Colour Theory

151013 Tues.

As far as a designer is concerned, we all know that colour in design is very subjective. With colours, we can set a mood, attract attention, or..make a statement. We can use colour to energize, or to cool down. By selecting the right colour scheme, we can create an ambience of elegance, warmth or peace. Colour theory is a science in itself. (Sir Issac Newton was one of the first scientists to investigate colour theory.) Sometimes, something as simple as changing the exact hue or saturation of a colour can evoke a completely different feeling. Wondering what is hue? Saturation? Keep scrolling. :)

Hue

• A hue is any colour on the colour wheel.
• Hue defines pure colour in terms of "green, blue, red".
• Hue also defines mixtures of two pure colours like "red-yellow, blue-violet". 
• Hue is the name of the colour.

Value

• Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour.
• All hues can be made in all values.
• Adding white paint will make the pigment lighter; adding black paint will make most pigments darker.

Saturation

• Saturation can also be called a colour's intensity.
• A saturated colour is high in intensity, it looks rich and full.
• A unsaturated colour is low in intensity, it looks dull and grayish.

Secondary Colours

• Secondary colours are the colours formed by mixing two primary colours.
• Yellow + Red = ORANGE
  Red + Blue = VIOLET
  Blue + Yellow = GREEN

Tertiary Colours

• Tertiary colours are the colours formed by mixing a primary and a secondary colour.
• Yellow + Orange = YELLOW-ORANGE
  Red + Orange = RED-ORANGE
  Red + Violet = RED-VIOLET
  Blue + Violet = BLUE-VIOLET
  Blue + Green = BLUE-GREEN
  Yellow + Green = YELLOW-GREEN

Analogous Colours

• Analogous colours are colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel.
• An analogous colour contains one primary colour, one secondary colour and one tertiary colour.
• e.g. Yellow, Yellow-Orange, Orange

Tint

• A tint is a colour produced by the addition of white.
• The more white added, the lighter the tint.
• Tints are also known as pastels.

Shade

• A shade is a colour produced by the addition of black.
• The more black added, the darker the shade.

Monochromatic Colours

• Monochromatic colour schemes use a single hue (purple above) and then use various tints and shades of that original colour.
• They are very low in contrast.

Warm & Cool Colours

• The colour wheel also visually illustrates colour "temperature": warm vs cool.
• Vivid hues that bring about a sense of warmth are labeled as warm colours. This includes hues from yellow to red-violet.
• Hues that generate the exact opposite feeling are called cool colours. They tend to be associated with cool temperatures and relaxation. This includes hues from yellow-green to violet.

Colour Symbolism

1. Royalty

• The colour purple has been associated with royalty, power and wealth for centuries.
• Purple was the colour worn by Roman Emperors and magistrates, only wealthy rulers could afford to buy and wear the colour.

2. Freshness

• Green is the colour of nature and represents growth, harmony, freshness, hope and fertility.
• Green has great healing power and it is the most restful colour for the human eye, it can improve vision.

3. Passion

• Red is the colour of fire and blood.
• It is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire and love.

Composition & Design: Principles of Design

270813 Tues.

As a (future) designer, what we think about design usually has a direct impact on how we design. The principles of design is actually what we do to the elements of design. "How we apply the principles of design determines how successful we are in creating a work of art." -- John Lovett

1. Unity & Variety

• Unity: creates a sense of harmony and wholeness, by using similar elements within the composition
• Variety: adds interest, by using contrasting elements within the composition

2. Balance

• These two pictures are balance.
• A large shape close to the center can be balanced by a small shape close to the edge.
• The darker the shape, the heavier it appears to be.

3. Scale & Proportion

Scale

Proportion

• Scale is the real size of an object seen in relation to other objects, people, its environment or the picture plane.
• Proportion is the size relationship of parts to its entire work, and each to the other.

4. Hierarchy (Focal point/ Dominance)

• Dominance is about the focus given to a part of artwork.
• Dominance can be applied to one or more of the elements to give emphasis.

5. Rhythm & Repetition

• Repetition is the use of similar or connected pictorial elements. e.g. similar shapes, colours or lines that are used more than once.
• Repetition can create rhythm.

Composition & Design: Elements of Design

270813 Tues.

As far as design is concerned, there are many different types of elements that we, as a (future) designer can play with :) According to wikipedia, design elements are the BASIC unit of a painting, drawing, design or other visual piece, which include:

1. Line

• Line can be straight or curved, heavy or light, soft or hard, or a mixture of them all.
• Line can show movement, rhythm, textural results and even emotional effects.

2. Shape

• A shape is created when a line crosses itself or intersects with other lines to enclose a space.
• Shape is 2-D, it has height and width, but no depth.
• Geometric shapes: circles, squares, rectangles, triangles.
• Organic shapes: leaves, seashells, flowers.

3. Texture

• Texture is the surface quality of an object.
• Implied texture: 2-D art that is made to look like a certain texture but in fact is just a smooth piece of paper. e.g. A drawing of a tree trunk may look rough but in fact it is just a smooth piece of paper.
• Real texture: The actual texture of an object.

4. Space

• Positive is dark, negative is light.
• The positive space is masked in black in the second photo.
• The negative space is masked in black in the first photo.

5. Time & Motion

Type Me Again Peter Cho, 2000

• Any word or image that moves functions both spatially and temporally.
• E.g. carefully watch water, it's moving, splitting, falling apart and getting back together.

6. Colour

• Description: Hue - movement within colour, Value - colour intials, Chroma - brightness
• Schemes: Primary, secondary, tertiary, monochromatic, complimentary, etc.

7. Typography

Serif vs San serif

Commercial Script

Custom

Square Serif