COLOUR THEORY - Colour basics

THE COLOUR WHEEL

Colours can be organised into a number of different systems. 

One of the most common is the Brewster/Prang colour wheel. 

This is one of the simplest ways to explain colour relationships.

The colour wheel is made up of layers of colour

PRIMARY COLOURS
Red - Yellow - Blue

SECONDARY COLOURS
Orange - Green - Violet

TERTIARY COLOURS
Yellow-Orange - Red-Orange - Red-Purple -Blue-Purple - Blue-Green - Yellow-Green

SPECTRUM OF VISIBLE LIGHT

Colour is a property of light. Without light there can be no colour. 

Opaque surfaces absorb different wavelengths of light. 

Violet has the shortest wavelength and red has the longest. 

White light contains the entire spectrum of colours. When white light hits an opaque surface some colours are absorbed and some are reflected. It is the colour that is reflected from the surface that we can see, this then becomes the hue of that object.

For example during the life cycle of a leaf the hue that is reflected will start of as green. All the other colours in the spectrum are absorbed and green is the colour that is reflected making the leaf appear green. During the life of the leaf its structure changes as it dries out through the autumn months. The leaf is now absorbing different wavelengths and therefore will appear red, orange or even yellow. The leaf now absorbs the green and will reflect different hues.

Nature is so amazing. We quite often take colour for granted but learning about this process is fascinating. Just looking around my desk I feel like I am seeing the magic of all these colours for the first time.

THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF COLOUR

HUE
This is the name we attribute to a colour. A way in which we can explain and discuss it’s value. “ That red dress really suits you.”

VALUE
When identifying a colour that is not pure we can look for the degree of lightness or darkness by relating it to Black and white. For example Pastel colours have a lighter value.

SATURATION
A colour can either appear bright or dull. If white is add the colour appears brighter. If more black is added it will have a dulling effect.

All three attributes are connected. If you alter one the other two will simultaneously alter as well.

Munsell's Colour System

Muncell's system has five principal hues and five intermediate hues. They are arranged horizontally in a circle.

The neutral grey values extends vertically through the center of the circle in ten equal steps from Black to white.
The chroma or intensity radiates out from the vertical scale of values. The number of steps will changes depending on the attainable saturation of each colour's hue and value.

Ref: Francis D.K. Ching Interior Design Illustrated