Chapter 13: Color

(1)            Colors Movie Poster.  1988. Web.
                 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094894/

Not just a bad ass Sean Penn film from the 80's (1), Color infiltrates are very psyche.  It reminds us of moments and objects of affection.  It can unleash overwhelming emotions.  We dress ourselves up in colors, so we can peacock around.  No doubt about it, color is intertwined with the human experience.  But how do we use it in our design?  More importantly what is color?

Color is what is present in our visible spectrum.  We see by the Hue (2), that there are distinction in that spectrum.  The color wheel shows us the organized spectrum based on the sequence the appear.

What about the use of color?  Different Color Systems allow for different uses.  Additive Color System is the combination of different wavelengths of light to create the visual sensation of color.  This is commonly used in Film, photo, and print.  Subtractive Color System is where pigments, physical substances, are combined to the visual sensations.  Here some of the wavelengths of light are absorbed by the substance, thus being subtracted, leaving only the reflected wavelengths to constitiute the color.  This is used in paintings, clothing, and textiles.

(2)                                                             Hue.  May. 29, 2012.  Web.  http://www.layoutsparks.com/pictures/colourful-6

(3)              King, Mike.  "Arcade Fire Poster".
                     Silkscreen.  17"x26".  May 28, 2005.
                     Web.  http://www.newburycomics.com
                     /rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=103
                 &upc=103-802564NEWBU

(4)                 Bon Iver Concert Poster. 2008.
                   Web.  http://www.spraygraphic.com
                   /ViewProject/1972/normal.html 

What about changing the Value or Intensity of a Color?  This is simply done by adding black or white to the original color.  Doing this you can create warm (3) or cool colors (4).  Warm colors are those on the color wheel closer to the yellows and reds.  Cool color is created as you move close to the blue side of the color wheel.




















How about we assert some Color Dominance and provide emphasis using color!  (5)

(5)                                                                     Loose Collective & Rhodes, Nick.  "Crystal Antlers Poster".  2008.  Web.
                                                                         http://loosecollective.net/10946/169301/-selected-work/crystal-antlers

Lets revisit our old friend atmospheric perspective and make it Atmospheric Perspective With Color.  This is again where the hues dull as the objects fade into the atmosphere.  These colors become increasingly more neutral, until we see them as a blue-gray.  (6)

(6)                                                                                   H South.  "Aerial Perspective".  2012.  Web.
                                                                                  http://0.tqn.com/d/drawsketch/1/0/J/P/3landscapecontrast.jpg

(8)         Burger King Logo.  2012.
          Web.  www.bk.com

(7)  Taolmor.  "Eyes in Complementary Colors".
2000-2012.  Stock Image.  Web.
http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-stock-photos
-eyes-complementary-colors-image6268213

As we are getting all dressed up we don't want to look like hobo's, so we pick out clothing that all looks good together.  This is the concept of Complimentary Colors.  (7)  The science behind it is picking colors on the opposite side of the color wheel that accentuate each other.  They also neutralize each other in the mix.  Another scheme to use multiple colors are the Triadic Colors.  (8)  This is three colors equally spaced out on the color wheel.

Heading into a career in interior design, color may be the most important element of them all.  Not only learning the color wheel, to master what colors work with other colors, so I can please my clients, but knowing the relationships of all the colors will help me break down norms and use color to define the wild side of my design.

Colors, ca ca ca ca colors.