Color Terms

Color

The quality of light reflected by an object, determined by hue, saturation, and value.

Afterimage

An optical effect where a complementary color appears at the edge of an observed color.

Color Interaction

How colors change their appearance depending on the colors around them.

Color Symbolism

Cultural associations attached to colors representing abstract ideas like love or authority.

CMYK

A subtractive color model (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) used for printing.

RGB

An additive color model (Red, Green, Blue) used for screens, starting with black and ending with white.

Hue

The name of a color based on its position in the color spectrum.

Saturation

The intensity or purity of a color’s hue.

Value

The lightness or darkness of a color.

Greyscale

A gradient of achromatic greys, showing light-to-dark steps.

Achromatic Grey

A grey made by mixing black and white, with no hue.

Chromatic Greys

Muted colors with low saturation that still show some hue.

Muted Color

Softened, rich colors between prismatic colors and chromatic greys.

Prismatic Colors

Pure, highly saturated colors from the color spectrum.

Additive Color

Color as seen in light, where red, green, and blue combine to make white.

Subtractive Color

Color seen in pigments, where colors combine to make darker shades.

Color Wheel

A circular chart showing the relationships between colors.

Luminosity

Light reflected from a surface, tied to a color’s value.

Anomaly

A color that sharply contrasts with others in a group.

Bridge Tones

Colors that combine elements of two distinct hues to soften contrasts.

Complementary Hues

Colors opposite each other on the color wheel.

Color Constancy

The way our perception of color changes with different lighting.

Gradient

A gradual change in a color's hue, saturation, or value.

Opacity

How transparent or opaque an element is.

High Key

An image where most colors are light in value.

Low Key

An image where most colors are dark in value.

Monochromatic

A color scheme based on variations of one hue.

Simultaneous Contrast

An optical effect where neighboring colors alter each other’s appearance.

Primary Triad

The three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue.

Secondary Color

Orange, green, and violet, created by mixing two primary colors.

Tertiary Color

Colors made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color.

Triadic

Three equidistant colors on the color wheel, like primary or secondary triads.

Analogous Hues

Colors next to each other on the color wheel (e.g., yellow and green).

Tint

A color mixed with white.

Tone

A color mixed with grey.

Shade

A color mixed with black.

Paint

A mixture of pigment and binder that dries to form a colored layer.

Palette

The selection of colors chosen for a design.

Co-Primaries

Cool and warm versions of primary colors in a subtractive color model.