Color Theory for Floral Design Essential Questions: Why would a floral designer need to have an understanding of color theory? How is color used to create floral designs? How can color be used for store displays and merchandising?
Color Theory Color Theory is a set of principles used to create harmonious color combinations. Color relationships can be visually represented with a color wheel the color spectrum wrapped onto a circle.
Color Theory History of color theory The first color wheel was invented by Sir Isaac Newton. He split white sunlight into red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, and blue beams; then he joined the two ends of the color spectrum together to show the natural progression of colors. Newton associated each color with a note of a musical scale. A century after Newton, Johann Wolfgang Goethe began studying psychological effect of colors. He noticed that blue gives a feeling of coolness and yellow has a warming effect. Goethe created a color wheel showing the psychological effect of each color. He divided all the colors into two groups the plus side (from red through orange to yellow) and the minus side (from green through violet to blue). Colors of the plus side produce excitement and cheerfulness. Colors of the minus side are associated with weakness and unsettled feelings.
Color Theory The current form of color theory was developed by Johannes Itten, a Swiss color and art theorist who was teaching at the School of Applied Arts in Weimar, Germany. This school is also known as 'Bauhaus'. Johannes Itten developed 'color chords' and modified the color wheel. Itten's color wheel is based on red, yellow, and blue colors as the primary triad and includes twelve hues.
Primary Colors There are three Primary Colors: red, yellow,, & blue.
Secondary Colors There are three Secondary Colors. Secondary color are made when an there is an equal mixture of two primary colors: Red & Yellow = Orange Yellow & Blue = Green Red & Blue = Violet
Tertiary/Intermediate Colors An equal mixture of a primary and secondary color. Example: red & orange = red orange
Color Value The VALUE of a color, the degree of color purity, is its relative position to black or white. A light color, such as yellow, is higher in value because it is closer to white. A dark color, such as navy blue, is low in value because it is closer to black.
Tint Addition of white to make a color brighter/lighter. Pink is a tint of red.
Shade Addition of black to make a color darker more muted, burgundy is a shade of red.
Tone Addition of gray to make a color dull; dusty rose is a tone of pink.
Combining Colors By combining two of the primary colors, three secondary colors are formed. They are orange, green and violet. The six tertiary colors are made by combining a primary and an adjacent secondary color. These colors are red-orange, red-violet, yellow-green, yellow-orange, blue-green and blue-violet.
Color Wheel A tool to use to understand the use of color. Typically consists of 12 hues.
Cool and Warm Colors Colors are also divided into cool and warm categories. Warm colors are red, orange and yellow. The cool colors are green, blue and violet.
Color Harmonies A grouping of specific hues and/or a combination of different values within one hue.
Monochromatic Color Harmony This color harmony uses a single hue. Example: red and its varying tints and shades
Polychromatic Color Harmony Three or more unrelated colors, select tints, shades & tones.
Analogous Color Harmony This harmony uses adjacent hues. Technically includes one primary color with adjacent colors on the color wheel, which forms a 90º angle. What are the primary and secondary colors shown in this analogous color harmony?
Complementary Color Harmony This harmony uses two hues that are opposite each other on the color wheel. When used together in a design they make each other seem brighter and more intense.
Complementary Color Harmony
Double Complement This color harmony uses two pairs of complements. (example: yellow and violet, blue and orange)
Triad This harmony also uses three colors. They are equidistant on the color wheel. What are the three hues in this design?
Tetrad This harmony uses four colors evenly spaced on the color wheel. A primary, secondary and two tertiary colors are used. (example: red, green, yellow-orange, and blueviolet) What four hues are used in this design?
Split Complement This color harmony uses three colors: any hue and the two adjacent to its complement. What is the hue and split complements in this design?
Foliage & Color The green in foliage is often considered neutral in floral design. Foliage used as a focal point or accent should adhere to a color harmony. Which color harmony is used in this design?
References http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/encyc_colorwheel.html http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-theory-basics.html The AFS Color Wheel (1983). The AFS Education Center. http://www.floralartmall.com/designcolourharmonies2.html Johannes Itten. (1997) The Art of Color: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Color.