Color Theory & Lighting – Elements of Design

Vocabulary flashcards covering key color theory terms, their meanings, and related concepts from the lecture notes.

Hue

The color name (red, blue, yellow) and its variations; approximately 150 variations of hue exist.

Chroma (Saturation)

The purity or intensity of a color; higher chroma means a more vivid color.

Value (Luminosity)

How light or dark a color appears.

Shade

A color created by adding black to a hue.

Tint

A color created by adding white to a hue.

Tone

A color with gray added, reducing saturation.

Primary colors

Red, Blue, and Yellow; the basic colors that cannot be made by mixing other colors.

Secondary colors

Colors formed by mixing two primaries (Orange, Green, Violet).

Tertiary colors

Colors formed by mixing a primary with a neighboring secondary color (e.g., Yellow-Orange, Red-Violet).

Munsell System

A color-order system (Hue, Value, Chroma) developed by Albert Munsell in 1929.

Newton color wheel

The first color wheel organized by wavelengths; categories include primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.

Additive color (Light)

Mixing different wavelengths of light; when combined in equal amounts, the result is white.

Subtractive color (Pigments)

Mixing pigments that absorb (subtract) colors; the visible color is the result of reflected wavelengths.

Color wheel

A circular arrangement of colors used to understand color relationships.

Analogous colors

Colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.

Complementary colors

Colors opposite each other on the color wheel, creating high contrast.

Split-complementary color scheme

A color plus two adjacent colors to its complement for balanced contrast.

Triadic color scheme

Three colors evenly spaced on the color wheel (e.g., Red, Yellow, Blue).

Monochromatic color scheme

Variants of a single hue, including tints, tones, and shades.

Tetradic color scheme

Two complementary color pairs used together for a rich, four-color palette.

Warm colors

Colors that feel stimulating and advancing in space (e.g., reds, oranges, yellows).

Cool colors

Colors that feel calming and receding in space (e.g., blues, greens, purples).

Color psychology

The study of how colors evoke emotions, moods, and behaviors.

Color emphasis

Using color to draw attention and create focal points.

Spatial manipulation (color in interiors)

How color affects perceived space, including advancing/receding, ceiling height, and room size.

Color constancy

The perception that a color remains the same under different lighting conditions.

Afterimages

Visual sensations that linger after removing the stimulus; positive afterimages mirror the original colors, negative afterimages are in complementary colors.

Simultaneous contrast

Color perception is influenced by surrounding colors, altering perceived hue or saturation.

Metamerism

Two colors look the same under one light but different under another due to spectral differences.

Color coding for wayfinding

Using color to help people navigate spaces and locate functions (e.g., zones, rooms).

Pantone color of the year

An annual color trend chosen by Pantone to guide design palettes (e.g., Ultra Violet, Very Peri, Viva Magenta, Peach Fuzz, Mocha Mousse).

Color trends

Popular colors and palettes predicted to influence design in a given period.

Color symbolism by culture

Cultural meanings attached to colors across Western, Far Eastern, Indian, and Middle Eastern contexts.