SPECTRUM: Is the band of individual colours that results when a beam of light is broken into its component hues. The colours of the spectrum are PURE and represent the greatest INTENSITY.

If we could reverse this process, we could obtain white light. When the coloured rays are combined, the system is called

ADDITIVE MIXTURE

(because we are adding light rays).

HOW DO WE DISTINGUISH THE COLOURS REFLECTED FROM OBJECTS?

Coloured objects have certain physical properties called: PIGMENTATION or COLOUR QUALITY that enable it to absorb some of the color waves, and reflect others.

Green Green

All objects do not have the quality of colour. Some are black, white, or grey. They differ in the quantity of light they reflect.

WHITE and GREY reflect all colours. (White reflects 100%, Grey reflects less than 100%).

BLACK absorbs all colours.

WE CALL BLACK, WHITE, and GREY: NEUTRALS.

PROPERTIES OF COLOUR:

Every colour is described in terms of 3 properties.

HUE VALUE INTENSITY

HUE:

It is the characteristic of a colour that refers to that colour`s position on the colour wheel. It is the name used to differentiate different colours that have different wavelengths.

COLOUR WHEEL: The hues are usually shown around a wheel in order to systematize colour relationships. The primary, secondary, and tertiary colours are placed on this wheel resulting in a 12 colour wheel.

COLOUR SCHEMES:

• • • • • • ACHROMATIC SCHEME: No colour only neutrals.

MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME: Uses only one hue, and / or all of its tints / shades.

ANALOGOUS SCHEME: Uses any 3 consecutive hues on the colour wheel and / or all of its tints / shades.

COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME: Uses direct opposites on the colour wheel.

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME: Uses a colour and the hues to the left and right of its complement.

NEUTRAL SCHEME: Uses a hue which has been neutralized by the addition of its complement or black.

This is a simple one color show…. You can transform a space using the same color in varying intensities from light to dark. This is what we call the ombre look.

VALUE:

It is the degree of LIGHTNESS or DARKNESS of a colour with the addition of neutrals (black / white / grey). Only black and white can change the darkness or lightness of a colour without changing the colour`s hue.

LIGHT VALUE: Almost white (Value is raised by adding white: TINT) DARK VALUE: Almost black (Value is lowered by adding black: SHADE)

Hues have different values:

YELLOW

has lightest colour value (Maximum light is reflected)

PURPLE

has darkest colour value (Minimum light is reflected)

HUES THAT ARE GREYED OR NEUTRALIZED ARE CALLED TONES.

INTENSITY / SATURATION / CHROMA:

• • Refers to the quality of light in colour. It indicates how PURE and STRONG a particular hue is. It gives a feeling of brightness or dullness of a colour.

Eg. An object that reflects only red light is an intense red. But if it also reflects any other colour, its intensity is decreased.

HOW CAN WE CHANGE THE INTENSITY OF A COLOUR?

I) ADDITION OF THE NEUTRAL COLOURS II) ADDITION OF THE COMPLEMENTARY

COLOURS

When we add colours (pigments) This is a SUBTRACTIVE Process. (It absorbs or subtracts more light).

COLOUR SYSTEMS:

• 1. Brewster or Prang colour system: Organizes the colours into primary, secondary, and tertiary hues.

2. Munsell colour system: Based on 5 principle hues (red, yellow, green, blue, purple), and 5 intermediate hues. A specific colour can be identified with this system with the following notation.

HUE, VALUE / CHROMA 5R, 5 / 14 Pure red at its middle values, and maximum chroma

HUE:

It is the characteristic of a colour that refers to that colour`s position on the colour wheel. It is the name used to differentiate different colours that have different wavelengths.

COLOUR WHEEL: The hues are usually shown around a wheel in order to systematize colour relationships. The primary, secondary, and tertiary colours are placed on this wheel resulting in a 12 colour wheel.

3 MAIN HUES ARE: RED , YELLOW , BLUE : PRIMARY COLOURS WHEN PRIMARY COLOURS ARE MIXED: ORANGE , GREEN , VIOLET : SECONDARY COLOURS WHEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY COLOURS ARE MIXED: TERTIARY / INTERMEDIATE COLOURS

Colours opposite to each other on the colour wheel are called COMPLEMENTARY colours.

Y O G R B V

VALUE:

It is the degree of LIGHTNESS or DARKNESS of a colour with the addition of neutrals (black / white / grey). Only black and white can change the darkness or lightness of a colour without changing the colour`s hue.

LIGHT VALUE: Almost white (Value is raised by adding white: TINT) DARK VALUE: Almost black (Value is lowered by adding black: SHADE)

Hues have different values:

YELLOW has lightest colour value (Maximum light is reflected) PURPLE has darkest colour value (Minimum light is reflected)

HUES THAT ARE GREYED OR NEUTRALIZED ARE CALLED TONES.

INTENSITY / SATURATION / CHROMA:

• • Refers to the quality of light in colour. It indicates how PURE and STRONG a particular hue is. It gives a feeling of brightness or dullness of a colour.

Eg. An object that reflects only red light is an intense red. But if it also reflects any other colour, its intensity is decreased.

HOW CAN WE CHANGE THE INTENSITY OF A COLOUR?

I) ADDITION OF THE NEUTRAL COLOURS II) ADDITION OF THE COMPLEMENTARY

COLOURS

When we add colours (pigments) This is a SUBTRACTIVE Process. (It absorbs or subtracts more light).

COLOUR SYSTEMS:

• 1. Brewster or Prang colour system: Organizes the colours into primary, secondary, and tertiary hues.

2. Munsell colour system: Based on 5 principle hues (red, yellow, green, blue, purple), and 5 intermediate hues. A specific colour can be identified with this system with the following notation.

HUE, VALUE / CHROMA 5R, 5 / 14 Pure red at its middle values, and maximum chroma

•

WARM HUES: RED, YELLOW, ORANGE

*Associated with fire, heat and sun •

COOL HUES: BLUE, GREEN, VIOLET

* Associated with air, sky, ice, water • The use of warm or cool hues in a space affect the way we emotionally respond to a space.

• Light affects hues so we should test a colour under both natural and artificial lights.

• METAMERISM: Due to chemicals, sometimes objects will have the same colour under one type of light and have a different colour under the other type.

COLOUR SCHEMES:

• • • • • • ACHROMATIC SCHEME: No colour only neutrals.

MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME: Uses only one hue, and / or all of its tints / shades.

ANALOGOUS SCHEME: Uses any 3 consecutive hues on the colour wheel and / or all of its tints / shades.

COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME: Uses direct opposites on the colour wheel.

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME: Uses a colour and the hues to the left and right of its complement.

NEUTRAL SCHEME: Uses a hue which has been neutralized by the addition of its complement or black.

• Blacks and off blacks give deep, dark value to the set-off neutrals. Black sharpens and adds richness to other colors placed next to it. When used generously, black may create dramatic and theatrical settings, but it might also cause feelings of depression to some people.

• Whites and off whites give interiors increased visual space. Whitened backgrounds look light, spacious, and farther away. Furnishings that are hues seem cleaner and crisper surrounded with whites. This is an effective approach in retail merchandising.

• Used in large amounts, browns can produce either cavelike coziness or a feeling of oppression.

• Browns and beiges are often considered neutrals, even though they are actually neutralized colored hues and are favored because of the warm qualities that they bring to an interior.

• Many beautiful interiors are created using achromatic whites, grays, and blacks along with the brown/beige group. These environments make fine backgrounds for colorful artwork and accessories.

FACTORS THAT GUIDE COLOUR CHOICE:

• • • Association Cultural acceptance Private / personal reactions Much of color choice is culturally biased. For example, in Europe and the United States, black is the color of mourning. In many tropical countries and in East Asia white is the color of death. On the other hand, white is the color worn by American brides, while brides in much of Asia wear red.

HOW TO CHOOSE A COLOUR SCHEME: 1. PREFERENCE OF USERS 2. STYLE & PURPOSE 3. COLOUR IN NATURE.

COLOR