THE POWER OF COLOR Visual Elements Color Visual

THE POWER OF COLOR Visual Elements Color

Visual Elements 2. Color the element of art derived from reflected light has the strongest effect on our emotions creates the mood or atmosphere of an artwork 3 qualities: hue, value, and intensity

Hue a particular wavelength of spectral color to which we give a name colors of the spectrum a color as it is named in the color wheel

Warm colors and cool colors

Warm colors - vivid and energetic - appear to expand advance Cool colors - give a soothing and calm impression - appear to contract and recede

Value relative lightness or darkness of a hue changes through additions of white and black lighter version (+white) – tint darker version (+black)- shade

Blue in a range of values. Shade Range of values from black to white Tint

Intensity relative purity of a color refers to the brightness (high) or dullness (low) of a hue also called chroma or saturation

Adding white/black/gray or another color to a pure hue reduces intensity. Red in a range of intensities. High Low Gray

Mixture of different colors appear duller and darker since pigments absorb more and more light. Subtractive color mixture

Combination of the light primaries (redorange, green, blue-violet) produces lighter colors. Additive color mixture

Tonality refers to the overall effect of a work of art when one color and variations of it seem to dominate the whole also referred to as color scheme, which are color groupings that provide distinct color harmonies

Color Schemes/Color Harmonies 1. Monochromatic composed of variations of the same hue pure hue is mixed with black and/or white

Color Schemes/Color Harmonies 2. Complementary involves colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel Complementary colors -Side by side: contrast strongly and intensify each other -Mixed: form neutral grays

Color Schemes/Color Harmonies 3. Analogous combines colors next to each other on the color wheel

Symphony in Grey and Green (c. 1866 -72). James Whistler.

Color Schemes/Color Harmonies 4. Triadic composed of any three colors equidistant from each other on the color wheel

Optical Effects of Color Afterimage - an image which persists or remains in negative after the original stimulation has ended - results from the excitation and subsequent fatigue of the retina due to prolonged exposure to a visual form

Optical Effects of Color Pointillism – dots (points) of pure color are placed next to each other -attributed to Georges Seurat - color sensations from small patches of different pure colors placed close together forming a new color

A Sunday on La Grand Jatte (1884 -86). Georges Seurat.

Detail from A Sunday on La Grand Jatte (1884 -86). Georges Seurat.

Lucas (1986 -87). Chuck Close.

Lucas (1986 -87). Chuck Close. Detail.