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Color theory is a complete science in itself, and to get a full idea of how it works, I suggest reading some art books. In this article, however, we are going to take a brief look at the fundamentals of color theory, in light of the concepts of Design Psychology. We’ll first list a term and then offer a brief summary of how the term relates to design psychology.
Hue
The base name of a color without adding white, gray, or black. The terms hue and color are interchangeable.
colored wheels
A color wheel contains twelve colors, based on primitive pigments. The three primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. Three secondary colors (composed of combinations of the three primary colors) follow: red and blue make up purple; red and yellow make orange; yellow and blue make green. Six tertiary colors (made up of combinations of primary and secondary colors) make up the rest of the color wheel: yellow-orange, red-orange, violet, blue-green, and yellow-green. Black is the total absence of color and white is the reflection of all colors.
Value or Lightness
This denotes the degree of lightness or darkness of a tone, relative to pure white or black.
Intensity, Saturation or Chroma:
This term describes the degree of purity of a shade compared to neutral gray of the same value. This is the freedom to add white or gray; how bright or dull a color appears in relation to the basic hue.
shades
They are deep tones, in which black is added to a color.
dyes
These are pastels, in which white is added to a color.
tone
Adding gray of the same value to a hue or adding its complement creates a hue.
Saturation
The intensity or depth of the color, such as dark or light.
Monochromatic color schemes
This term is used to describe rooms with only tints and shades of the same color. Neutral color schemes are often monochromatic.
Analogous, side by side or related color schemes
These rooms use colors that are adjacent to the main color on the color wheel. This is considered a friendly scheme, because the colors blend well and create a soft effect.
Complementary or opposite color schemes
Rooms that use colors from opposite sides of the color wheel. This is considered a scheme of power and action.
Triad
It consists of three colors, spaced at the same distance on the color wheel. Triad color schemes can potentially cause dazzling and confusing feelings when all the colors are intense.
tetrad
It consists of four colors, spaced equally apart on the color wheel. Tetrad color schemes create interesting effects due to the potential variety available. They are best when two colors dominate.
Topographic color schemes
These schemes contain colors from nature, such as rocks, earth, sky, sea, and plants.
Floral Color Schemes
These schemes use bright or pastel colors found in plants and flowers.
color combinations
Fabrics and wallpapers come in different color combinations or color combinations. A fabric pattern will have several selections of color combinations to choose from. A pattern may be available in color combinations of: yellow, blue and green, red, blue and green; or purple, burgundy and blue.
visual vibration
This occurs when neighboring colors seem to collide and vibrate in our vision, creating a dizzying effect that adds to nervousness and tiredness.
cusp colors
These are colors on the border of two colors that take on different values under different lighting situations, such as dark blue/purple (periwinkle), orange/red (terracotta reds), and blue/greens (teal). Periwinkle can appear more purple than dark blue at night or under different lighting systems.
one color
This is a true color, with no additive colors, such as sky blue, grass green, or apple red. A simple color is a pure color.
complex color
This is a color combination, such as silver-blue or lichen (grayish-greenish-brown). A complex color is a color that requires a long description, such as “kind of a blue-gray with a hint of pink.”
Pallette
The full range of colors used in a design project.
These are the basic terms used to describe color schemes within Design Psychology concepts. Learning them is the first step in creating dynamic spaces for both the interior and exterior of your home.
(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.