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Color Basics & Color Studies

       Color is light, and light is composed of many vibrations or varying waves lengths or temperatures of light resulting in the perceived color band separations within the visual spectrum.  We see this vibrating waves as the rainbow beams of colors and the visual spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.  We perceive a direct light source (the sun) and reflecting light as wavelengths as white light or varying colors of reflected light which bounces off of surfaces in all directions with the most intensity in the direct angle paths and less intensity for the in direct paths, i.e. standing in front of a flash light or direct beam of light.  Objects or surfaces also absorb certain wavelengths and reflect others back to the viewer, within the natural ambient sun light or artificial light spectrum such as a fluorescent or incandescent light bulbs. 

       Scientifically, visible light is also only a small portion of the infinite range of the electromagnetic radiation which starts with ultra short wave lengths down to fractions of the size of an atom. Including radio, microwaves to infra-red followed by the visible spectrum, followed by ultra-violet, X-ray and gamma rays having wavelengths thousands of meters long.  The spectrum can be divided into the three primary colors red, green, and blue. The relative mixture of these three colors can be used to produce all the other colors including by adding proportion of white tint (full light) or black shade (no light).  

       Most base primary color pigments, dyes, tints, inks and paint systems (i.e Pantone color matching systems or PMS) use natural mineral or plant based elements which are used to process or manufacture the base pigments, which is then added to a liquid medium material (white) to create the specific color.  For example, titanium, or Titanium dioxide, a naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula TiO2, is chemically processed to manufacture bright white, called titanium white.  For example Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in most plants, and algae.

       Color is light, and light is composed of many vibrations or varying wave lengths or temperatures of light resulting in the perceived color separations within the visual spectrum.  We see them as the rainbow of colors and the visual spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.   We perceive the direct light source (the sun), or the reflecting light as wavelengths, as white light or varying reflected colors. These colors bounce off of surfaces in all directions with the most intensity in the direct angle paths and less intensity for the indirect paths, i.e. standing in front of a flash light or direct beam of light.  Objects or surfaces also absorb certain wavelengths and reflect others back to the viewer.  

       Paint and paper printing, ink systems are broken down into the primary pigments or hues (CMYK): cyan (blue). magenta (red), yellow and black (K), used to mix or create the millions of printed photos and ink colors.  The dynamic range of colors displayed  on monitors and LCD screens - light video projection systems - use a RGB (red, green blue), pin point color points or a matrix of pixels to mix the color values on a very small scale to be perceived by the human eye as the specific colors.  Color pixel density may range from low resolution 72 dots per inch to high definition 2400 dots per inch.  The display resolution or number of pixels per inch defines the quality smoothness, saturation, value, hue and lightness and consistency of the colors. 

       Many plastic colors vary depending upon the consistency of the color pigment batches, the thickness of the piece, and the viewing light viewing conditions.  Clear or transparent materials allow you to see through the material without significant obstruction or haziness.  Translucent or semi-clear materials allow the passage of light, but not necessarily a clear view.  Opaque color materials block the passage of light.

Saturation, Value, Hue & Lightness

       Color is described in three ways: by its name, how pure or saturated it is, and its value or lightness.  Although pink, crimson, and brick are all variations of the color red, each hue is distinct and differentiated by its chroma, saturation, intensity, and value.  Colors in products are defined by the natural material, metal, plastic, glass, ceramic or paint color and surface, smooth or textured finish qualities.  Color is rarely pure saturations but perceived and varying lighted and shaded values.  Plastics, paints, stains and varnishes are man-made finishes which include color pigments and other chemical additives, fillers which alter the perceptual qualities and performance characteristics. Color longevity is typically based on the environment it is in and its exposure to time, aging weathering and destructive non visible light such as gamma, neutron, ultra-violet and infra red light wave lengths.

       Color and lighting are directly related to the perceived light to dark values we perceive, including how light falls on an object, as the light source reflects directly off the flat top versus striking and obtuse angles or in complete shadow on receiving indirect or scattered light form the ambient environment on the vertical sides or convex or concave surfaces surfaces such as automotive body styling. The car may be paint the same red color with a clear coat but the perception of color varies greatly as the saturation, value, hues and lightness are effected by the environments lighting qualities, the light source(s) and the styling or surface geometry of the object as the eye moves over it.,   

We determine whether or not a color combination is successful by assessing the visual balance and harmony of the final composition—balance and harmony are achieved by the visual contrast that exists between the colors. Use of successful color combination begins with the understanding and investigation of color relationships. 

Primary Colors:  Red, Yellow, Blue or  (Magenta, Cyan, Yellow): can not be mixed form other colors.

Secondary Colors:  (Red) Orange (Yellow) Green (Blue) Violet:
Two primary colors mixed together.

Tertiary Colors: Red/Orange Yellow/Orange, Yellow/Green  Blue/Green  -Blue/Violet, Red/Violet, also known as Intermediate.
One primary and one secondary mixed together.

Complimentary Colors: Colors positioned opposite one another on the color wheel,  Red - Green, Blue - Orange or Yellow - Violet.

Key Colors: Dominate hue in a color scheme or composition.

Neutral Gray: A combination of White and Black and or possibly a hue. Typically broken down into 5, 7, 9 or 10 gradations.

Warm Colors: Typically referred to as aggressive colors, tinted with Red, Orange or Yellow - lighter in tint.

 Cool Colors: Typically referred to as receding colors, tinted with Blue, Green or Violet.

Chroma, intensity, saturation and luminance/value are inter-related terms and have to do with the description of a color.

Chroma: How pure a hue is in relation to gray.

Saturation: The degree of purity of a hue. (pure red).

Intensity: The brightness or dullness of a hue. One may lower the intensity by adding white tint or black shade.

Luminance / Value: A measure of the amount of light reflected from a hue. Those hues with a high content of white have a higher luminance or value.  The luminance of a color next to a darker or light color will take on an illusion of lighter or darker particularly at the edges of color contact.  This effect is called vibration or value shifting.   

Shade and tint are terms that refer to a variation of a hue.

Shade: A hue produced by the addition of black.

Tint: A hue produced by the addition of white.

Tone: A hue produced by the addition of gray, black or white.

Proportion & Intensity  When colors are juxtaposed, our eyes perceive a visual mix. This mix will differ depending on the proportions of allocated areas.

  • The color with the largest proportional area is the dominant color (the ground).
  • Smaller areas are subdominant colors.
  • Accent colors are those with a small relative area, but offer a contrast because of a variation in hue, intensity, or saturation (the figure).
  • Placing small areas of light color on a dark background, or a small area of dark on a light background will create an accent.
  • If large areas of a light hue are used, the whole area will appear light; conversely, if large areas of dark values are used, the whole area appears dark.
  • Alternating color by intensity rather than proportion will also change the perceived visual mix of color.




       When creating a product color composition - the whole product needs to be evaluated in varying light environmental conditions to create a composition with the desired perceptual effect. Decisions concern what is known as the dominant elements of the design to create a vibrant, attention grabbing effect that either contrasts or compliments the environment.   The dominant perception may be classified as either "contrast dominant" or "value dominant."   Designs that evidence contrast dominance or value dominance are then sub-divided into low, moderate, and high contrast, or light, medium, and dark value categories.  The choice of colors will enhance or minimize the overall impact. Understanding how the relationships between the colors of a chosen palette will affect the final outcome of an overall product color composition is integral to mastering the use of color and attention getting qualities.

 

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