Visual Language: Colour Theory

Over the span of two lectures, we were taught the many different aspects that make up colour theory. I found both lectures really interesting and extremely beneficial, as we managed to go into depth in such a short amount of time. During these lectures we explored the notion that colour is simply a concept not a fact, through exploring colour wheels, colour modes and chromatic values. We were reminded that we see colour because the light is reflecting off the cones in our eyes, and that we see the sky as blue simply because that is how the light is reflecting. This also means that colour isn't perceived the same by any two people.

So how do we actually know that a colour is what we say it is?
For instance, how do we know that this apple is red?

According to colour theory, we can safely say that this apple is red, but not because 'red' is an actual physical thing, but because the apple is the reddest thing on this page. However, when we start to place other hues, shades, tones and tints of red next to this apple, like so...

... we see that the apple is now a deeper shade of red than what we first perceived it as. And this goes for every colour out there. Sticking to the dimensions of colour we start to focus on how colour is a 3 dimensional concept, as it is in fact created out of many different values (chromatic values) such as, hue, saturation and tone. Through these values, it allows us to create a colour system in which each tone, hue and saturation of colour is coded in a specific way, allowing us to use the exact same colour as someone else despite the fact that we perceive it in a different way.

But it doesn't stop there. There are 7 types of subjective colour and they revolve around colour and contrast. For instance contrast of tone in formed by the juxtaposition of both light and dark values, just as hue is formed by the juxtaposition of different hues, the greater the distance between hues on the colour wheel the greater the contrast and so on.

So, it turns out that colour theory is a lot more important than we ever thought. Choosing the right colours could be extremely beneficial to a piece of work and can have a significant effect on the mood, tone and overall message of the thing being coloured. It's important to remember that there is a lot more to colour than just a single defining word such as red and these lectures have taught me that I should pay closer attention to colours when I am creating a piece of work that contains any colours at all.