Color Theory

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Description

This material is from courses I developed and taught at the Art Institute California San Diego 2003. Unlike AICSD I usually incorporate color theory into 2d design but the syllabus, materials, and assignments that I develop change depending upon the institution.

My Notes...not everyone is in agreement. But...

Color wheels are mixing tools, media specific.
The key word here is MIXING.
For DESIGN decisions concerning color relationships, always use the traditional wheel. CMYK is only used when printing with a RIP

Example: When a customer requests complementary colors in a design, they mean colors opposite one another on the traditional color wheel, such as red and green, yellow and violet, orange and blue, because those color combinations offer the most contrast. The customer doesn't care about color wheels or monitors and inks. If you make the mistake of using the rgb color wheel, and select blue and yellow as complements, you will end up with a design that has limited contrast, and a dissappointed customer.

Subtractive color mixing describes the colors that result when light absorbing substances are mixed. Both the traditonal and cmyk color wheels would be conred subtractive. Additive color mixing describes how the eye interprets wavelengths of light to create our perception of color. This would be our RGB monitor, where color reaches us without being absorbed or reflected.

Sample Syllabus

Color Theory Course Description: In this course, students will explore color theory, including additive and subtractive color. Discussions of color and its relationship to composition, through harmony and contrast, will be explored.
Course Length: 11 Weeks
Contact Hours: 44 Hours
Lecture: 22 Hours
Lab: 22 Hours
Credit Values: 3 Credits
Core Course Competencies:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Compare and contrast hue, value, and saturation
2. Apply the concepts of unity, variety, contrast, dominance, appropriateness, balance, and harmony to their design
3. Compare and contrast additive and subtractive color theory
4. Distinguish the relative aspects of color perception (e.g., psychological and cultural aspects) as they apply to solving design problems
5. Differentiate between color used as symbol, as expression, and as description
6. Identify and define which color theories apply to different input/output devices
7. Identify color choices
8. Demonstrate the design concept visually through sample boards, etc

Course Prerequisites: None

Recommended Texts: PANTONE Guide to Communicating with Color Leatrice Eiseman

Materials and Supplies: Media is open. DIGITAL RECOMMENDED. If using analog media use paint.

Estimated Homework Hours Per Week: 4 HoursTechnology Needed: None

Grading Scale:

All assignments must have clear criteria and objectives to meet. All students shall be treated equitably. It will be that student’s right to know his/her grade at any reasonable point that information is requested by that student.

Process for Evaluation: Attendance and Participation 10%, Assignments and Exercises 90%Student

Evaluation/Grading Policies:

1. Class time will be spent in a productive manner.
2. Grading will be done on a letter system.
3. All work must be received by the set deadlines. Late work receives an F, although one late project is allowed per quarter due to medical, transportation, personal reasons. It will still be penalized one grade.
4. On-time projects may be redone with instructor approval.
5. ABSOLUTELY NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE FINAL CLASS MEETS WEEK 11

Field trips

La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art
Fashion Valley Mall

Resources

techcolor.com pantone cmyk rgb explanation
fred.net photoshop tips
colorschemer.com auto generate color schemes
color.twysted.net/ color scheme generator
copymyths copyright myths misconception
color wheel
sample color wheels
color-wheel-pro.com
Artist's color wheel

colormatters.com
colortheory.html
worqx.com/color/pantone

Vocabulary

primary, secondary, tertiary colors
value
chroma
hue
tints tones shades
monochromatic
duotone
cools
warms
analogous
complements
split complement
triadic
tetradic