COLOR 

Color is reflected wavelengths of light.  When we view a apple that appears to be red we say the apple is red.  In actuality the apple's surface is absorbing all other wave lengths of color light except for certain red wave lengths.   That hue is being reflected.

Today we work in two types of color systems reflected pigment color and projected light color.  The color of apples, paintings, trees, and other objects is determined in the pigment color or reflected wave lengths of color system.  Projected light color is that color that is determined by projected light such as in a theatre or a television set.  When we discuss color in connection to art making we will be referring to pigment color unless noted.  Most artists work within the pigment color system.

Artists use color to identify an object or subject, to organize a composition, to symbolize learned cultural conventions, to create, and to reflect an emotion.

Hue    Hue is the common name of colors: yellow, red, blue.  Every hue has a different wavelength of light.

Pigment Color  Pigment color makes the color in crayons, paint, inks, colored pencils, chalks and other color tools.  The pigment color spectrum is indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.  A Colorwheel is formed by curving the spectrum of colors and joining the upper most indigo-violet to the lower most red.  Pigment hue is different from light hue.  Both the pigment system and the light system have what is called Primary Colors.  In the pigment system the primary colors are RED, YELLOW, and BLUE.  Primary colors cannot be created by mixing other colors together, but all other pigment colors are derived from the selective mixing of these colors.  In the light system the primary colors are red, blue, andgreen.
 

For more information on color: 
http://www.artlex.com/
 

COLORWHEEL
 
 

Secondary Color    Secondary colors are made by combining two primary colors.  RED and YELLOW make ORANGE.
BLUE and YELLOW make GREEN. BLUE and RED make VIOLET.

Tertiary Color    Territory colors are made by combining a secondary color with an adjacent primary color.  GREEN and YELLOW make YELLOW-GREEN.  GREEN and BLUE make BLUE - GREEN . VIOLET and BLUE make BLUE -VOILET.

Analogous Colors    Analogous colors are hues that near each other  in the colorwheel such as ORANGE, RED-ORANGE, and RED that share a common color (in this case red ).  Analogous colors usually create an overall peaceful effect.

Complementary Colors   Complementary colors are hues that are located directly across from one another on the colorwheel such as RED and GREEN, BLUE and ORANGE, YELLOW and VIOLET .  When place side by side complementary colors are visually jolting, disruptive and antagonistic.

Warm Colors    REDS, ORANGES, and YELLOWS are visual warm colors.  Warm colors visually come forward and have the illusion of being closer to the eye.

Cool Colors    BLUES, GREENS, and VIOLETS are visual cool colors.  Cool colors visually recede.

If we touch both visually cool pigments and visually warm pigments we will not feel a temperature difference.  We react to these hues emotionally.  Complementary colors always include one warm color and one cool color.  By placing these colors side by side we set up both a visual push-pull (one color comes forward, one recedes) and an emotional push-pull (one is warm one is cool).

Each society or culture develops a system of color association.  What does our society associate with the following colors?

                               RED       BLACK       WHITE       GREEN
 

An Anishinable myth discusses color color association:

"The first human started life on mother earth by taking four breaths of air.  These four breaths were four winds that created the four directions.  The north wind is the color white and gives man wisdom. (WHY?)  The south wind is the color green and brings life energy and a strong heart.  The west wind is the color of black and brings the power of the thunder gods.  The east wind is the color of gold and gives man the vision of morning eagles soaring over the woodland and the prairie."
Gerald Vizenor, American Indian Art : Form and Tradition, Minneapolis ; Walker Arts Center/ The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 1972, p. 20.
 

Value    Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color.  Lighter colors are located high on the value scale and are called tints.  Darker colors are located on the lower range of the scale are called shades.

Intensity    Intensity is also called the chroma or saturation of a color and refers to the relative brightness or dullness of a color.  Pure primary red pigment is the most intense.  As soon as red is mixed with blue or yellow the intensity is compromised.
The intensity of a color is most effectively dulled (compromised) when it is mixed with its compliment.  The most effective way to graying or toning down a color is to mix it with its compliment.
 

http://martinlawrence.com/glossary_explore.html

http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/OTHERREFERENCE/THEARTS/ArtMvmtsandPeriods.html

The above links will give you access to an art glossary and an art reference.  Use them to define any terms and to access the definitions of the art movements and eras. 

CLASS OUTLINE       SYLLABUS     TUESDAY EVENING CLASS OUTLINE