Colour Theory Basics

Colour Theory

The Colour Wheel

• A circular representation of colours, showing how they relate to each other
• Divided into primary colours, secondary colours, tertiary colours, warm colours, and cool colours

Colour Properties

Hue

• The actual colour (e.g. red, blue, green)
• Measured in degrees, with 0°-360° representing the colour wheel

Saturation

• The purity or intensity of a colour
• Ranges from 0% (grey) to 100% (fully saturated)

Value

• The lightness or darkness of a colour
• Ranges from 0% (black) to 100% (white)

Colour Models

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

• Additive colour model used for digital screens
• Combines red, green, and blue light to create colours

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

• Subtractive colour model used for printing
• Combines cyan, magenta, and yellow inks to create colours, with black added for deeper shades

Colour Harmony

Principles of Colour Harmony

• Similarity: using similar colours
• Contrast: using contrasting colours
• Analogy: using colours with a similar hue
• Triadic: using colours equally spaced on the colour wheel

Colour Schemes

• Monochromatic: using different shades of the same colour
• Complementary: using colours opposite each other on the colour wheel
• Analogous: using colours next to each other on the colour wheel

Colour Theory

• The colour wheel is a circular representation of colours, showing how they relate to each other.
• It is divided into primary colours, secondary colours, tertiary colours, warm colours, and cool colours.

Colour Properties

Hue

• Hue refers to the actual colour (e.g. red, blue, green).
• It is measured in degrees, with 0°-360° representing the colour wheel.

Saturation

• Saturation refers to the purity or intensity of a colour.
• It ranges from 0% (grey) to 100% (fully saturated).

Value

• Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a colour.
• It ranges from 0% (black) to 100% (white).

Colour Models

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

• RGB is an additive colour model used for digital screens.
• It combines red, green, and blue light to create colours.

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

• CMYK is a subtractive colour model used for printing.
• It combines cyan, magenta, and yellow inks to create colours, with black added for deeper shades.

Colour Harmony

Principles of Colour Harmony

• Similarity involves using similar colours.
• Contrast involves using contrasting colours.
• Analogy involves using colours with a similar hue.
• Triadic involves using colours equally spaced on the colour wheel.

Colour Schemes

• Monochromatic involves using different shades of the same colour.
• Complementary involves using colours opposite each other on the colour wheel.
• Analogous involves using colours next to each other on the colour wheel.