Art Lessons

Lesson 1:Colors

Lesson 1: Colors

Today we will be learning about color. What is color? Color is, "the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way the object reflects or emits light" (Miffin 1). It is basically the hue something reflects back to the human eye. How can we use color in a drawing? Color can bring a drawing to life with just a smear. With the right colors and shading, it can make a 2D object appear 3D.

Complementary Colors 

Complementary colors are colors are directly across the color wheel. For example, red is on the opposite side of green and so on. When you mix two complementary colors, you get brown. This can be useful when you want your object to have more depth with colored pencil. "Complementary colors, when used together in color schemes, are especially dynamic and pleasing to the eye. This is because different types of cones (the photoreceptor cells in your eye that contribute to color vision) perceive different colors of light. If you stare for a long time at a block of color and then quickly look at a white wall, you'll see a light afterimage in the opposite, or complementary, color" (Mitchell 3).

Warm and Cool Colors

Warm colors are red, orange, and yellow. Cool colors are green, blue, and purple. Purple and yellow can be debated as being both warm and cool colors. "Warm colors are often said to be hues from red through yellow, browns and tans included; cool colors are often said to be the hues from blue green through blue violet, most grays included" (Wikipedia 1)."There is historical disagreement about the colors that anchor the polarity, but 19th-century sources put the peak contrast between red orange and greenish blue" (Wikipedia 17).

Different Colors During Different Times of Day

In the mornings, everything has a yellowish tint while at sunset, everything has a reddish tint. Depending on the weather, things will seem like different colors. When it is rainy, everything looks grey or blue. If it is sunny, everything looks yellow or white. When you are drawing or painting something at night, use dark purples or black. At night, you can still tell what the original color things but have a black tint to the color.

Contrast

In a drawing, it is important to have contrast. With dark shadows and light highlights. Contrast gives the drawing appear real and have depth. (go back into space) Contrast brings the whole drawing together. Contrast is the "arrangement of opposite elements (light vs. dark colors, rough vs. smooth textures, large vs. small shapes, etc.) in a piece so as to create visual interest, excitement, and drama" (Esaak 1).