Color Theory Glossary
Color Theory Glossary
Color Theory – The study of how colors interact, how they influence emotions and perceptions, and how they can be combined effectively in art and design.
Basic Color Concepts
Color Wheel – A circular diagram that organizes colors based on their relationships and how they can be mixed.
Primary Colors – The three base colors (Red, Yellow, Blue) that cannot be created by mixing other colors.
Secondary Colors – Colors created by mixing two primary colors:
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Red + Yellow = Orange
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Yellow + Blue = Green
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Blue + Red = Violet
Tertiary Colors – Colors formed by mixing a primary color with a secondary color:
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Red-Orange
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Yellow-Orange
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Yellow-Green
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Blue-Green
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Blue-Violet
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Red-Violet
Hue – The name of a pure color (e.g., red, blue, green).
Value – The lightness or darkness of a color. Adding white increases value (tints), while adding black decreases value (shades).
Chroma (Saturation) – The intensity or purity of a color. A highly saturated color is vivid, while a desaturated color appears dull.
Color Mixing & Modifications
Tint – A color mixed with white to make it lighter.
Shade – A color mixed with black to make it darker.
Tone – A color mixed with gray (a mix of black and white), reducing its saturation.
Neutral Colors – Colors that are muted or subdued, including gray, brown, black, and white.
Palette – A group of colors chosen for a design, artwork, or theme.
Color Schemes
Complementary Colors – Colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel (e.g., red & green, blue & orange). They create high contrast.
Analogous Colors – Colors that are next to each other on the color wheel, providing harmony with little contrast (e.g., blue, blue-green, green).
Monochromatic Colors – A color scheme using different tints, shades, and tones of a single hue.
Color Temperature
Warm Colors – Colors like red, yellow, and orange, which evoke warmth, energy, and excitement.
Cool Colors – Colors like blue, green, and violet, which evoke calmness, relaxation, and serenity.
Color and Perception
Optical Mixing – When colors placed next to each other visually blend in the viewer’s eye rather than being physically mixed.
Contrast – The difference between light and dark colors that create visual separation.
Depth & Dimension – Using changes in value to create the illusion of three-dimensionality in art.
Historical Context
Newton’s Color Wheel – Developed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1704, the first systematic organization of colors in a circular format