tionship to light. They tried to express thesensation of light and atmosphere withtheir unique style of painting. Theyapplied dots and dabs of colors from thespectrum. They did not mix black withany colors. They made gray, low-intensitycolors by putting complements togetherinstead of mixing just black and white.These low-intensity grays, such as dullblue and dull green, are much richer andlook more natural in landscapes than dograys made by mixing black and white.

lights. Shadows on the car may lookdark blue or blue-violet. The red fromthe car next to it may cause a red-violetreflection on the blue surface.

A painter who is trying to show thecar in its setting will use all the colorsinvolved. He or she will make use ofoptical color, the color that results when atrue color is affected by unusual lightingor its surroundings. Optical color is thecolor that people actually perceive.Compare the two paintings by ClaudeMonet in Figures 6.24 and 6.25 to seehow the time of day affects color.

� FIGURE 6.24 Monet was one of the first artists to paint outdoors. He realized that the colors of ascene changed as the sunlight changed; so he carriedseveral canvasses to record the same scene at differenttimes of the day.

Claude Monet. Rouen Cathedral, West Façade. 1894. Oil on canvas.100 � 66 cm (393�8 � 2515�16�). National Gallery of Art,Washington, D.C. Chester Dale Collection.

� FIGURE 6.25 This is Monet’s same view of theRouen Cathedral façade painted in a different light than Figure 6.24. Compare and contrast this painting to Figure 6.24. Explain how the changes in color affectthe mood of each work.

Claude Monet. Rouen Cathedral, West Façade, Sunlight. 1894. Oil oncanvas. 100 � 66 cm (393�8 � 2515�16�). National Gallery of Art,Washington, D.C. Chester Dale Collection.

154 CHAPTER 6 Color

Colors affect feelings. Light, brightcolors can create happy, upbeat moods.Cool, dark colors can express mysteriousor depressing themes. Warm, low-inten-sity earth tones seem comfortable andfriendly. They are often used to decoraterooms in which people gather. Aunique, light value of red-orange hasbeen used to soothe people and haseven been successful in calming violentprisoners. Blue is also known for itssoothing qualities. Bright yellow is stim-ulating and pure red excites.

Arbitrary ColorWhen artists use color to express feel-

ings, they usually ignore the optical col-ors of objects. They choose the colorsarbitrarily, that is, by personal prefer-ence. They choose arbitrary colorsrather than optical colors because theywant to use color to express meaning(Figure 6.26). In abstract art, color isteamed with the other elements tobecome the subject as well as the mean-ing of the work (see Figure 6.1 on page134 and Figure 6.28 on page 156).

� FIGURE 6.26 Marc developed a personal theory of color symbolism. He believed that differenthues symbolized different meanings. Yellow was a gentle, cheerful color, and for him, it symbolizedwomen. He thought blue represented the spiritual and intellectual man. He said that red representedmatter, and in this work, it symbolized the earth. Green served to complement the red.

Franz Marc. Yellow Cow. 1911. Oil on canvas. 140.7 � 189.2 cm (553�8 � 741�2�). The Solomon R. GuggenheimMuseum, New York, New York.


MovementColor can create a sense of move-

ment. When the values in a work jumpquickly from very high key to very lowkey, a feeling of excitement and move-ment is created (Figure 6.28, page 156).When all the values are close together,the work seems much calmer. Today’sartists use color to create movement anddepth in abstract art.

When you work with color to createmovement, remember to use values ofpure hues as well as those of tints andshades. You will need to remember, forinstance, that the pure hue yellow ismuch lighter than red or blue.

Artists today have put their knowledgeof color psychology to work to developunusual methods for using color. Manyof their choices are personal—they makecolor say what they wish to express.

SpaceThe placement of warm and cool col-

ors can create illusions of depth. Warmcolors advance toward the viewer, andcool colors seem to recede and pull away.The French artist Paul Cézanne painted acool, blue outline around the shape of awarm, round orange. The fruit seemed tobe pushed forward by the surroundingblue background (Figure 6.27).

� FIGURE 6.27 Look at the different objects on the table. Identify the number of colors used foreach object. Notice how the artist has used dark blue lines to outline the fruit and make each piecestand out. Does this use of color make the objects seem real?

Paul Cézanne. The Basket of Apples. c. 1895. Oil on canvas. 65.5 � 81.3 cm (253⁄4 � 32�). The Art Institute of Chicago,Chicago, Illinois. Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection. (1926.252).

156 CHAPTER 6 Color

This is one of Stuart Davis’sfirst abstract works that cele-brates his love for New YorkCity. Davis has used strongjumps in value (from brightwhite, pale blue, and yellow tored, black, and orange) to makeyour eyes jump around thework. He wants you to feel theexcitement and movement ofthe city.This diagram indicatessome of the value jumps.Where can you find others?

Jumps in Color Value Create Visual MovementLOOKING

CLOSELY

� FIGURE 6.28

Stuart Davis. Hot Still Scape for Six Colors–7thAvenue Style, 1940. 1940. Oil on canvas. 91.4 �113.9 cm (36 � 447�8�). Museum of Fine Arts,Boston, Massachusetts. Gift of the William H.Lane Foundation and the M. and M. KarolikCollection, by exchange, 1983.120. © Estate ofStuart Davis/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.


TonalitySometimes an artist lets one color,

such as blue, dominate a work. In sucha case, the work is said to have a bluetonality (Figure 6.29). To have a certaintonality, the painting does not have tobe monochrome. Other colors may bepresent. The overall effect of the work,however, will be of one color. Tonalityhas a unifying effect.

� FIGURE 6.29 Theblue tonality of thiswork conveys the coolimpression of the water.The jellyfish are spots ofcontrast in the bluewater. Although blue isthe dominant color inthis painting, other huesare used. What are they?

Childe Hassam. Jelly Fish.1912. Oil on canvas. 35.8 �43.8 cm (141�8 � 171�4�).Wichita Art Museum,Wichita, Kansas. The JohnW. and Mildred L. GravesCollection.

Using Color for Effect

Demonstrating Effective Use of ArtMedia in Drawing. Create four smallsketches of trees with leaves. Use a simple color medium such as crayon.Color each sketch to illustrate one of thefollowing: true color, arbitrary color,tonality, optical color, depth through theuse of warm and cool colors, or move-ment through value.

Computer Option. Using the tools ofyour choice, draw and label six sketchesof trees or leaves. Let each sketch illus-trate one of the following: true color,optical color, color that expresses per-sonal feelings, depth through the use ofwarm and cool colors, movementthrough value, or tonality.

Evaluate the results of your work.Develop your favorite sketch into a finished drawing.


1. All paints are made up of what threebasic ingredients?

2. What is the difference between paintpigments and dyes?

3. Select and analyze two artworksfrom this lesson. What is the mean-ing of the color choices?

6–1

� FIGURE 6.30

Armenian. Front cover of The Gospels. Thirteenth century (binding fourteenthcentury). Carved and hammered silver, gilded, and enameled, and set with jewels. 26 x 18.7 cm (101�4 � 73�8�). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NewYork, New York. Gift of Mrs. Edward S. Harkness, 1916 (16.99).

Historical and CulturalContext

The object in Figure 6.30 is a bookcover dating to the Middle Ages. It wascarved and hammered from silver andthen covered in gold leaf and studdedwith jewels. Notice the use of relief,positive areas extending from a nega-tive, or flat surface. Observe how eachgrape along the border appears to jutout in space.

What You Will Learn Today, the art of making books by

hand has been revived. You will partici-pate in this revival by making a starbook with front and back covers. Whenopened, the pages will form a three-dimensional object. Aluminum foil willbe used to simulate hammered andcarved silver. Your book’s cover willhave both raised and etched areas. Youwill add radial balance using plantshapes, as in Figure 6.30.

Creating Gather real plants and images of plant

forms from print or online resources.Illustrate your ideas by directly observ-ing these samples.

Make line drawings ofplants in your sketchbook. Using a ruler,divide a second page of your sketchbookinto 1-inch squares. In these squares,make small drawings of plant parts—leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and so on.

Step 1

SUPPLIESSketchbook and pencil, ruler

2 sheets of 3 � 3" mat board

White glue

Heavy-duty aluminum foil

Four sheets of 6 � 6" watercolor paper

Watercolors and brushes

Permanent nontoxic black marker

Nontoxic rubber cement

Two black ribbons 1�4 � 8"

STUDIOPROJECT Color Spectrum

Star Book

158 CHAPTER 6 Color

Transfer your drawing of anentire plant to the center of the sheet ofmat board. Using white glue as your“drawing” medium, redraw the lines ofyour plant. Let glue dry.

Lay a sheet of heavy-dutyaluminum foil over the surface. Gentlypress the foil around the glue lines sothat the lines appear raised. Smooth thefoil down around the lines. Fold andglue any excess foil over the edges, tak-ing care not to tear the foil.

Place one of your plant-part drawings in the upper left corner. Usingthe drawing as a template, trace overthe lines with your pencil to leave animpression in the foil.

Repeat this step for eachcorner. Complete your cover by addingfour more copies of your template, onealong the center of each edge.

Create the pages. Use water-colors to create washes of color on thefour sheets of watercolor paper. Followthis sequence: (for page 1) yellow-green, yellow, yellow-orange; (for page2) orange, red-orange, red; (for page 3)red-violet, violet, blue-violet; (for page4) blue, blue-green, green.

With pencil, transfer aplant-part drawing onto each of the fourpages. Trace over the lines with blackmarker. Add color with watercolors.

Fold and open each page topto bottom, side to side, diagonal to theleft, and diagonal to the right. Noticethat there is a front side and back side tothe resulting three-dimensional object.Adorn each side with plant drawingsand paint.

With rubber cement, gluethe pages and covers together, andattach ribbons.

Step 9

Step 8

Step 7

Step 6

Step 5

Step 4

Step 3

Step 2 Evaluating Your Work

� FIGURE 6.30AB

Student work.

STUDIO PROJECT Color Spectrum Star Book 159

� DESCRIBE Did you make two sketches, oneof a complete plant, one of a plant part?Where does your whole plant appear on yourfinished cover? Where does the plant partappear? How many times does it appear?

� ANALYZE Does your cover have both raisedand etched areas? Compare and contrast theuse of color and the use of balance on theinside pages. What kind of balance is exhib-ited by the design of your finished cover?

� INTERPRET Does your book appear to becovered in silver? Does it suggest the ancientstyle of the book in Figure 6.30? What typeof content would you expect to find inside abook with a color such as yours?

� JUDGE Would you judge your book cover tobe a success? Why or why not? If you wereable to redo your cover, what would you dodifferently next time? Evaluate your artisticdecisions.

6–2

� FIGURE 6.31

Kuna (Panama). Mola: Our Environment. 1995. Layered and cut fabric withstitchery. 106.7 � 167.6 cm (42 � 66�). Georgia Southern University,Statesboro, Georgia.


The colorful work in Figure 6.31,called a mola, was made by the Kunapeople of Panama. Among the Kuna,the tradition of making molas is passeddown through generations of the samefamily. The works are made by sewingtogether layers of colored fabric andadding decorative needlework to the toplayer. Molas are made for the fronts andbacks of blouses. Many of the designsare similar to those found on pre-Columbian pottery. (Pre-Columbian artpredates the arrival on this continent ofChristopher Columbus in 1492.) Take amoment to study Figure 6.31. Note thearray of bright colors used for highlystylized figures and objects of nature.What mood does this work communi-cate to you?

What You Will Learn You will create a painting that illus-

trates the mood of an event or experi-ence in your life. You will create visualsolutions by elaborating on your experi-ence. The event or experience can behappy (for example, a memorablebirthday) or sad (a time when yourteam lost a big game). As in Figure 6.31,your colors will be either bright andwith high intensity to represent happytimes or dull and low intensity for sadtimes. Figures and objects in yourpainting should be stylized. In otherwords, they should be easily identifiablebut simple, almost childlike.

SUPPLIESSketchbook and pencils

Watercolors and assorted brushes

Scrap paper

Tape

Heavy drawing paper

Drawing board

Chalk

STUDIOPROJECT Mood Painting

160 CHAPTER 6 Color

Creating Brainstorm happy or sad moments

in your life. Think about objects youassociate with these events. List theseon a page in your sketchbook. Sketchseveral ideas. Then begin thinking aboutcolors that express the mood of thisevent. Choose your best idea.

Using watercolors andsheets of scrap paper, practice mixingcomplementary colors to create low-intensity and high-intensity colors (see pages 144–149.) Think about which colors best fit the objects youhave chosen and the mood you areattempting to communicate.

Tape a piece of heavy draw-ing paper to a stiff drawing board. Usingchalk, transfer the sketch of your bestidea onto the painted surface. Makesure to include the contour lines ofobjects and figures. Add in details thatwill be outlined as well (like the fishscales in Figure 6.31).

Begin painting. Use the colors you have chosen to express themood of your artwork. Switch to a finer brush, as necessary, to completefine details of your work. Allow yourpainting to dry thoroughly before dis-playing it.

Step 3

Step 2

Step 1

� DESCRIBE Did you illustrate your ideasbased on an experience or event? Identify theexperience and all the objects and figures inyour picture.

� ANALYZE Did you choose bright colors or dull colors? Are your figures and objectsstylized?

� INTERPRET What mood were you trying to express through your painting? Give yourwork a title that sums up your feelings aboutthe event.

� JUDGE Were viewers able to recognize themood of your work? Could they pick outindividual details? If you were to redo yourpainting, what, if anything, would you dodifferently?

Evaluating Your Work

� FIGURE 6.31A

Student work.

STUDIO PROJECT Mood Painting 161

STUDIOPROJECT

6–3

� FIGURE 6.32

William H. Johnson. Harbor Under the Midnight Sun. 1937. Museum ofAmerican Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C./Art Resource,NY.


Imagine taking a common scene—perhaps the one outside your bedroomwindow—and stripping it down to thebare essentials. What would you end upwith? This is precisely the questionasked and answered by early twentieth-century artist William H. Johnson inFigure 6.32. If you study the work for amoment, you notice a craggy mountainrising up to a deep, azure sky swirlingwith clouds. At the bottom of the pic-ture is an expanse of water dotted withboats—a harbor.

When Johnson painted this work, hisprimary influence was the French Post-Impressionist Paul Cézanne. LikeCézanne, Johnson has reduced theobjects in his work to flat planes ofcolor. If in some places the colors appeara little too intense, note the title John-son gave to this work. Could it be thatthe midnight sun casts a different typeof light than the daytime sun?

What You Will Learn You will create a digital landscape

painting. Begin by selecting a view of anexisting landscape; then capture theview with a camera. After your photo-graph has been imported into a paintprogram, you will divide the landscapeinto four geometric areas. By applying adifferent color filter or lighting effect toeach area, the final image will depict thepassage of time.

SUPPLIESDigital camera (optional) and/or photograph or magazine picture

Computer

Scanner

Sketchbook and pencil

Image-editing or paint program

Photo quality paper

Printer

Digital ColorCollage

162 CHAPTER 6 Color

NEW ARTFigure 6.32

Johnson

Creating Choose a familiar setting that looks

interesting. Notice the way changes insunlight or the different seasons affectthe setting. Make sketches in yoursketchbook.

Use a digital camera to capture a picture of the chosen land-scape. If you are using a magazineimage or a photograph as a picturesource, scan the image into the com-puter. Use a format compatible withyour image-editing or paint program.Save the image.

Open your image-editingapplication. Go to the File menu, chooseOpen, and select a new document. Setup and save a document measuring 8 � 10 inches at a resolution of 72 dpi.Your orientation could be vertical orhorizontal, depending on your image.

Open your saved image in a separate file. Use the FreeformSelection tool to select about one fourthof the image. Copy and paste this sec-tion of the landscape into the corre-sponding area of your new document.Repeat this procedure for each of theremaining three quadrants of your land-scape. Paste each selection into a newlayer. Save the new document.

Experiment with stretching,rotating, and overlapping the layers.

Working with a layer at atime, experiment with enhancing and changing aspects of color, such ascontrast/brightness, hue/saturation, andcolor balance. Try using one or more ofthe filters in your program to add tex-ture and special effects. Concentrate onchanges that will convey the mood andlook of different seasons or times of day.

Step 5

Step 4

Step 3

Step 2

Step 1

Evaluating Your Work

� FIGURE 6.32A

Student work.

DIGITAL STUDIO PROJECT Digital Color Collage 163

� DESCRIBE What was the original source of the landscape in your work? Which toolsdid you use to alter the image? Explain howyou used each tool and on what area of thepainting.

� ANALYZE Compare and contrast how youused colors to convey a sense of passing time.Identify how changes in mood, season, ortime are shown in each part of the picture.

� INTERPRET What mood or feeling doesyour work communicate? What would be afitting title for your work?

� JUDGE Which aesthetic theory does yourlandscape reflect? How would you improveor change your art?

STUDENTART PORTFOLIO

Colors, as you have seen, can be warm or cool, dull or

bright. These and other properties of color open up a world

of possibilities for the artist. As you examine the student

artworks on these pages:

Compare and contrast the hues, values, and intensities of the colors used.

Analyze them to form precise conclusions about the color scheme used.

Color

Activity 6.33 Color intensity.Compare and contrast the intensityof the two main colors used in thispainting. Form a conclusion aboutwhich orange and which blue ismost intense.

Activity 6.34 Hue. Analyze the hues this student artist has chosen.Which are optical colors, andwhich are arbitrary colors? Form a conclusion about the meaning ofthe work.

164 CHAPTER 6 Color

� FIGURE 6.33

Student work. Spiders. Acrylic.

� FIGURE 6.34

Student work. Winds ofChange. Computer graphic.

To view more student artworks,visit the Glencoe Student ArtGallery at art.glencoe.com.

ART

For Your Portfolio Evaluate Personal Artworks. As you add to yourportfolio, be sure to evaluate the artistic decisions youmade in your works in terms of their use of color. Inthe second step of your evaluation (the analyze step),indicate the color scheme (monochromatic, comple-mentary, and so on) and its role in unifying the work.Also, note the effective use of color properties, such asvalue and intensity, in your composition. Keep the eval-uation with the work itself.

Survey the artworkson these pages or art-works in your classroom.Then select and analyzetwo of these peer art-works to form conclu-sions about historical andcultural contexts, intents,and meanings. If you areanalyzing portraits, whatcan the clothing and/orhairstyles reveal aboutthe historical context?

STUDENT ART PORTFOLIO Color 165

Activity 6.36 Color scheme.Evaluate and identify the colorscheme used in this portrait.Explain how it is used to draw the viewer’s eye to the subject.

Activity 6.35 Color triads.The primary color triad—yellow,red, and blue—is used to color theshirt of the female figure in thebackground. Do you find thiseffective or distracting? Evaluate the use of this color triad.

� FIGURE 6.35

Student work. Evening at theRendezvous. Acrylic.

� FIGURE 6.36

Student work. Number 7. Water-color and colored pencil.

� FIGURE 6.37

Miriam Schapiro. Father and Daughter. 1997. Acrylic and fabric on canvas. 182.9 � 175.3 cm (72 � 69�).Collection of Aaron and Marion Borenstein, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

166 CHAPTER 6 Color

1 DESCRIBE What do you see?List all the information found in the credit line.

Describe the figures in this painting. Include detailsabout their body language and clothing.

What is the relationship of the figures?

Describe the background.

Which parts are painted, and which appear to be fabric?

2 ANALYZE How is this work organized?This is a clue-collecting step about the elements of art.

What hues do you see? Name and locate examples of each.

Compare and contrast the use of tints, shades, andneutral colors.

What expressive effects of color has the artist used inthis work?

3 INTERPRET What message or feeling does this artwork communicate to you?Combine the clues you have collected to form a creative interpretation of the work.

Describe the relationship you sense between the father and daughter.

How does color affect the mood of this work?

What do you think the background represents?

After your analysis, sum up what you believe the artist intended.

4 JUDGE What do you think of the work?Decide if this is a successful work of art.

Did the artist use the element of color to convey hermessage well?

Do you think this is a successful work of art? Why orwhy not? Choose an aesthetic theory to defend yourjudgment.

Miriam Schapiro is an Ameri-can artist who was born inToronto, Canada. She grew up inthe Flatbush section of Brooklyn,New York. Her parents encour-aged her interest in art. Her workconnects her with women artistsand craftspeople of the past. Likethem, she draws her art media—including fabrics—from the worldof women. She has even coinedthe word femmage to describeher unique art style. Schapirocombines collage with tradition-ally “female” art materials.

Critiquing the Artwork

Art Criticism in Action 167

Miriam Schapiro(b. 1923)

TIME to Connect

Leonardo da Vinci wrote about the impor-tance of observing color. He recognized thatchanging light plays an important role in howpeople perceive color. Test this yourself.

• Observe and then sketch the colors of an object under fluorescent andincandescent light.Then observe and sketch the colors of the object innatural light at different times of the day.

• Organize your sketches in a chart. In what ways did the colors change?What conclusions can you draw?

• Share your observations and conclusions with the class.Think abouthow light may affect the choice of colors an artist makes.

The visual arts may have been influencedby the paints and pigments available.

hilip Ball, an art historian and author of BrightEarth, claims that what artists paint isn’t only

influenced by their color sense and artistic tastes. Italso has to do with the colors and paints available tothem. Experts say that the ancient Greeks createdsomber paintings because they had only four colors:black, white, red, and yellow.

During the Middle Ages, artists had more colors to use. Natural pigments were discovered includingmalachite (green), azurite (blue), orpiment (yellow),and realgar (orange).

Then oil colors were discovered. This type of paintwas made by binding pigments with linseed, poppy,and nut oils. With oil paints, masters such asfifteenth-century artist Jan van Eyck (Figure 9.8,page 231) could produce intense, layered colors.

In the 1700s, more colors appeared, thanks tothe discovery of chemicals such as cadmium(orange and yellow), chrome (yellowsand green), and cobalt (blues).

The discovery of new colors willcontinue to influence painting. Withcomputers, artists today can use about17 million colors. From Realism toAbstract Expressionism, new colorshave steered artists in new directions.

168 CHAPTER 6 Color

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TOP: The mix of verdigris with resinssometimes reacted badly to light,turning foliage black, as in Pollaiuolo’sDaphne and Apollo.ABOVE: Modern artists boldly use purepigments. Anish Kapoor let the colors ofa 1981 sculpture spill onto the floor.

Chapter 6 Review 169

Read how Joanna Feather-stone paints a picture withwords as a professional story-teller in the Performing Arts Handbook onpage 418. Like a painter, Joanna uses tonality,contrast, intensity, and movement to tap intothe emotions that each color evokes.

CHAPTER 6 REVIEW

Understanding theproperties of colorand how to use coloreffectively is a job

requirement of many careers in art. Interiordesigners and graphic designers, for example,create and work with color schemes on a dailybasis. Go to art.glencoe.com to compareand contrast the job descriptions and require-ments of these and many other art careers.

ART

Linking to thePerforming Arts

Building Vocabulary

On a separate sheet of paper, write the termthat best matches each definition given below.

1. An element of art that is derived fromreflected light.

2. Produced when light passes through awedge-shaped glass, called a prism, and isbent and separated into bands of color.

3. The name of a color in the color spectrum.

4. A light value of a hue.

5. A dark value of a hue.

6. The brightness or dullness of a hue.

7. The colors opposite each other on the color wheel.

8. A color scheme that uses only one hue and the tints and shades of that hue.

9. Colors that sit side by side on the colorwheel and have a common hue.

10. Finely ground, colored powders that formpaint when mixed with a binder.

11. A material that holds together the grains of pigment.

12. The liquid that controls the thickness orthinness of the paint.

Reviewing Art Facts

Answer the following questions using com-plete sentences.

13. Explain how the eye sees color.

14. What is an afterimage? How is it produced?

15. Name the three components of color.

16. What is color value?

17. Name the different kinds of color schemes.

18. What are complementary colors? How docomplementary colors affect each other?

19. What are synthetic pigments? How do theydiffer from natural pigments?

20. What is arbitrary color?

Thinking Critically About Art

21. Synthesize. Figure 6.20 on page 148 andFigure 6.21 on page 149 use very differentcolor schemes. List the similarities and dif-ferences in their style and use of color.

22. Interpret. Look at Figure 6.9 on page 141.The artist has used a color scheme of darkvalues to create a specific mood. Study thelines and shapes in this work. How do theyaffect the feeling of the painting? Notice theareas of bright, intense color. How does thisadd drama? Does the title add to the mood?

23. Compare and Contrast. Examine Figures6.15 on page 146, 6.22 on page 151, and6.32 on page 162 to discuss the similaritiesand differences in the ways color is used toachieve a sense of balance.

f 6.1 notice the variety of colors used in this painting

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