Colour Theory - Part 2

There are certain terms which we come across to while painting. Having an understanding of them helps us in making colour combinations, getting a particular hue , and so on.The different terms which I am going to talk about today are hues,value,high key , low key, tints ,shades,tones,warm colours,  and cool colours .

VALUE ;- Value is the term used to describe the relative lightness or darkness of a colour  (or of black ).

HIGH KEY or LOW KEY:- A high key drawing is filled with light values and evokes an airy, carefree feeling while a low key drawing uses mostly dark values and creates a more mysterious mood.

TINTS , SHADES and TONES :-Pure colours can be tinted with white to make them lighter ,shaded with black to make them darker , or toned with grey to make them more muted.

WARM COLOURS and COOL  COLOURS :- The colours on the red side are warm . The colours on the blue side are cool.The colours with red or yellow in them appear warmer and colours with more green or blue in them appear cooler. For ex.if a normally cool colour like green has more yellow added to it , it will appear warmer and if a warm colour like red has a little more blue it will seem cooler.

Warm colours appear to come forward and cool colours appear to recede. This knowledge is valuable when creating the illusion of depth in a scene. Warm colours generally convey energy and  excitement , whereas cooler colours usually indicate peace and calm.

Complements can create a sense of tension,cool hues can evoke a sense of mystery . Light cool colours can provide a feeling of tranquility and warm colours can create a sense of danger.

Tints, Shades and Tones

Primary and Secondary Colours