Basic Color Theory & Techniques

General Discussion
1

This thread is just a basic color theory and techniques thread for those that would like some ideas and help for those that want it. There are plenty of supplementary websites that can delve deeper into the subject. I’m just giving a basic overview of it.

Starting with the color wheel.

The primary colors are red, yellow and blue. They are primary because they are colors that can not be made by mixing colors.

Secondary colors are green, orange and purple. These are created by mixing two primary colors. Red + Yellow = Orange / Yellow + Blue = Green / Red + Blue = Purple

Tertiary colors are created by mixing primary and secondary colors, which can be identified by their hyphenated name, i.e. yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green & yellow-green.

Warm and cool colors:

The color wheel is also separated by the temperature of the colors, warm and cool. Warm colors tend to advance in space while cool colors recede. Using these temperatures in your work can create atmosphere or provoke an emotion.

Tints, Shades, and Tones:

These terms are often used incorrectly, although they describe fairly simple color concepts. If a color is made lighter by adding white, the result is called a tint. If black is added, the darker version is called a shade. And if gray is added, the result is a different tone.

Tint:

Shade:

Tones:

Color Schemes:

Complementary colors are colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are considered to be complementary colors (example: red and green).

Analogous color schemes use colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. They usually match well and create serene and comfortable designs. These color schemes are often found in nature and are harmonious and pleasing to the eye. Make sure you have enough contrast when choosing an analogous color scheme otherwise that’ll have a washed out or flat look.

A triadic color scheme uses colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. Triadic color schemes tend to be quite vibrant, even if you use pale or unsaturated versions of your hues.

The rectangle or tetradic color scheme uses four colors arranged into two complementary pairs. This rich color scheme offers plenty of possibilities for variation.

The square color scheme is similar to the rectangle, but with all four colors spaced evenly around the color circle.

For more information, this website, http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/, was a good resource. There are plenty of other sites to check out online for more in-depth info.

2

Next will be some techniques that I was taught by an art teacher. I will be using green cause, it was the first colors I bothered grabbing.

http://i.imgur.com/eAA6KG2.png

What I like to do is a method called cross hatching. Which is just as it sounds. It’s putting down lines in an overlaying fashion. It helps in laying down colors and giving it a textured look. For pencil and even markers, cross hatching can create density in shades and tones.

Anyway, you start with your color, slowly lightening the pressure on the pencil so that it is pale. Next, start laying down the next color on top of the lightest part, while still working in a hatching method. As you continue to do this with as many colors, use the color previous on top of the previous color to create a uniformed look. The purpose is to not make the colors look blocked off, but a gradation. Repeating the process until I get a fluid look of the colors flowing into one another.

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Here are some excerpts of some blogs I did a while back on design concepts/elements. Feel free to correct anything you think is incorrect.

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we already have an art thread doe

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lol seriously…the fan art sections been covering basic art stuff for years.

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Welp, forget it then. Link me to where it is and I’ll get @Valaris to delete this.

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I think it’s a good idea. Instead of fishing through threads/posts or asking questions that have been answered hundreds of times, you can get all the info you need in one place.

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Ignore the nay sayers and keep with the good work.

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I used to draw but then everything because so overpriced.

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I’ve been painting for some years but I never really paid attention to color theory or whatever. I just blend together what I think looks cool and go from there.

Interesting thread though.

11

I’ve never drawn more than stick figures in my life and I found this very interesting, even if its only theory.

Thanks a lot, really got me in at least somewhat deeper understanding of art.

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Keep going no one wants to go to other boards and threads get reboots all the time.

Please continue, I’ve actually been thinking of buying some coloring books recently to kill time and this thread is what i need to get started.

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Thanks guys… I’m glad I could give some insight to help you that are interested.

While I’m thinking of other topics to draw/go over, is there anything you’d like to me cover? I know I wanted to show how you can do shadows and shades by not using black. I know I was guilty of that when I was still learning art. While it can be great if that is the look you’re going for, sometimes it’s best to try other things.

So if there’s anything I can show you examples of, let me know! I should be picking up new paints soon so I can do other mediums than color pencil and markers.

And far as products I use, I use Prismacolors and Strathmore Vellum Bristol board paper, no bigger than 11"x14" to start out. It’s a thicker stock and has a good texture for color pencils and for medium like crayons, charcoal and chalks. For pen and ink, Plated/gloss finish Bristol paper would be the best for a smoother finish. If you can’t access that paper, standard printer paper will suffice for now.

Just a word of warning, Prismacolors are fuckin’ pricey as hell, since they are considered professional grade. However, you can get a set of 48 right now on Amazon for $32.50 if you want a good set to start out with. Especially since those are what I will be using and I can give colors that you might have. I have the 132 set so, yeah.

http://i.imgur.com/1aRNJfM.png

Okay. Should try to sleep now. Let me know what I should cover!

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i actually like good quality watercolor pencils even more than prismacolor. deeper and richer. imo

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I’m cheap as fuck right now, I just crayola colored pencils, but as i said I’m only lookin to do coloring books an shit for now.

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Good basic info, one tiiiiiny little thing I’d maaaaybe add:

http://i.imgur.com/JPwlgwD.png

Monochromatic love. Maybe I’d even add the analog one, but that’s just my weekend bitching. D;
But maybe that’s already out of the basic league.
(monochromatic & 3xanalog+complementary = <3)

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Haha @reh Yeaah. Might be a bit out of basic which, I wanted to cover, but, still, love the input. Someone might find it useful and be a reminder for me. Haha. I use monochromatic but forgot to add. So, thank you for the reminder! :heart:

I like using watercolor pencils with regular color pencils and pink/ink. But, that’s just cause I like mixing media. Always been a thing of mine. But, I need to get a new set of watercolor pencils. Mind suggesting a brand?

That’s totally fine. I just posted that for anyone that wanted to know what I used, in case anyone was interested. Which set did you get? I can put aside similar colors when I do examples or suggest colors to use. :slight_smile:

18

Thank you for posting this. As an undergraduate art major, I should’ve retained this information, but your explanations were simple yet informing. I learned about color theory in Two-Dimensional Design, but I also should’ve taken a Color Theory course (it wasn’t for my major but it still would’ve been useful in the future).

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How do you draw with symmetry? I doodles are always lopsided.

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You’re welcome. I just want to be able to help people that might not be well versed in art and its terminologies… And in my opinion, professors try to give these superfluous explanations for simple ideals. As someone that wanted to be an art teacher for younger children, explaining in laymen’s terms just means accessibility for everyone, as it should be.

I firmly believe that we are all artists and are all capable of art. Only thing that separates “artists” from everyone else is the ability to convey things better on paper. But at the end of the day, art, is subjective.

Guidelines. I’m sure the Drawing Fundamentals thread has went over that at some point in details.