Color Theory

Color

The quality of an object or substance with respect to light reflected by the object. We determine this term by visually measuring hue, saturation, and value.

Afterimage

A common optical effect in which an additional color seems to appear at the edge of an observed color. When a color is placed against an achromatic background it's afterimage will be the color's complement.

color interaction

A color's character is dependent upon it's context because colors interact with each other where they meet.

color symbolism

Based upon automatic associations attached to colors or color combinations that are learned and culturally determined. In many ways color are linked to abstract ideas like love, mortality, authority, or nationhood.

CMYK

A color model that is used for print purposes. This term is a subtractive color, meaning that we begin with white and end up with black. If we add more colors together, the values get darker.

RGB

A color model that is used for on-screen purposes. This term is an additive color, meaning that when mixing colors, we start with black and end up with white as more colors are added.

Hue

The name given to a color to describe its location on the color spectrum based on its wavelength

Saturation

Sometimes also called intensity or chroma, this refers to the relative purity of hue present in a color. A highly saturated color vividly shows a strong presence of hue; conversely, low saturation refers to a weak hue presence.

Value

The relative quality of lightness or darkness in a color

greyscale

A graduated representation of the value continuum broken down into a finite number of steps, usually ten, eleven, or twelve achromatic greys.

Achromatic greys

Greys that are created by mixing black and white. These have no evident coloration when seen against a white background.

chromatic grey

Subtle colors that result from considerably lowering the saturation level of prismatic colors. These weakly exhibit the distinguishing quality of the hue family to which they belong

Muted colors

Rich but softened colors that reside in our color wheel between prismatic color and chromatic grey

prismatic colors

Pure Hues that represent the colors of the color spectrum at their highest saturation level. While these are theoretically infinite in number, our color wheel distributes them evenly into twelve major hues

additive color

Color as seen in light. These primaries are red, green, and blue violet; when they are combined the result is white light

subtractive color

Color seen in pigment as the result of reflected light.

color wheel

A circular depiction of the various colors and their interrelationships

luminosity

Light reflected from a surface; in color, it is tied to value. The lighter the color, the more luminous it is. This can be measured with a light sensor.

Anomaly

An irregularity; a deviation from a norm. An anomalous color is one that breaks sharply with the dominant tonal quality established by a group of colors.

Bridge tones

Tones, tints and shades that combine qualities of two distinctly different colors and act to soften those differences when placed near them in a comparison.

complementary hues

Hues that lie directly opposite each other on the color wheel.

color consistency

The phenomenon that as light changes, so does our perception of color.

gradient

A gradual change in one color in terms of one of color's three independent parts.

opacity

The degree of transparency an element has.

high key

When an image is said to be when the colors in it are predominantly light in value

low key

What an image is said to be when the colors in it are predominantly dark in value

monochromatic

a color scheme based on one hue

Simultaneous Contrast

The optical effect that two neighboring colors have upon each other as their afterimages interact along a shared border.

primary triad

In theory, by mixing two or three of these colors from the true primary triad, any color can be achieved, while primary colors themselves are unobtainable through mixing.

secondary color

Each of these colors can be made by combining two primaries.

tertiary color

Also called intermediate colors; combining a primary color and a secondary color. (i.e. yellow orange)

Analogous Hues

Hues that lie adjacent to each other on the color wheel (i.e. yellow, yellow green, green)

color harmonies

Visually pleasing color combinations.

tint

The result of mixing a color with white.

tone

A color with grey added.

shade

The result of mixing a color with black.

paint

A mixture of pigment and binder; this is intended to dry and last as a colored decorative layer. This can also be used as a verb

palette

Selection of colors you choose to use for your design.

co-primaries

The result of the subdivision of the (subtractive) primary triad into three pairs consisting of cool and warm versions of each hue.