Color theory - concepts

Question 1

What is color theory?

Answer 1

Color theory is the collection of rules and guidelines which designers use to communicate with users through appealing color schemes in visual interfaces. To pick the best colors every time, designers use a color wheel and refer to extensive collected knowledge about human optical ability, psychology, culture and more.

“What is Color Theory?” (The Interaction Design Foundation). Retrieved April 14, 2023.

Question 2

What is a color wheel?

Answer 2

The color wheel is a circular diagram that organizes colors based on their relationship to one another. It typically consists of 12 colors, with primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.

“Color wheel - MDN Web Docs Glossary: Definitions of Web-related terms | MDN” (developer.mozilla.org). Retrieved April 17, 2023.

Question 3

What are primary colors?

Answer 3

Primary colors are the foundational colors that cannot be created by mixing other colors. In the RGB color model, these are red, green, and blue (RGB). In the traditional color wheel, they are red, yellow, and blue (RYB).

“Color wheel - color theory and calculator | Canva Colors” (Canva’s Design Wiki). Retrieved April 17, 2023.

Question 4

What are secondary colors?

Answer 4

Secondary colors are created by mixing equal parts of two primary colors. In the RGB model, these are cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY). In the traditional color wheel, they are green, orange, and purple.

“Color wheel - color theory and calculator | Canva Colors” (Canva’s Design Wiki). Retrieved April 17, 2023.

Question 5

What are tertiary colors?

Answer 5

Tertiary colors are created by mixing equal parts of a primary and a secondary color.

Examples include red-orange, yellow-green, and blue-purple.

“Color wheel - color theory and calculator | Canva Colors” (Canva’s Design Wiki). Retrieved April 17, 2023.

Question 6

What are complementary colors?

Answer 6

Complementary colors are pairs of colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel. When used together, they create a strong visual contrast.

Examples include red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and purple.

“Color wheel - color theory and calculator | Canva Colors” (Canva’s Design Wiki). Retrieved April 17, 2023.

Question 7

What are analogous colors?

Answer 7

Analogous colors are groups of colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel.

Examples include red, orange, and yellow or blue, green, and purple.

“Color wheel - color theory and calculator | Canva Colors” (Canva’s Design Wiki). Retrieved April 17, 2023.

Question 8

What are monochromatic colors?

Answer 8

Monochromatic colors are groups of colors created using various shades, tints, and tones of a single color.

“Color wheel - color theory and calculator | Canva Colors” (Canva’s Design Wiki). Retrieved April 18, 2023.

Question 9

What is the color context?

Answer 9

The perception of a color can change based on its surrounding colors. The same color might appear darker when placed next to a light color and lighter when placed next to a dark color. Understanding the context in which a color is used is essential to creating effective and visually appealing designs.

For example red appears more brilliant against a black background and somewhat duller against the white background. In contrast with orange, the red appears lifeless; in contrast with blue-green, it exhibits brilliance.
## Footnote

“Basic Color Theory” (colormatters.com). Retrieved April 18, 2023.

Question 10

What is a shade in color theory?

Answer 10

In color theory, a shade refers to a variation of a color that has been darkened by adding black to the original hue. When black is mixed with a hue, it reduces the color’s lightness and creates a darker version of the color.

“Finally, COLOR EXPLAINED by an expert in a way that everyone can understand” (Sensational Color). Retrieved April 18, 2023.

Question 11

What is a tint in color theory?

Answer 11

In color theory, a tint refers to a variation of a color that has been lightened by adding white to the original hue. When white is mixed with a hue, it increases the color’s lightness and creates a paler or more pastel version of the color.

“Finally, COLOR EXPLAINED by an expert in a way that everyone can understand” (Sensational Color). Retrieved April 18, 2023.

Question 12

What is a tone in color theory?

Answer 12

In color theory, a tone refers to a variation of a color that has been modified by adding gray to the original hue. When gray is mixed with a hue, it changes the color’s intensity or chroma without significantly altering its lightness or darkness.

This is different from tint and shade, where a tint is created by adding white to a hue (lightening the color) and a shade is created by adding black to a hue (darkening the color).

“Finally, COLOR EXPLAINED by an expert in a way that everyone can understand” (Sensational Color). Retrieved April 18, 2023.

Question 13

What is a hue in color theory?

Answer 13

A hue refers to the pure, unmodified color that represents a specific wavelength of light in the visible spectrum. Hue is a degree on the color wheel (from 0 to 360 degrees) — 0 (or 360) is red, 120 is green, 240 is blue. It is formally defined as “the degree to which a stimulus can be described as similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow”

Justin Baker “The Ultimate UX Guide to Color Design” (Medium). Retrieved April 21, 2023.

Question 14

What is brightness/lightness in color theory?

Answer 14

Brightness is the relative lightness or darkness of a particular color, from black (no brightness) to white (full brightness). Lightness is a percentage; 0% is black, 100% is white.

Justin Baker “The Ultimate UX Guide to Color Design” (Medium). Retrieved April 21, 2023.

Question 15

What is intensity in color theory?

Answer 15

Intensity refers to the purity of a hue.The highest intensity or purity of a hue is the hue as it appears in the spectrum or on the color wheel. A hue reduced in intensity is called a tone.

Justin Baker “The Ultimate UX Guide to Color Design” (Medium). Retrieved April 21, 2023.

Question 16

What is luminosity in color theory?

Answer 16

Luminosity, also known as value or lightness, describes the perceived brightness of a color. It is one of the three main dimensions of color, along with hue (the basic color) and saturation (the intensity of the color). Luminosity is often represented on a scale from 0 (black) to 100 (white), with various shades of gray in between.

Justin Baker “The Ultimate UX Guide to Color Design” (Medium). Retrieved April 21, 2023.

Question 17

What is saturation in color theory?

Answer 17

Color saturation refers to the intensity of color in an image. When color is fully saturated, the color is considered its purest (truest) version. Saturation is a percentage value: 0% means a shade of gray and 100% is the full color. Pure colors are fully saturated.

Justin Baker “The Ultimate UX Guide to Color Design” (Medium). Retrieved April 21, 2023.

Question 18

What are achromatic or neutral colors in color theory?

Answer 18

In color theory, a neutral color refers to colors that have no hue or chromatic content. They are neither warm nor cool and are created by mixing varying amounts of black and white, resulting in different shades of gray. Neutral colors include pure black, pure white, and all the grays in between.

They are often used as backgrounds, base colors, or to create contrast, depth, and focus on other elements in a design or artwork.

In the HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) color model, neutral colors have a saturation value of 0%, indicating the absence of chromatic content. The lightness value determines the specific shade of gray, with 0% being black, 100% being white, and values in between representing different shades of gray.

Justin Baker “The Ultimate UX Guide to Color Design” (Medium). Retrieved April 20, 2023.

Question 19

What are near-neutral colors in color theory?

Answer 19

In color theory, near-neutral colors are those colors that have a low chromatic content or saturation, meaning they are very close to being neutral but still have a hint of hue. These colors appear almost gray but have a subtle presence of color, giving them a slightly warm or cool appearance depending on the hue.

To create near-neutral colors, you can mix a small amount of a hue with a larger proportion of gray or mix complementary colors in nearly equal parts, resulting in a subdued, low-saturation color. In the HSL color model, near-neutral colors have a low saturation value, typically ranging from just above 0% to around 20-30%, depending on the specific color and its intended use.

Justin Baker “The Ultimate UX Guide to Color Design” (Medium). Retrieved April 20, 2023.

Question 20

What is a chroma in color theory?

Answer 20

In color theory, chroma refers to the intensity, saturation, or purity of a color. A color with high chroma is vivid and strong, while a color with low chroma is more muted and subdued. Chroma describes the degree to which a color is free from the influence of white, black, or gray, which can dilute or desaturate the color’s appearance.

Chroma is an important aspect of color because it helps to differentiate between colors that have the same hue but varying levels of saturation. For instance, a bright, pure red has a high chroma, whereas a dull, desaturated red has a low chroma. In artwork and design, manipulating chroma can create contrast, mood, and visual interest by adding depth and complexity to a color palette.

“Finally, COLOR EXPLAINED by an expert in a way that everyone can understand” (Sensational Color). Retrieved April 18, 2023.

Question 21

What is a color family in color theory?

Answer 21

In color theory, a color family refers to a group of colors that are related to each other and share common properties such as hue, saturation, and brightness.

For example, the color family of blue may include shades of navy, sky blue, baby blue, and royal blue. Similarly, the color family of red may include shades of burgundy, scarlet, and crimson.

Color families are often used in design and art to create harmony and balance in a composition. By using colors from the same family, designers can create a cohesive and unified visual experience. On the other hand, using colors from different families can create contrast and draw attention to specific elements in a composition.

“Finally, COLOR EXPLAINED by an expert in a way that everyone can understand” (Sensational Color). Retrieved April 18, 2023.