Elements of Art” :: COLORPigmentsPigment is the substance or powder that makes up the color of a paint. Pigments are either organic (derived from plant or animal sources, e.g. ivory black, indigo) or inorganic (derived from salts or metallic oxides e.g. ocher, cobalt blue). Pigments are used by the artist to create the effect of color on a surface. Pigment primary colors are derived from the “Subtractive Color Model” are are: cyan, magenta, yellow. On a traditional Artist’s Color Wheel, these primaries are substituted for close cousins: blue, red, and yellow (which produce slightly different mixing results). Printers, however, typically stick to the technical CMYK model, using the following inks: cyan, magenta, yellow (and pure black for richness).
HueThis designates the common name of a color and indicates its position in the spectrum or the color circle. This is considered the purest form of the color, with no white, black, or grey added.
ValueIt refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. It indicates the quantity of light reflected. Darker values are produced by adding black (or “shades”), while lighter colors are produced by adding white (or “tints”).
Intensity / SaturationThe intensity/saturation or “chroma” of a color: A vivid color is of high intensity, a dull color of low intensity. Saturation/intensity is reduced by adding grey (back AND white) to a hue, which is then referred to as a “tone.”
Neutralized colorA color that has been “grayed” or reduced in intensity by mixture with a complementary color.
Objective colorThe color of an object as seen by the eye. (green grass, blue sky, red fire, etc.)
Subjective colorColors chosen by the artist without regard to the natural appearance of the object portrayed.
Analogous colorsColors adjacent to each other on the color wheel.
Complementary colorsTwo colors which are directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
Warm colorsRed, orange and yellow, usually associated with sun or fire.
Cool colorsBlue, green, violet or blue-green are associated with air, sky and water.
HueThis designates the common name of a color and indicates its position in the spectrum or the color circle. This is considered the purest form of the color, with no white, black, or grey added.
ValueIt refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. It indicates the quantity of light reflected. Darker values are produced by adding black (or “shades”), while lighter colors are produced by adding white (or “tints”).
Intensity / SaturationThe intensity/saturation or “chroma” of a color: A vivid color is of high intensity, a dull color of low intensity. Saturation/intensity is reduced by adding grey (back AND white) to a hue, which is then referred to as a “tone.”
Neutralized colorA color that has been “grayed” or reduced in intensity by mixture with a complementary color.
Objective colorThe color of an object as seen by the eye. (green grass, blue sky, red fire, etc.)
Subjective colorColors chosen by the artist without regard to the natural appearance of the object portrayed.
Analogous colorsColors adjacent to each other on the color wheel.
Complementary colorsTwo colors which are directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
Warm colorsRed, orange and yellow, usually associated with sun or fire.
Cool colorsBlue, green, violet or blue-green are associated with air, sky and water.