Recalling Color Theory Keywords: a way to refresh your memories!

The Color Wheel

The relationship between colors can be shown through the use of the color wheel.

The color wheel shows links between different colors based on the red, yellow, and blue content of each color. It was first developed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666.

The color wheel’s most useful and most commonly used variant is shown in the image above, which includes red, red-orange, orange, orange-yellow, yellow, yellow-green, green, green-blue, blue, blue-purple, purple, and purple-red combinations. (Stone, 2008).

Bleicher (2011) stated that the color wheel can be categorized into three main types of colors based on the combination of base colors used to create the final color, as follows:

• Primary colors: Primary colors - yellow, red, and blue. These are basic colors that cannot be broken down into any simpler colors.
• Secondary colors: Secondary colors  - are created by mixing two primary colors. The secondary colors are orange, green, and purple. Mixing yellow and red creates orange; mixing blue and yellow creates green, and mixing blue and red creates purple.
• Intermediate or tertiary colors: Intermediate or tertiary colors are created by mixing both primary and secondary colors to form a hybrid, such as yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green, and yellow-green. On a larger color wheel than the one shown above, a mix between intermediate, secondary, and primary colors would create quaternary colors.

A thorough understanding of the color wheel and the relationship between colors enables designers to understand color better and know how to choose colors for their designs. We’ll come to this shortly.

Achieving Harmony in Color

According to Bleicher (2011), there are five main color schemes (and some combinations and variants of these schemes) that allow designers to achieve harmony in their designs:

Monochromatic Scheme

The monochromatic scheme is based on the colors created from different tints (created by adding black or white to the original color), tones, and shades of one hue. In theory, it’s the simplest of all the schemes. A monochromatic scheme is commonly used in minimal designs because one hue should result in a less distracting layout.

Analogous Color Scheme

The analogous scheme is based on three colors located next to each other on the color wheel (e.g., red, red-orange, and red-violet). This scheme can easily be found in nature – just think of trees in the autumn as the leaves change color.

Complementary Schemes

Complementary color schemes use one (or more) pairs of colors that, when combined, “cancel each other out”. For example, when you combine the two colors, they produce white or black (or something very similar to the gray-scale). For that reason, this scheme is also known as the “opposite color” scheme.

Split-Complementary (occasionally “Compound Harmony”) Scheme

This is a combination of using the complementary color scheme and the analogous color scheme. In essence, complementary colors are chosen and then the colors on either side of them on the color wheel are also used in the design. It’s considered to soften the impact of a complementary color scheme, which can, in some situations, be too bold or too harsh on the viewer’s eye.

Triadic

The triadic scheme is based on using three colors at equal distances from each other on the color wheel. The easiest way to find a triadic scheme is to put an equilateral triangle on the wheel so that each corner touches one color. The three colors will be exactly 120° from each other.

Tetradic

Tetradic schemes utilize two sets of complementary pairs: four colors. These can create very interesting visual experiences, but they are hard to keep in balance. Why? It’s because one color of a tetradic scheme needs to dominate the other colors without completely overwhelming them. An equal amount of each color often leads to a very awkward look, the last thing you want your users to see.

Square (A Variant of Tetradic)

The square scheme is a variant of the tetradic scheme. Instead of choosing two complementary pairs, you place a square on the color wheel and choose the colors that lie on its corners. Therefore, you’ll find four colors that are evenly spaced at 90° from each other. Unlike the tetradic color scheme, this approach often works best when all the colors are evenly used throughout the design.

Color Temperature

Colors can be used to convey emotive content as well as assist with the look and feel of your website. We’re talking about moving people now, evoking passions and feelings in our users. It’s worth noting at this point that people’s culture, gender, experiences, etc. will also affect the way that colors resonate with them and that user research is a better indicator of emotional response to color than the following guidelines based on the color wheel.

However, if you want to follow the color wheel approach, there are three indicators of color temperature: “warm”, “cool” and “neutral”:

• Warm colors –These are colors located on the half of the color wheel that includes yellow, orange, and red. These colors are said to reflect feelings such as passion, power, happiness, and energy.
• Cool colors – These are colors located on the other side of the color wheel, including green, blue, and purple. Cool colors are said to reflect calmness, meditation, and soothing impressions.
• Neutral Colors – These are not said to reflect any particular emotions. These colors include gray, brown, white, and black.
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Your choice of color categories will depend on what you are trying to achieve with your website. You should always, wherever possible, test your color palettes with your users to be sure that the choices you have made reflect their realities. It’s almost always easier to set and test a color palette early in the development process than at the end. Apart from anything else, it can save you valuable time.

The Take Away

Color is clearly an important part of a design’s aesthetic appeal. Basing your color palette on one of the existing color schemes can make it easier to strike the right balance from the start.

The Color Wheel is a fundamental tool, created by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666. In it, we find:

• Primary colors
• Secondary colors
• Intermediate or Tertiary colors

We should aim to fine-tune our choice of colors to create maximum harmony, considering the following at the same time in order to pick the most appropriate scheme:

• Monochromatic scheme
• Analogous Color scheme
• Complementary schemes
• Split-Complementary (Compound Harmony) scheme
• Triadic
• Tetradic
• Square

Color Temperature is another vital consideration; it’s the part that can strike chords in people and make them passionate about our work. You should always do user testing of color schemes, if possible, and ideally at the start of the design process. Also, always keep in mind that colors have many cultural connotations, so make sure that you’re aware of them!

Here are some keywords that you may find helpful in recalling color theory concepts:

• Hue - the name of a color, such as red, blue, or green.
• Tint - a lighter version of a color created by adding white to it.
• Shade - a darker version of a color created by adding black to it.
• Tone - a color that has been muted by adding gray to it.
• Saturation - the purity of a color, measured on a scale from 0 to 100. A color with high saturation is very pure, while a color with low saturation is very dull.
• Value - the lightness or darkness of a color, measured on a scale from 0 to 100. A color with a high value is very light, while a color with a low value is very dark.
• Primary colors - the three colors that cannot be created by mixing other colors: red, yellow, and blue.
• Secondary colors - the three colors that are created by mixing two primary colors together: orange, green, and violet.
• Tertiary colors - the six colors that are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color together: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, green-blue, blue-violet, and red-violet.
• Analogous colors - three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.
• Complementary colors - two colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel.
• Split-complementary colors - two colors that are on either side of the complementary color.
• Triadic colors - three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel.
• Tetradic colors - four colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel.
• Square colors - four colors that are located two at a time on opposite sides of the color wheel.

These are just a few of the many terms that are used in color theory. By understanding these terms, you will be better able to understand the principles of color and use them to create effective designs.

Here are some tips for recalling color theory keywords:

Create a visual aid. One way to help you remember color theory keywords is to create a visual aid, such as a color wheel or a chart of color combinations. This will help you to see the relationships between different colors and make it easier to remember the names of the colors.

Use mnemonic devices. Mnemonic devices are memory aids that can help you to remember information. For example, you could create a song or poem that uses the color theory keywords.

Practice using the keywords. The more you use the color theory keywords, the easier it will be to remember them. Try using them when you are talking about colors, or when you are creating designs.

By following these tips, you can improve your ability to recall color theory keywords and use them to create effective designs.