CT - Color Theory Overview
Color Theory
Introduction 
Understanding how to use color to reach your desired effect is one of the most important aspects of painting. This Module will go through the basics of color theory. You will gain experience in mixing colors, developing color interactions, and create a painting using color harmonies and your chosen composition. Have fun and enjoy the process.
Module Lessons Preview
In this module, we will study the following topics:
Color Theory Overview: How artists use color to achieve particular effects.
Color Theory Practice: How we mix colors accurately, efficiently, and to create various color interactions.
Color Theory Final Painting: How we create a painting with a strong composition and effective color harmony.
Module Key Terms
Color Terms
Color spectrum - a band of colors produced by the separation of the components of refracted light as seen in a rainbow
Color - derived from reflected light
Primary colors - red, yellow, blue
Secondary colors - green, violet, orange
Intermediate/ Tertiary colors- red-violet, red- orange, yellow- orange, yellow- green, blue- violet, blue- green
Color Wheel - color spectrum bent into a circle
Shade - color plus black
Tint - color plus white
Hue - another name for color
Value - lightness or darkness of a color (can be changed by adding black or white)
Intensity - brightness or dullness of a color (can be lessened or neutralized by adding the complement)
Pigment - powdered coloring material used from paint, crayons, chalks, and ink
Binder - material used in paint to hold pigments together (acrylic binder=polymer, oil binder=based oil, watercolor binder=gum Arabic, tempera binder=egg or synthetic egg)
Color Schemes/Harmonies
Color Harmony - a combination of colors that are pleasing to the eye and work well together in a work of art or design
Analogous - colors side by side on the color wheel
Complementary - colors opposite each other on the color wheel
Split Complementary - a color and the two colors on either side of its complement
Monochromatic - tints and shades of one color or hue
Warm Colors - Yellows, Oranges, and Reds
Cool Colors - Blues, Violets, and Greens
Triad - colors equally spaced on the color wheel
IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS OR OPENSOURCE