fp.academic.venturacollege.edu www.nightowlds.com

Color Theory… The

booty of

the art world.

Click on the arrows to navigate the waters!

Color Theory Objectives

By the end of this module,

students should be able to…

• Correctly identify primary, secondary, and tertiary colors

• Recognize complementary, split complementary, double complementary, and harmonious colors

What is Color Theory?

• A body of practical guidance to color mixing

• The visual impact of specific color combinations

Menu of Color

Basic Color Types

Complementary Colors

Color Quiz

Click on a box to continue

Basic Color Types

Primary Colors

Secondary Colors

Tertiary Colors

Click on a box to continue

Primary Colors• Red, Blue, and Yellow are the only

primary colors

• These colors make up all others

• No color(s) mixed together can make these.

Examples with Primary Colors

www.ankiewicz.com

www.mipoesias.com

isobe.typepad.com

Primary Color Quiz

Click the painting that focuses on primary colors to continue.

www.elainehughes.com

animatedtv.about.com

www.wec.ufl.edu

www.dkimages.com

Shiver me timbers! You’re correct.

Go back and try again, or walk the plank matey.

And remember, red, blue, and yellow are the only primary

colors.

Secondary Colors

• Violet, Green, and Orange

• Two primary colors mixed together

Color #1 Color #2 Secondary Color

red blue VIOLET

blue yellow GREEN

yellow red ORANGE

Examples of Secondary Colors

www.wetcanvas.com

faculty.evansville.edu swazzle.com

www.stuartngbooks.com

Secondary Color Quiz

www.choicejewelry-n-gifts.com

www.nevada.edu

www.samm-mccurdy.com

Click the painting that focuses on secondary colors to continue.

uk.movies.yahoo.com

Correct! You’re looking shipshape ye old salt.

Try again, ye cowardly swab!

And remember, violet, green, and orange are the only secondary

colors.

Tertiary Colors• One primary color mixed

with a related secondary color.

Color #1 Color #2 Tertiary Color

red orange RED-ORANGE

red violet RED-VIOLET

yellow orange YELLOW-ORANGE

yellow green YELLOW-GREEN

blue green BLUE-GREEN

blue violet BLUE-VIOLET

Examples of Tertiary Colors

archaeoblog.blogspot.com

www.deckchairtheatre.com.au

www.blogman.net

swazzle.com

www.artbyavery.com

Tertiary Color Quiz

www.watercolormagic.com

Click the painting that focuses on tertiary colors to continue.

www.lodi.k12.wi.us

www.bwbfanclub.com

talesfromthelaboratory.typepad.com

Correct, ye old salt!

You can captain my shipany time.

Go back and try again, or you’ll be sent to Davy Jones’s locker.

And remember, red, blue, and yellow are primary colors.

Incorrect, ye scurvy dogs!

And remember, violet, green, and orange are secondary colors.

Incorrect, ye scurvy dogs!

And remember, an image must have color in order to have

tertiary colors.

Examples ofComplementa

ry Colorswww.fast-consulting.com

fireflyforest.net

www.twistedtreephoto.com

As ye looks at examples of complementary colors on the next few slides, use the color wheel to identify the colors and to find what these examples have in common.

Examples ofComplementa

ry Colors

www.jupiterimages.com

www.thespiceshelf.co.uk

www.biocrawler.com

Examples ofComplementa

ry Colorswww.digital-cameras-help.com

www.soasoas.com

www.seriouswheels.com

Complementary Colors

What similarities did you notice between the images and the slides?

www.fast-consulting.com

www.thespiceshelf.co.uk

www.digital-cameras-help.com

Complementary Color Quiz

Pick the CORRECT definition for complementary colors to continue.

Complementary colors are two colors next to each other on the color wheel.

No colors mixed together can make complementary colors.

Complementary colors are two colors directly across from each other on the color wheel.

www.tmttlt.com

Correct!

You’re obviously no landlubber!

Did you also know thatcomplementary colors represent the strongest

contrasts of color?

Incorrect, ye scurvy dogs!

Eye the image below and go back and try

again.

You’re Hired, Matey

You have just been hired as a graphic designer for Traverse City. (They don’t discriminate against pirates.) It is your first day, and they are already piling the work on. Read each project carefully and then click on the correct answer. Make sure to reflect upon what you have just learned.

www.stencilrevolution.com

Project OneThe transportation committee has just asked you to design a new stop sign. They want you to make sure it will be easily seen by all. Which color blend should you use?

Go back and try again, or you’ll taste the cutlass!

And remember complementary colors represent the strongest

contrast.

www.mccullagh.org

Correct!

Purple and yellow are complementary colors which

represent the strongest contrast in color—perfect for a stop sign.

You and I are birds of a feather!

Project TwoThe economic advisor has just told you that the city’s budget is running low and you can only buy three colors of paint for the city’s new billboard campaign. Based on the billboard to the right, what colors should they purchase? Come for the

bay, but don’t stay!www.torchlake.com

Go back and try again, or you’ll ride with the barnacles!

And remember primary colors can be used to create all other

colors.

www.mccullagh.org

Blimey! You’re correct.

Only primary colors can make all other colors, while no colors can

mix to make them.

You’re as smart as a… parrot!

Project ThreeThe mayor has decided to make all city officials wear uniforms. Since he was the second child in his family, he insists that you use secondary colors. (I think he is going crazy, too.) He wants you to help him pick out the color of material for the new uniforms. www.kidprintables.com

Go back and try again you bilge rat.

And remember the secondary colors are orange, green,

and violet.

www.mccullagh.org

Shiver me timbers!

You remembered that green, orange, and violet are the

secondary colors.

You are a true Jack Tar. Godspeed!

Now,

go to the following website and read a bit further about the

properties of color.

http://www.worqx.com/color/color_basics.htm

Or return to the menu