This document discusses color theory and the classification and properties of colors. It describes color as a sensation that stimulates the eye and influences perceptions of space, mood, and character. Colors are classified based on their origin (primary, secondary from mixing primaries) and hue (position on the color wheel). The primary dimensions of color are described as hue (name and warmth/coolness), value (lightness/darkness), and intensity (distance from grey). Color schemes like monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and split-complementary are explained based on their use of colors on the color wheel.

1. Ms. Roma Gandhi
Dr. BMN College of Home Science
NAAC Accredited ‘A’ Grade CGPA
3.64/4
UGC Status: College for Potential of
Excellence
COLOURS

2. COLOUR
This is one of the most important elements, which
brings life, beauty (aesthetics), mood, emotion
and character to the design.
What is colour?
It is a sensation, which causes stimulation of the
eye.
Colour can make a room appear bright or sober,
exciting or dull, spacious or crowded, warm or
cool.

3. SOURCES OF COLOUR

4. Optical instrument called as Spectroscope. At
one end of the spectrum is violet and at the
other end it is red. The whole band is called as
VIBGYOR ie Violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow,
orange and red.

5. COLOUR THEORIES
The study of color can be approached in 5
different angles:
1.The Physiologist
2.The Chemist
3.The physicist
4.The Psychologists
5.Who mix paints and dyes and find that the
mixtures of colored pigments behave differently.

6. CLASSIFICATION OF COLOUR
1. Primary Colours
2. Secondary Colours
3. Intermediate Colours
4. Tertiary Colours
5. Quaternary Colours

7. PRIMARY COLOURS
They are called primary colours because we
cannot get them by mixing other colours.
They occur in either natural or man – made
pigments.
Red, Yellow & Blue are called primary colours

8. SECONDARY COLOURS
When two primary colours are added in equal
proportion a secondary colour is obtained.
E.G -
½ Yellow + ½ Red = Orange
½ Red + ½ Blue = Violet (Purple)
½ Blue + ½ Yellow = Green

9. INTERMEDIATE COLOURS
When one primary color and
its adjacent secondary color
are mixed in equal proportion,
we get an intermediate color.
e.g.
Yellow + Green =
Yellowish green
Red + Orange = Reddish
orange
Blue + Purple = Bluish Purple

10. TERTIARY COLOURS
When two secondary colours are mixed in
equal proportions, tertiary colours are
formed.
e.g.
Orange + Green = Citron (Yellowish gray)

11. QUATERNARY COLOURS
When two tertiary colours are mixed in
equal proportions, they form quarter nary
colours

12. RED
Red
Orange
ORANGE
Yellow
Orange
YELLOW
Yellow
GreenGREEN
BLUE
Blue
Green
Blue
Purple
PURPLE
Red
Purple
P
P
P
T
T
T
T
T
T
S
S
S

14. DIMENSIONS OF COLOURS
1. HUE: it is a term used to indicate the name of
the color such red, blue, yellow etc.
• The difference between blue and green is the
hue.
• It indicates the position of the color on the
color wheel
• It also indicates the warmthness and
coolness of a color.

15. 2. Value: it is the second dimension of color.
• It indicates the lightest light (white) and the
darkest dark color (black)
Eg: red can become light pink or dark maroon.
• Dr. D.W.Ross gave 9 steps of value where
white is a highest value and black is the lowest
value. Half way between black and white
becomes middle value on the chart that is
GREY.

16. White, Highlight, light, low light, MIDDLE VALUE, high dark,
dark, low dark, black

17. 3. Intensity or Chroma: it is the dimension which
tells us the brightness and dullness, strength
and weakness of a color.
• In other words it is a property describing the
distance of the color from grey or neutralizing.

18. CLASSIFICATION OF COLOURS
• Warmthness or coolness
• Heaviness or lightness
• Advancing or Receding
• Earth or Acid colors

19. LAW OF COLOURS
Help to understand how to choose
colours….
RELATED COLOUR SCHEMES
• Monochromatic: Only one colour
is used, Ideally Primary or
Secondary.
• Analogous: Any two which are
next to each other in colour
wheel.

20. CONTRAST COLOUR SCHEMES
• Complementary: 2 Colors
directly opposite e.g. Red &
Green
• Double Complimentary: 4
Colors in double, ( 2 colors next
to each other & their opposite in
Col Wheel, Red, RP & Green YG)
• Split Complimentary: 3 colors,
Forms “Y” on color wheel e.g
Red, BG, YG

21. • Double Split: 4 colors,
Forms “X” ( Purple, Red,
Green, Yellow)
• Triad: 3 colors, Forms
Triangle ( Primary triangle/
Secondary Triangle/ Any
one Inter Triangle)
• Tetrad: 4 colors , Forms
Rectangle ( 1 primary, 1
secondary & 2
Intermediate)

22. THANK
YOU