The document discusses color theory and color fundamentals. It begins by explaining color theory and how color relationships can be visually represented using a color wheel. It then discusses the color wheel in more detail, explaining the concept of harmonious color combinations and color schemes. The rest of the document discusses specific color schemes including monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split complementary, triadic, and tetradic schemes. It also covers color attributes such as hue, value, chroma, primary colors, secondary colors, shades, tints, and tones.

1. COLOUR FUNDAMENTALS
PRESENTED BY
Sarika Aggarwal
Shivam Bhushan
B.ARCH(2nd sem)

2. • Color Theory is a set of principles used to
create harmonious color combinations.
Color relationships can be visually
represented with a color wheel – the color
spectrum wrapped onto a circle.
What is color theory?

3. Color wheel
• The color wheel is a visual
representation of color theory:
• According to color theory,
harmonious color combinations use
any two colors opposite each other on
the color wheel, any three colors
equally spaced around the color
wheel forming a triangle, or any four
colors forming a rectangle (actually,
two pairs of colors opposite each
other).
• The harmonious color combinations
are called color schemes – sometimes
the term 'color harmonies' is also
used. Color schemes remain
harmonious regardless of the rotation
angle.

4. COLOUR
SCHEMES

5. Monochromatic Color Scheme
• The monochromatic color
scheme uses variations in
lightness and saturation
of a single color. This
scheme looks clean and
elegant. Monochromatic
colors go well together,
producing a soothing
effect. The
monochromatic scheme
is very easy on the eyes,
especially with blue or
green hues.

6. • Pros: The monochromatic scheme is easy to
manage, and always looks balanced and
visually appealing.
• Cons: This scheme lacks color contrast. It is
not as vibrant as the complementary
scheme.
• Tips:
• 1. Use tints, shades, and tones of the key
color to enhance the scheme.
• 2. Try the analogous scheme; it offers more
nuances while retaining the simplicity and
elegance of the monochromatic scheme.

7. Analogous Color Scheme
• The analogous color
scheme uses colors that
are adjacent to each
other on the color wheel.
One color is used as a
dominant color while
others are used to enrich
the scheme. The
analogous scheme is
similar to the
monochromatic, but
offers more nuances.

8. • Pros: The analogous color scheme is as easy to
create as the monochromatic, but looks richer.
• Cons: The analogous color scheme lacks color
contrast. It is not as vibrant as the complementary
scheme.
• Tips:
• 1. Avoid using too many hues in the analogous
scheme, because this may ruin the harmony.
• 2. Avoid combining warm and cool colors in this
scheme.

9. Complementary Color Scheme
• The complementary color
scheme consists of two
colors that are opposite
each other on the color
wheel. This scheme
looks best when you put
a warm color against a
cool color, for example,
red versus green-blue.
This scheme is
intrinsically high-contrast.

10. • Pros: The complementary color scheme offers
stronger contrast than any other color scheme, and
draws maximum attention.
• Cons: This scheme is harder to balance than
monochromatic and analogous schemes, especially
when desaturated warm colors are used.
• Tips:
• 1. For best results, place cool colors against warm
ones, for example, blue versus orange.
• 2. If you use a warm color (red or yellow) as an
accent, you can desaturate the opposite cool colors
to put more emphasis on the warm colors.
• 3. Avoid using desaturated warm colors (e.g. browns
or dull yellows).
• 4. Try the split complementary scheme; it is similar to
the complementary scheme but offers more

11. Split Complementary Color
Scheme
• The split complementary
scheme is a variation of
the standard
complementary scheme. It
uses a color and the two
colors adjacent to its
complementary. This
provides high contrast
without the strong tension
of the complementary
scheme.

12. • Pros: The split complementary scheme offers
more nuances than the complementary scheme
while retaining strong visual contrast.
• Cons: The split complementary scheme is harder
to balance than monochromatic and analogous
color schemes.
• Tips:
• 1. Use a single warm color against a range of cool
colors to put an emphasis on the warm color (red
versus blues and blue-greens, or orange versus
blues and blue-violets).
• 2. Avoid using desaturated warm colors (e.g.
browns or dull yellows), because this may ruin the
scheme.

13. Triadic Color Scheme
• The triadic color scheme
uses three colors equally
spaced around the color
wheel. This scheme is
popular among artists
because it offers strong
visual contrast while
retaining harmony and color
richness. The triadic
scheme is not as
contrasting as the
complementary scheme,
but it looks more balanced
and harmonious.

14. • Pros: The triadic color scheme offers high
contrast while retaining harmony.
• Cons: The triadic color scheme is not as
contrasting as the complementary scheme.
• Tips:
• 1. Choose one color to be used in larger
amounts than others.
• 2. If the colors look gaudy, try to subdue
them.

15. Tetradic (Double Complementary)
Color Scheme
• The tetradic (double complementary) scheme is the
most varied because it uses two complementary
color pairs. This scheme is hard to harmonize; if all
four hues are used in equal amounts, the scheme
may look unbalanced, so you should choose a color
to be dominant or subdue the colors.

16. • Pros: The tetradic scheme offers more color
variety than any other scheme.
• Cons: This scheme is the hardest scheme
to balance.
• Tips:
• 1. If the scheme looks unbalanced, try to
subdue one or more colors.
• 2. Avoid using pure colors in equal amounts.

17. HUE
• The color in its purest
form, with no black,
gray, or white added.
For example, scarlet,
crimson, and pink
have the same hue –
red. You can see
hues on the outer
edge of the color
wheel and in the
spectrum.

18. Lightness
• The 'blackness' or
'whiteness' of the
color. In terms of
Color Wheel Pro,
black has the
lightness of -1,
pure hue has the
lightness of 0, and
white has the
lightness of 1.

19. Primary Colors
• The basic colors that can
be mixed to make all
other colors. The primary
colors cannot be made
by combining other
colors. Mixing primaries:
Red, yellow, blue (RYB)
Visual additive primaries:
Red, green, blue (RGB)
Visual subtractive
primaries: Cyan,
magenta, yellow (CMY)

20. Saturation
• The amount of hue in
proportion to the
neutral gray of the
same lightness, that is
the intensity of color. In
this example, the
leftmost swatch has
the saturation of 1
(maximum value) and
the rightmost swatch
has the saturation of 0
(minimum value).

21. Secondary Colors
• Colors that are made by
mixing two adjacent
primary colors. For
example, red and blue
light mixed give magenta
light. Mixing secondary
colors: Orange, violet,
and green (according to
Johannes Itten) Visual
additive secondary
colors: Cyan, magenta,
and yellow (CMY) Visual
subtractive secondary
colors: Red, green, blue
(RGB)

22. TERTIARYCOLOURS
Intermediate, or Tertiary, colors are created by
mixing a primary and a secondary
Red- Orange Blue-Green
Orange- Yellow Blue-Purple
Yellow- Green Red-Purple

23. Shades
• Shades are mixtures of a hue and black. This
example shows seven different shades of blue:

24. Tints
• Tints are mixtures of a hue and white. This example
shows six different tints of red:
• Tones are mixtures of a hue and its complement or
grays. This example shows six different tones of red:
TONES

25. MUNSHELL
COLOUR THEORY

26. Munsell color system
• The Munsell Color Order
System is a three-dimensional
model based on the premise
that each color has three
qualities or attributes: hue,
value and chroma. Munsell
established numerical scales
with visually uniform steps for
each of these attributes. In
Munsell notation, each color
has a logical relationship to all
other colors. This leads to
endless creative possibilities in
color choices, as well as the
ability to precisely
communicate these choices.

27. Hue
• Hue (H) is the actual “color”
that follows a natural order of
red (R), yellow (Y), green (G),
blue (B) and purple (P);
designated principle hues.
Between each were
intermediate hues yellow-red
(YR), green-yellow (GY),
bluegreen (BG), purple-blue
(PB) and red-purple (RP).
Arranged in an equally divided
circle, these colors form the
Munsell Hue Circle.

28. Value
• Value (V) indicates the lightness of a color.
The scale of value ranges from 0 for pure
black to 10 for pure white. Black, white
and the grays between them are called
“neutral colors.” They have no hue. Colors
that have a hue are called “chromatic
colors.” The value scale applies to
chromatic as well as neutral colors.

29. Chroma
• Chroma (C) is the degree of departure of a color
from the neutral color of the same value. Colors of
low chroma are sometimes called “weak,” while
those of high chroma are said to be “highly
saturated,” “strong” or “vivid.” The chroma scale
starts at zero, for neutral colors, but there is no
arbitrary end to the scale. As new pigments have
become available, Munsell color chips of higher
chroma have been made for many hues and
values. The chroma scale for normal reflecting
materials extends beyond 20 in some cases.
Fluorescent materials may have chromas as high
as 30.

30. How Munsell Color Notation
Works
• All colors are arranged three-dimensionally according to hue,
value and chroma creating the Munsell Color Space. Each
color has a specific Munsell color notation from which you can
easily visualize the color. Using the Munsell nomenclature
HV/C, our vivid red example would have the Munsell notation
5R 6/14. 5R is the hue (red), 6 is the value (moderately light),
and a 14 chroma indicates a highly chromatic color. When a
finer division is needed for any of the attributes, decimals are
used. For example, 5.3R 6.1/14.4. When the hues of the
primary hue circle are used, the notation is written in the same
way, for example 2B’ 5/4. The notation for a neutral color is
written: NV/. The chroma of a neutral color is zero, but it is
customary to omit the zero in the notation. The notation N 1/
denotes a black, a very dark neutral, while N 9/ denotes a
white, a very light neutral. This notation for a middle gray is N
5/.

32. OSTWALD
COLOUR THEORY

36. Psychology of
colors

38. ♦ What’s your favorite color? ♦
Let’s see how colors affect on your life.
How do they define your personality?

39. Black

40. • Black is the color of authority and power, stability and
strength. It is also the color associated with intelligence. Black
clothes make people appear thinner. It's a somber color
sometimes associated with evil (the cowboy in the black hat
was almost always the "bad guy"). In the western hemisphere
black is associated with grieving. Black is a serious color that
evokes strong emotions; it is easy to overwhelm people with
too much black.

41. Red

42. • If you want to draw attention, use red. It is often where the eye looks first. Red is the color
of energy. It's associated with movement and excitement. People surrounded by red find
their heart beating a little faster and often report feeling a bit out of breath. It's the absolute
wrong color for a baby's room but perfect to get people excited. Wearing red clothes will
make you appear a bit heavier and certainly more noticeable (some studies show red cars
get more tickets but that may be because the red car owners drive faster or the ticket giver
notices the movement of the red car more prominently).
• Red is not a good color to over use but using a spot of red in just the right place is smart in
some cases (one red accent in an otherwise neutral room draws the eye; a red tie with a
navy blue suit and a white shirt adds just the right amount of energy to draw the eye.

43. • Red is the symbol of life (red blooded life!) and, for this reason,
it's the color worn by brides in China. Red is used at holidays
that are about love and giving (red roses, Valentines hearts,
Christmas, etc.) but the true color of love is pink. Pink is the
most calming of all colors -- often our most dangerous criminals
are housed in pink cells as studies show that the color drains
energy and calms aggression.

44. Blue

45. • Ask people their favorite color and a clear majority will say blue. Much of the world is
blue (skies, seas). Seeing the color blue actually causes the body to produce chemicals
that are calming; but that isn't true of all shades of blue. Some shades (or too much
blue) can send a cold and uncaring message. Many bedrooms are blue because it's
calm, restful color. Over the ages blue has become associated with steadfastness,
dependability, wisdom and loyalty (note how many uniforms are blue). People tend to
be more productive in a blue room because they are calm and focused on the task at
hand. Some studies are showing that weight lifters can lift more weight in a blue gym -
in fact, nearly all sports are enhanced in blue surroundings.

46. Yellow

47. • Cheerful yellow is the color of the sun, associated with laughter, happiness and
good times. A person surrounded by yellow feels optimistic because the brain
actually releases more seratonin (the feel good chemical in the brain) when
around this color. It is the color associated with optimism but be careful with
yellow; when intense, it is the color of flames and studies show babies cry more
in (bright) yellow rooms and tempers flare more around that color too. It has the
power to speed up our metabolism and bring out some creative thoughts (legal
tablets are yellow for good reason!). Yellow can be quickly overpowering if over-
used, but used sparingly in the just the right place it can be an effective tool in
marketing to greater sales.

48. Green

49. • The color of growth, nature, and money. A calming color also
that's very pleasing to the senses. Dark forest green is associated
with terms like conservative, masculine and wealth. Hospitals use
light green rooms because they are found to be calming to
patients. It is also the color associated with envy, good luck,
generosity and fertility. It is the traditional color of peace,
harmony, comfortable nurturing, support and well paced energy.

50. Violet (
purple )

51. • What color were the robes of kings and queens? Yes, they were
purple, our most royal color that is associated with wealth,
prosperity, rich sophistication. This color stimulates the brain
activity used in problem solving. However, when overused in a
common setting it is associated with putting on airs and being
artificial. Use purple most carefully to lend an air of mystery,
wisdom, and respect. Young adolescent girls are most likely to
select nearly all shades of purple as their favorite color.

52. Orange

53. • The most flamboyant color on the planet! It's the
color tied most this fun times, happy and energetic
days, warmth and organic products. It is also
associated with ambition. There is nothing even
remotely calm associated with this color. Orange is
associated with a new dawn in attitude.

54. RADAINT ENERGY

55. Introduction
• Radiant energy is the energy of electromagnetic
waves
• The term is most commonly used in the fields of
radiometry, solar energy, heating and lighting,
but is also used less frequently in other fields
(such as telecommunications).
• The quantity of radiant energy may be
calculated by integrating radiant flux (or power)
with respect to time and, like all forms of energy,
its SI unit is the joule.

56. • In applications involving transmission of power
from one location to another, "radiant energy" is
sometimes used to refer to the electromagnetic
waves themselves, rather than their energy (a
property of the waves).
• Because electromagnetic (EM) radiation can be
considered to be a stream of photons, radiant
energy can be viewed as the energy carried by
these photons.
• Alternatively, EM radiation can be viewed as an
electromagnetic wave, which carries energy in
its oscillating electric and magnetic fields
.

58. COLOUR
SPECTRUM

59. Light and Sound
• To understand spectra you need a little
primer on light first
• It is helpful to think of light and sound
together
• They are both wave phenomena
– Sound is a mechanical wave
– Light is a electromagnetic wave
• You can think of color as pitch and
brightness as loudness

60. Issac Newton
Showed with a prism* that white
light is a continuous band made of
all colors

61. Spectral lines
A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise
uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from
emission or absorption of light in a narrow frequency
range, compared with the nearby frequencies

62. THANK YOU