Color, simply defined, is light reflected by an object. Yet, color is so much more. Color can create a mood. Picasso used blue to help create a sad mood during his 'blue period' in the early 1900's. Color is symbolic. Yellow, for example is associated with happiness and the sun in western cultures; freedom and knowledge in eastern cultures.
When talking about color (in practical terms) in art, we are talking about hue, chroma or intensity and value. Hue is pure color that has not had black or white added to it. In color theory there are primary colors. These colors cannot be created by being mixing other colors. Primary colors are, yellow, blue & red. Then there are secondary colors, colors created by mixing two primary colors. Finally, there are tertiary colors, colors created by mixing secondary colors together. (Figure 1) Although, this is not completely accurate and there is always discussion, it is a great way to start understanding color and all of it possibilities. Value is hue with either white or black added. When you add white you are creating tints, when you add black you are creating shades. (Figure 2 & 3) Chroma or intensity refers to a hue's saturation. A hue is most saturated when it has not been mixed with any other color, black or white. If you mix a hue's complimentary (opposite) color you lessen the hue's saturation, the more complimentary color you add the more neutral the hue becomes. (Figure 4)
Color is a fundamental element of art that has been used since prehistoric times, can be linked to geographical availability of pigments, technical and scientific development, and the evolution of society. Color draws viewers from across a room and it has the power to spark our memory or create a physical reaction in us. It is a powerful communication tool. I think understanding and using color effectively is a great goal to work towards!
