A Study In Colour

Contrast of tone

formed by the juxtaposition of light and dark values. This could be monochromatic (single colour). 

If the colour wheel is made monochrome you can distinguish what is the lightest, darkest and the mid tone from the actual colours (blue, yellow and red) 

Mid tone and dark and light most readable, make it another mid tone becomes less readable. 

Colours opposite on the colour wheel are most readable. Higher contrast. Colour has a tonal value. 



The green shampoo has a higher contrast on the red paper in comparison to the red glove, because its directly opposite on the colour wheel.  

 

 There is a higher contrast between the purple pen lid and the yellow paper because they are opposite on the colour wheel.

 

The red mug has a higher contrast on the green paper because they are opposite on the color wheel. 

The orange scissors have a higher contrast on the blue paper than on the red paper where there is a lower contrast, this is because the blue if further away on the colour wheel and the red is closer to the orange so has a lower contrast. 

 The green lighter has a very low contrast because the colours are extremely similar. 

Contrast of temperature  

Changes the way we see colour, one colour can chnage another when placed next to each other, it can create a perceived gradient. 

Contrast of Saturation 

Formed by the juxtaposition of light and dark values and their relative saturations Saturation is similar to contrast, however instead of increasing the separation between shadows and highlights, we increase the separation between colors.

Complimentary Contrast 

Formed by juxtaposing complementary colours from a colour wheel or perceptual opposites

Simultaneous Contrast 

Formed when boundaries between colours, they perceptually vibrate.

 

Contrast of Hue

Formed by the juxtaposing of different hues. The greater the distance between hues on a colour wheel, the greater the contrast






Contrast of extension  

Formed by assigning proportional field sizes in relation to the visual weight of a colour. Also know as the contrast as proportion.