Colour Theory

Colour Theory

Colour is present when as object produces or reflects light and different colours are produced by the different ways the light reflects off objects and how it is interpreted by our brain once the light has entered through our eyes. In art for example make-up colour is used to create visual experiences and sensations for the viewer in order to show the designers thoughts and creativity. In psychology colour is often seen to act as a stimuli as people react differently and feel differently when they see different colours. However this concept is also used in make-up as designers aim to create reactions to their work by the audience who are viewing their creations.

Colour theory is guidance on the mixing of colours and the effects that different colours have in relation to each other. It also states the general opinions of how people view different colour combinations and the visual effects they create. The colour wheel was first developed by Isaac Newton in 1666 to show the different colours and help to explain how they relate to one another. There are a few factors that can be used to describe colours:

Lightness of colour: How pale or dark a colour is.

Saturation: How intense or dull a colour is.

Hue: The name of the colour e.g. Red, blue, orange.

Primary colours: In art the primary colours are red, blue and yellow. All the others colours that we have can be made from these three colours. Red, blue and yellow cannot be made by mixing any of the other colours.

Secondary colours: These are green, orange and purple and are created by mixing two of the primary colours together.

Tertiary colours: These are created by mixing a primary and a secondary colour together. They are red/purple, red/orange, blue/purple, blue/green, yellow/orange and yellow/green.

All of the primary, secondary and tertiary colours are shown on the colour wheel.

The colours on the colour wheel can be used together to create Colour Harmony. This is when the combinations of the colours work well together because of their position on the colour wheel in order to create colour schemes that are visually pleasing. The colour scheme is the range of colours a designer chooses to use in their work.

Analogous colours are any colour from the colour wheel and the two colours either side of it.

Complimentary colours are any colour and the colour directly opposite it on the colour wheel. These two colours contrast from one another in a way that is visually pleasing.

Monochromatic colours are all the shades of one chosen colour.

The Chromatic colour is the colour that was actually chosen.

Cool colours are usually blues and greens and warm colours are reds and oranges however all colours can have cooler and warmer shades.

Neutrals colours are shades of beiges, greys, browns and creams. They are shades that do not appear on the colour wheel and they are sometimes described as having no true colour however they are normally tones that have undertones of the colour wheel colours in them.

Achromatic colours are black, white and grey. Black and white are tones and this is why they do not appear on the colour wheel. They are usually described as having no colour because black absorbs all light and light needs to reflect off an object in order for it to have colour. Also white reflects all light and some light needs to be absorbed by an object in order for it to have colour. Therefore grey is often described as a colour as it reflects some but not all light however it is created by mixing black and white and not colours.

Analogous

Contouring: Kryolan Supracolor- White 070, Blue 10 and Lila, Illamasqua Translucent Powder.

Eyes: Kryolan Supracolor Lila, White 070, Illamasqua Translucent Powder, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara- Blackest Black, Kryolan Viva Eyeshadow- Lavender and Sage Blossom

Lips- Kryolan Supracolor- Lila, Mua Matte Shine- Persian Plum

Achromatic

Contouring: Kryolan Supracolor-White 070, Mac Paintstick Pure White, Illamasqua Translucent Powder, Kryolan Viva Eyeshadow-  Caraway and White Pepper

Eyes: Kryolan Viva eyeshadow- Caraway and White Pepper, Barry M Liquid Eyeliner- Black, Rimmel Scandaleyes 001 Black, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara- Blackest Black.

Lips: Kryolan Supracolor- 071

In this look I wanted to also practice extreme contouring which I have written about in another post. I have improved since the last time I did extreme contouring as the colours are blended in a lot more and the lines are not too harsh.

Interaction of Color, 50th Anniversary Edition by Josef Albers.
I bought this book as colour theory is something that interests me as I love using lots of different colours in my work. As this book was originally published 50 years ago I was unsure whether the ideas in it would still be relevant today. Obviously colours havn't changed but I wondered whether  the way we perceive different colours and their interaction with each other had. I have not yet read the full book but after reading certain parts its obvious that Albers ideals and way of thinking are still as relevant today as they were when the book was first published. At first I found it difficult to adapt to the writing style and some parts I had to read twice to fully understand the type of language that was used, however when you understand what is being said it makes you reconsider how colour has a big impact on how we see things and different colours effect each other in so many different ways. I would recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn more about colours and the way we see them or to anyone who just loves colour.

The book I bought.