Color Properties

The three properties that define a colors position on a color wheel are Value,
Hue and Saturation. These proportional relationships between these three
properties have the potential to create an infinite number of colors. Each set
up will address one of seven basic contrasts of color, as well as assessing
characteristics of the lighting design and painting techniques. These seven
contrasts of color are: cold-warm contrast of hue, light-dark contrast, cold-
warm contrast, complementary contrast, simultaneous contrast, contrast of
saturation, and contrast of extension.

Value Hue Saturation

To understand the range of possible expressions of these color properties, as

well as possible design directions and schemes we paint them in as many
variations and combinations as we can. And though this workshop does not
focus on the visual components, with each set up I will offer information on
their interaction and design as they become noteworthy.
Accented neutral: using a neutralized color as the predominant hue together with more
intense hues for accent or interest.

Achromatic: all shades of a gray having no intensity and hue quality but varying in value.

Advancing color: refraction of a color, which pulls it nearer the eye causing it to appear
closer than it, is.

Analogue: of the same color family; a color scheme which has colors of a similar hue.
They may have either “warm” or “cool” characteristics.

Chroma: degree of hue-intensity, saturation or purity of color. No white or grey.

Chromatic: all colors other than achromatics.

Color: a quality of visible phenomena, which contain three properties: hue, value, and
intensity.

Color class: a system used to classify colors

Color dimensions: a color scheme in which some one hue predominates.

Color effect: the mood or attributes or qualities. These dimensions are measured in
degrees of difference of color sensation

Color interval: the degree of visual difference between two colors measured in steps of
hue, value and chroma.

Color notation: specification of a color by written symbols and numerals

Color rhythm: measured. Proportioned color intervals.

Color scale: a series of colors that exhibited a regular change or graduation in one or
more dimensions.

Color scheme: an organized series of hues derived from a color chart.

Color symbolism: the use of color by religions, cults, nations, political parties, etc., to
signify, represents, or expresses particular qualities, attributes, or characteristics.

Color tree, sphere, and solid: a three-dimensional structure is based on their hue, value,
and chroma relationship.
Complimentary or color complement: in theory, when color opposites are mixed
Together in equal parts, the result will be black or will look as if all the result will
be white or achromatic light. A color scheme, which contains all the hues, that is
exactly opposite each other on the hue wheel.
Complimentary after image: the image which appears to the viewer after the
Viewer has looked at an image intently for approximately thirty seconds and then
the viewer has shifted is gaze to another surface. The apparent image seen is the
complementary color of the original image.
Composite color: the resultant mixture of a hue to another
Contrasting hues: hues opposite or nearly opposite on the hue circuit, such as red
And green.
Contrasting schema: the hues are used as visual opposites; they are usually
Contrasting pairs of groups: warm-cool, red-green, dark-light, intense-dull, hard-
soft, advancing-receding.
Cool color characteristics: colors found in the shade: green, blue, purple. In Gestalt
Theory these colors are classified as “ soft”, they are soothing to the nervous
system. They are blue dominant and weak in intensity. All cool: a color schema,
which contains all the hues on the left side of the hue wheel excluding yellow and
violet. Yellow and violet can be determined as either warm or cool.
Graduation: a sequence in which the adjoining parts are similar or harmonious.
Transition, flowing continuity, crescendo, change, blending. Steps or scale.
Grey: the series between black and white or complementary mixtures with or
Without white.
Grouping: joining by like values of one area to another.
Hue: pure unmixed color; name of the color; a quality by which we distinguish
one color family from another.

DYNAMIC QUALITIES OF COLOR:

RED: comes closest to the eyes, it represents a fixed point in our gaze red is
penetrating, moves forward fast, has very little retreating tendency.
ORANGE: is next to red, it has a built-in forward-backward motion, but is less
penetrating, less aggressive than red
YELLOW: moves constantly forward, but has no retreating motion. Its intensity is
strongest at the center and fades out gradually
INTERPENETRATION: the illustration of two overlapping forms. This is accomplished
through the use of three colors. The illusion of two colors overlapping to create a third
color, which is similar in value and intensity to the original two. When a number of forms
are gathers closely enough, they are seen as a whole and consequently as a new form. The
new form may be called a group, cluster, or constellation.

JUXTAPOSIOTION: to place colors, shapes side by side.

MONOCHROMATIC: to place colors, shapes side by side

MUNSELL COLOR NOTATION: a system consisting of accurately measured,

standardized color scales by means of which and color may be precisely describes and
specified by written symbols and numerals and its relation to any other color stated in
terms of definite color intervals.

NEUTRAL: achromatic colors or near achromatic colors that contain little or no

intensity. Neutral colors may be obtained by either the mixture of black and white or
complementary hues.

OPAQUE: not letting light pass through

OVERLAY: transparent or translucent coverings on a copy where details are marked

PALETE: a paint mixing tray, or the colors allotted for a color scheme.

PERCEPTUAL EFFECTS: specific, predictable, visual reactions, in the viewer

NEGATIVE AFTER IMAGES: retinal fatigue is one casual factor for the phenomenon of
negative after images, as the viewer gazes steadily at high contrast black and white
figures, small grey spot begin to appear in the inner sections of white crosses on a black
background. Staring intently at the cross and then at a blank white wall will result in a
black after image.

BRIGHTNESS CONTRAST: the eye discriminates differences between shades of gray in

terms of relative brightness, in adjacent area of darker or lighter values. Areas equal in
value will be consistently judged unequal if they are viewed against contrasting reference
backgrounds.

IRRADIATION: a brightly illuminated white area is thought to produce an image on the

retina that spreads or affects the receptors of the eye in a less selective way than by a
black or dark gray image. This spreading effect may account for the illusion that black
and white areas, of equal size appear unequal.
POLYCHROMATIC: a color that contains two or more different hues.

PRIMARY COLORS: in pigment: red, yellow, blue; in light these are the secondary
colors. Light primaries are vermilion, blue violet, and green.

PROPORTION: a designed relationship of measurements. A ratio of intervals or of

magnitudes of the same nature, kind, or class.

RANGE: variety of value and intensity possible in a hue.

SATURATION: the degree of intensity of a hue as measured by its freedom from

admixture with grey. The less grey the more saturation of a hue.

SECONDARY COLORS: colors mixed from two primaries.

SHADE: lowering the saturation of a hue by the addition of black; a surface in shadow.

SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST: the illusion created by changing the background of

consistent values. Color contrasts and changes because of color juxtaposition and
placement. From the law of complementary colors. Each pure color physiologically
demands its opposite color. Particular kinds of simultaneous contrast are

SPECTRUM: a colored image produced when white light is so dispersed by a prism or a

diffraction grating that its component rays form a graduation in the order of their
wavelengths.

TINT: altering or decreasing the saturation of a hue by the intensity of a color; addition of
grey.

TRANSLUCENT: letting light pass but diffusing it so objects cannot be distinguished.

TRANSPARENT: capable of being seen through.

TRIAD: three related colors such as orange, green and violet.

VALUE LEVEL: a horizontal cross section through the color solid on which all colors
are if the same value.

WARM COLOR CHARACTERISTICS: colors found in the sun: red, orange, yellow. In
Gestalt theory these colors are considered hard because they stimulate rather than soothe
the nervous system. All warm: a color scheme which contains all the hues on the right
side of the hue wheel which excluding yellow and violet, yellow and violet can be
determined as either warm or cool. And can show warm or cool color characteristics.
 “Meaning is not found in the depiction of things”
Outdoors we are surrounded by beautiful scenes each one in perfect harmony
while continually changing. Always changing, always in perfect harmony. Why
when there are so many possibilities, are it so difficult to capture the beauty of
but one of these fleeting moments?

It might be because the beauty of that moment is sustained only as long as the
existing relationships maintain their fragile balance. That would mean the way to
capture the moment is not found in the depiction of things, but what lies within
the relationships between things. That is changing and keeps everything in
harmony. It is not enough to merely render the details of one thing and then
another and so on until you have filled your image to its boarders. If our intention
is to visually express our personal, or a deliberate point of view about a moment
we have to move beyond the mere rendering of objects to the abstract
relationships that establish everything about the moment.

Look at your subject and describe what you see without object names. What you
describe will be more useful information, which will begin to encompass not just
visual relationships but a bit of how you personally feel about what you are
observing. See, and define your observations in terms of poetic relationships,
which are important for the artist, not general classification and object details.

If your observations are only providing you with general classification of objects
by names, and name their details you will only give yourself enough information
to create an emotionless, rendering and will be struggling to understand when
and what will make your composition complete.

Finding proper visual relationships whether harmonious, monotonous, or

discordant, that best suits each moment’s level of story intensity with quality,
continuity, and consistency requires a good level of visual literacy.