Color Theory
Brittney Willis1
Table of Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Introduction (p. 3) Color + Research (p. 4) Color + Theory (p. 8) Color + Designers (p. 12) Color + Film (p. 27) Color + Balance (p. 33) Color + Rhythm (p. 35) Color + Retail (p. 37) Color + Proportion/Scale (p. 47) Color + Hospitality (p. 49) Color + Culture (p. 55) Conclusion (p. 62) 2
Introduction I owe my color sense to crayons” – Angelo Rafael Donghia Hi Everyone! I’m Brittney Faith Willis. I was born and raised in Boca Raton, I have lived in South Florida my whole life. My family has been American born for many generations with Irish, Italian, and American Indian roots. I have a wonderful family that I cherish. I was raised singularly by my mother, some people see that as a shame but I do not. She is my foundation and my number one supporter. At times we may have struggled but I was never left without. My mother is my inspiration, she has undergone much growth throughout life. Anyone who knows me will know that I’m always singing. I love music! From voice lessons as a child, to playing the flute and piccolo in my high school marching band, to my love of musical theater, music has always been a part of my life. Color is wonderful and I love to play with it. Of course I must mention that my favorite color is Purple (plum to be specific) and I’m a bit biased towards it. I personally love color combinations that inspire a romantic feeling. Think of a Monet water lily painting, with its lovely combination of purples, greens, blues, and pinks, it makes me want to fall in love and bask in nature.
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Color + Research This section will look at what experts are saying about color and what kind of research they are doing about color in the built environment. This will be done by looking at an article about color used in the built environment, summarize the information, and creating an informed opinion on the presented information.
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Color + Research Spatial Color Shashi Caan
Summary of Information: The article, Spatial Color by Shashi Caan and published in Contract magazine, discusses a study done, entitled “Spatial Color”, to examine three sets of commonly believed preconceptions of color attributed to red, blue, and yellow, within a real life setting.Those sets are as follows: o Red inspires people to eat more.Time stands still. o Blue is calming.Time lengthens. o Yellow evokes happiness… and aggression.
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Color + Research Spatial Color Shashi Caan The experiment takes place in a cocktail party setting with three identical rooms. The rooms all consist of a bar and seating, with white walls and furnishings. Each room then has a colored light illuminating the room and giving off a certain color, one room with a red light, one with a blue light, and one with a yellow light. The preconceptions were tested by a few methods: heart rate monitoring to test the physiological effect of color, two different types of surveys (one objective and one subjective) to test the emotional impact of color, and an observation of human behaviors and interactions. The most important findings are as follows: o By a ratio of 2 to 1 people primarily are attracted to enter a yellow environment over Blue. o People often will enter a yellow environment first but leave faster, while once in a blue environment they tend to stay longer. o Lack of change in heart rate seems to support the conclusion that social context has a greater impact on color response than has been assumed. o Yellow, not red, tested to be the color that stimulated the most appetite. In the yellow room people ate and drank the most. o Color affects physical activity.The blue room was the most sedate in terms of body movement, while in the red and yellow rooms people were more lively. People in this room also had a tendency to sit or stand around the perimeter while people in the other two rooms gathered in groups in the center. o Red and yellow are better for social interaction, while blue is better for individual activities. 6
Color + Research Spatial Color Shashi Caan
Statement of Informed Opinion: I found the information provided by the article to be quite interesting. I believed that people would be more initially attracted to the blue room, however the test proved that people were more initially attracted to the yellow room. This was surprising to me. While I believed that red and yellow would inspire more appetite than the blue room, I did not think that yellow would inspire more appetite than red. I also found it interesting that while I believed that blue would be the most calming environment, I did not think that it would inspire such little social interaction. Overall I think that the information presented in this article is very useful, especially if designing a space for a social environment, but also because it is important to know that color affects people and the way they behave in a space.
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Color + Theory Color theory is the study and the practice of a set of principles used to understand the relationship among colors. In this section we will look at the basics of color vocabulary, understand the basics of color schemes, and comprehend how the human eye perceives color.
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Color + The Eye Color is the result of light reflected off the surface and into the eye. It is a process resulting from light entering the eye where 2 types of lightsensitive nerve cells (cones & rods) within the retina transmit nerve impulses to the brain, resulting in color vision. Without light there is no color. o Cones- daylight / color receptors o Rods- dim light/ value receptors o Visible Spectrum- the colored light we can see • Located between ultraviolet light and infrared light, approx. 390-780 nanometers • Nanometer- unit used to describe and measure wavelengths of visible light. 9
Color Vocabulary o Reflection: the light strikes an object and the light reflected back from the object is the color we see. o Diffraction: when light is partially obstructed from an object. This interference of light bends the waves around the edges of the object and spreads outward, producing light, dark or colored bands. o Refraction: when 1 or more light waves moves through a light medium to another, denser medium such as air to water or a prism causing light to bend. o Direct color result from viewing a color on a particular surface. o Indirect color results from adjoining or opposite wall surface or objects reflecting their color. o Color Rendering Index (CRI) indicates the light source’s ability to render the true color of an object as it would appear in the natural sun.
o Light Reflectance Value (LVR) refers to the percentage of light that is reflected from a colored surface back into the interior space. o Adding any amount of white to a color produces a tint (ex: pink) o Adding gray to a color produces a tone (ex: puce) o Adding black to a color produces a shade (ex: burgundy) o Pure hue- a color void of any black, white, or gray and at its highest intensity o Chromatic- refers to all the colors minus black, gray, and white. o Achromatic- refers to black, white, and gray.
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Color Schemes o Primary Hues- red, blue, and yellow. Cannot be produced by any combination of the three. o Secondary Hues- violet, green, and orange each made from combining 2 primaries o Tertiary Hues- red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-green, yellow-orange, red-orange each made by combining a secondary hue with a primary. o Complimentary colors result from 2 colors opposite from each other on the color wheel o Analogous color schemes result from 2 or more colors adjacent to one another on the color wheel o Split Complimentary color scheme is similar to the complimentary; however, it’s composed of three colors consisting of 1 main hue plus 2 hues each adjacent to its compliment. o Monochromatic color schemes are based on variations of a particular hue. o Triad color schemes are composed of 3 colors equally spaced along the color wheel. o Tetrad color schemes are composed of 4 colors equally spaced along the color wheel. 11
Color + Designers This section will explore how interior designer and architects use color in spaces by studying a precedent of exceptional color use in the built environment. The goal of this study is to understand how designers use color in architectural spaces, how color connects to and enhances concept, and that color is not just a decorative element but rather a tool for design.
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Color + Designers STEVEN HOLL Chapel of St. Ignatius
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STEVEN HOLL LIFE Steven Holl was born on December 9, 1947 in Bremerton, Washington. He is a New York based architect who graduated from the University of Washington and then went to Rome to study architecture in 1970. He attended graduate school at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.
DESIGN He uses a phenomenological approach when designing. He uses shape, color, texture, and light to create a specific atmosphere to give a deeper meaning to the spatial experience. He often uses sketches combined with watercolors during concept development to derive the desired atmosphere.
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PROJECT Chapel of St. Ignatius Location: Seattle University, Seattle, WA Date: 1997 Size: 6,100 Square Feet This project serves as a Jesuit Catholic chapel for the university. The building is essentially a rectangular concrete mass with rounded and flat projections coming from the top. These projections are pierced with windows and colored glass and act as light volumes. At night the light volumes are like pillars shining light across the university in all directions.
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COLOR CONCEPT Set against a neutral backdrop of white, stone walls and ceiling, grey concrete floors, and wood furniture, the interior is washed with soft reflected light intersected by slashes of intense colored light. This is created by painting the backs of baffles, built in front of openings to the outdoors, in a specific color so that when sunlight shines upon it a soft field light is reflected in that color. The intense colored light is created with colored lenses.
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COLOR CONCEPT Holl describes the concept of this project as “Seven bottles of light in a stone box� (stevenholl.com). The light metaphor is created by different volumes that rise from the roof whose irregularities aim at different qualities of light: East facing, South facing, West and North facing, all gathered together for one united ceremony. Each volume of light corresponds to a part of the Jesuit Catholic worship. The south-facing light corresponds to the procession, a fundamental part of the mass. The northfacing light, towards the city, corresponds to the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and to the community outreach mission. The main worship space has an east and west light volume.
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Procession Narthex
Procession
COLOR CONCEPT The first two interior light conditions relate to the procession and the narthex, both using natural sunlight. This creates a neutral color pallet in these areas.
Narthex
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COLOR CONCEPT The third interior light condition relates to the nave. This space uses a yellow field with a blue lens to the east and a blue field with a yellow lens to the west.
East West
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COLOR CONCEPT The fourth interior light condition relates to the Blessed Sacrament using a complimentary color pallet with an orange field with a blue lens.
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COLOR CONCEPT The fourth interior light condition relates to the Blessed Sacrament using a complimentary color pallet with an orange field with a blue lens.
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COLOR CONCEPT The sixth interior light condition relates to the reconciliation chapel using complimentary colored light with a blue field and an orange lens.
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COLOR CHANGES The light system also takes advantage of changes in the sunlight during different times of the day and year to play with the intensities and tints.
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COLOR CHANGES
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CONCLUSION Holl uses color and light to nourish a powerful metaphor of the Jesuit faith. Using reflected field light contrasted with an intense colored light Holl creates an emotional impact. The powerful colored light is enhanced and empowered by the neutral color palate of the finishes used in the church design. Holl uses many complimentary color pairs in the light design such as orange with blue and red with green. The intensities and hues of the colored light changes as the sunlight changes during different times of the day and year.
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References 1. Beck, H., Cooper, J., & Holl, S. (1998). Chapel of st. ignatius, seattle university, washington, USA: Stevenholl. Ume, (8), 41]. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.fiu. edu/login?url=http://search.proquest. com/docview /55212591?accountid=10901
2. https://images.google.com/
3. http://stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=40 4. http://www.archdaily.com/115855/ad-classics-chapel-of-st-ignatius-stevenholl-architects/
5. McLachlan, F (2011), 'Altered space: The transformative capabilities of colour and light in the architecture of Steven Holl and UN Studio'. in AIC 2011, Interaction of Colour & Light in the Arts and Sciences, Midterm Meeting of the International Colour Association. International colour association (AIC) , pp. 58-61, AIC 2011, Interaction of Colour & Light in the Arts and Sciences, Midterm Meeting of the International ColourAssociation, Zurich, Switzerland, 7-10 July. 26
Color + Film This section will explore how color is used on screen in films to enhance the visual experience. This study will be done by examining a film with a very strategic and particular use of color. By studying color through the use of film we learn how color effects the human psyche and how it can create distinct moods and feelings for people.
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AmĂŠlie DELETE this image and insert the intro film scene
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Film Summary AmÊlie is a whimsical French film about a quirky and shy young woman. In the film Amelie lives alone and enjoys the simple pleasures in life, such as cracking the creme brule sugar. She finds a box of old, small objects and decides that she must find whoever this belongs to and return their treasure to them. After becoming elated at seeing the joy this brought to someone, Amelie decides to change the lives of those around her, including her father, her neighbors, and her coworkers, while dealing with her own loneliness. During one of her adventures she happens upon a man named Nino, whom she has an immediate connection with. She sets up a sort of scavenger hunt for Nino to find a scrapbook of his that Amelie has found and later sets up a hunt for him to find her. This film is very lighthearted and very touching. This is one of my favorite films because every time I watch it I am left smiling, feeling inspired and romantic and I take something different away from the film each time. Some of the meaningful things this film brings to light are finding the simple joys in life, the beauty of helping others purely without pride, and finding love in unexpected ways. This film has a very clear color concept that is carried out through the entire film. The color is not used arbitrarily but is used in a precise and careful manner. The main colors used in almost all of the scenes are red, green, and yellow. Because this film does not have any lengthy scenes, this analysis will focus on a beginning and ending scene as well as the main character’s home. 29
SCENE ANALYSIS
This is one of the first scenes where the audience gets to know Amelie as an adult. This red outfit set against a green back drop is a complimentary color combination that is quiet comforting to the eye. It gives the viewer a visual cue that Amelie is a warm and pleasant character. Red also is a color that often signifies passion, dignity, and courage. This gives the viewers an idea that Amelie is a person with a sense of conviction, willing to take action, and has a sense of purpose.
This tone of green balances out the red used in Amelie’s outfit because while red could be seen as an aggressive color, her character is not abrasive or loud but rather playful and sensitive. The color green is also associated with growth and ambition, in the film her character is ambitious to help change the lives of others and in the process grows as a person herself. Green is also an earthy tone that is often associated with humbleness, in this scene the narrator is saying that she enjoys the simple pleasures in life, such as skipping stones. 30
Amélie’s Home
DELETE this image and Insert image of the scene.
There are a few scenes set in Amelie’s home. The color palate in these scenes is very warm which relates to the fact that Amelie is a warm and lovable character. There is an analogues relationship between red, orange, and yellow. The complimentary combination of red and green is used often in her home as well. Red is not used in an aggressive way here but rather confirms Amelie’s ambitions, it in her home where she comes to realizations, as if a fire has been lit within her. Yellow is often used in the lighting to create a lighthearted and optimistic atmosphere.
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SCENE ANALYSIS The color yellow is used in an appropriate way here to represent happiness and joy. In this scene Amelie is the happiest we see her in the film because she has found a love of her own with Nino. The color green is used here to balance out the bright use of yellow. This color also brings back the idea of nature and humbleness, it reminds the audience of a love that is simple and pure. The color red is used in a subtle dose, only being worn by Amelie. In this scene red is representing love and the enduring passion Amelie has for Nino and for life.
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Color + Balance Balance is a key component in designing with color. This section will explore how color and balance relate to each other. We will learn the three types of color balance and how they are used. We will also learn how contrast relates to color and balance.
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Color + Balance Color balance is the relationship of different hues to one another when each is perceived to be equal in visual weight. Color balance is described in three ways: o Symmetry- or formal balance, is the arrangement of elements on either side of an implied axis and are of the same shape and form. o Asymmetry- or informal balance, occurs when elements on either side of an implied axis are equal in color weight but vary in shape and size. o Radial Balance- occurs when there is an equal rotation of design elements around a central axis. 34
Color + Rhythm Rhythm is important when designing with color. It is naturally occurring, helps us with way-finding, and creates visual interest. In this section we will learn about the repetition of color and the five types of color repetition. 35
Color + Rhythm Rhythm is a natural evolutionary trait in nature that can be transferred to interior spaces and can be further emphasized with color. There are five types of rhythm: o Repetitionthe systematic, orderly succession of design elements along a defined path in a space. o Alternation- when two design elements are repeated in sequence similar to repetition • ex: ABABABAB o Progression- the repetition of similar elements with a continuous change. o Color Continuation- the placement of one or more colors through an interior to create a continuous movement of the eye through the space o Radiation- a concentric color arrangement.
The nautilus shell has a combination of progression and radiation
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Color + Retail This section will explore how color is used in retail environments. This will be done by looking at one retail environment with a specific and distinct use of color. We will learn how color is used to enhance products, effect buyers decisions, and set the tone of the brand. We will also learn how color is used in terms of contrast of hue, contrast of value, contrast of texture, contrast of pattern, and focal point.
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Color + Retail
Tory Burch Boutique Boca Raton, FL
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ABOUT Tory Burch is an American lifestyle and luxury brand. It embodies the personal style and insight of its CEO and designer, Tory Burch. The brand combines bohemian and classic styles with an emphasis on print, color and “eclectic details�. (Toryburch.com)
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Contrast of Hue The color palate consists of deep purple, a green with yellow hues, accented with gold, and orange, set against warm neutrals. The store uses a split complementary color scheme with purple being the only color with no traces of yellow hues. This creates a contrast of hues that is appealing to the eye, adds visual interest. And moves patrons through the store.
Color Palate
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Contrast of Value
Wood Ceiling
Tile Floor
The contrast of light versus dark colors in the space adds visual interest and balance in the space. The dark purple in the shelve lining contrasts the light colored furniture in the space and moves the eye around the space. The wood ceiling contrasts with the white tile floor, adding warmth and interest. The value contrast also allows the viewers eyes to focus on the product even though there is a lot of pattern in the space. The dark shelves display products of a lighter value while the white table has darker products. This creates a frame for the products to stand out. 41
Contrast of Texture 1
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The contrast of color and texture adds emphasis in the space. The Tory Burch store does this in many ways. 1. The Hard, reflective, gold trimmings contrast with the soft, velvety purple lined shelves. 2. The mirrored wall contrasts with the soft flowing drapes. 3. The soft carpeting contrasts with the rough grass rug. 4. The hard tile contrasts with the soft, plush carpeting 5. The natural wood ceiling contrasts with the hard white floor tile. 42
Contrast of Pattern The contrast of pattern adds visual interest to the color palate by using the colors in different ways. The use of pattern also creates a 2
dimensional
layer
of
texture
adding visual interest to the store. The Tory Burch store uses organic and
geometric textiles to contrast with solids, and hard materials of the furniture. The green leaf wall covering adds an organic layer and contrasts with the solid purple lining in the shelves.
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Focal Point The main entry is the first focal point patrons focus on at the Tory Burch store. The bright orange is used very sparsely in the store therefore the isolation of this color against the green and purple interiors creates an impact and draws peoples’ eyes into the store.
The orange against the purple, green, and gold interiors draws the eye through to the back of the store, creating a procession. It leads to a display table and then to the back wall and second focal point.
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Focal Point The shelve on the back wall in another important focal point. It holds the brand’s featured products. It gains focus in a few ways. The gold shelving gains importance and contrast against the mirrored wall. The purple and nude geometric drapes create symmetry that frames the focal self. The opposite facing white sofas add a color contrast to the gold self as well as creates a symmetrical frame that leads the viewer to the shelf.
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References 1. Reed, Ron. Color Design:Transforming Interior Space New York: Fairchild, 2010 2. http://www.toryburch.com/about-the-company/aboutus-company-main.html
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Color + Proportion/ Scale This section will describe using color in terms of proportion and scale. It is important for designers to design with proportion and scale in order to create a balanced and harmonious space.
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Proportion + Scale Proportion is the size relationships between elements and visual composition or space. Scale is the size of a shape in relation to a given known, in most cases, the human body. Using proportion and scale when designing with color is essential to creating a unified and balanced space. Some tools for doing this are: o Golden Section- a mathematical formula where an object’s width is to it’s length as it’s length is the sum of is length plus width. o Fibonacci Sequence- a series of numbers where each number in the sequence is the sum of the two proceeding numbers.
Golden Section
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Fibonacci Sequence
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Color + Hospitality This section will explore how color is used in a hospitality environment, particularly in hotels. This study will be done by looking at a precedent of a luxury hotel in Miami, Florida. By doing this we will learn how designers can add visual stimuli and create a variety of experiences for the users of the built environment by using color in conjunction with line, shape, texture, and pattern.
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VARIETY is a principle of design that is concerned with the combination of one or more color elements that use line, shape, texture, and/or pattern to create diversity and contrast in an interior space.
Color + Hospitality Commercial Design Analysis
PROJECT: W Hotel LOCATION: South Beach, Miami
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Color + Hospitality
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Discussion
Details
The design of the lobby at the W Hotel is both captivating and sophisticated. The color palate is mostly achromatic with very little hits of color (2 red + 2 purple chairs).
Elements of the Lobby’s floor, ceiling, columns, walls, furniture, and decorative screens are used in this analysis.
Color + Proportion The use of the dark wood flooring anchors the space while the white ceilings and the light colored columns add the illusion of height. The use of the dark colored wall at the end of the space makes it seem less long and narrow.
Color + Shape By using white on the vertical elements it draws the eye upwards creating more height in the space. By repeating the use of color on all the columns this creates a sense of repetition and rhythm.
Color + Proportion
Color + Shape
Color + Pattern
Color + Texture
Color + Pattern Using white and black in patterned areas, such as the animal print area rug, ties in the patterns with the rest of the design with out over powering the design. The use of the light and dark in the rug contrasts it against the dark, linear pattern of the floor. By putting the bronze colored screens over the white columns, the pattern of the screen is emphasized and strengthened.
Color + Texture The use of white on the rough stony column surface softens the harsh look while keeping the sophistication of the project. By using the stone texture on the white surface it allows the surface to be more interesting and sensual with out becoming distracting.
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Color + Hospitality
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Discussion
Details
The Design of the Living Room Bar at the W Hotel is sexy, sophisticated, and sensuous. The color palate consists of black, dark brown, cream, white, gold, and hits of purple. There are many similar design elements in this space to the Lobby, such as the bronze screens, but the use of the darker color palate creates an more intimate environment.
Elements of the Living Room Bar’s floor, ceiling, walls, furniture, and decorative screens are used in this analysis.
Color + Line The use of line, which I have outlined in blue for reference, is used to break up the space. The horizontal line visually shortens the space so it does not seem to tall with the low seating. The vertical lines emphasizes the length of the columns. Using a dark brown color that does not create a dramatic contrast allows these effects to happen with out the lines becoming a dominant feature.
Color + Line
Color + Shape
Color + Texture
Color + Pattern
Color + Shape The use of the color purple on the square seating poufs, emphasizes the square shape against the dark floor and light columns.This also creates a strong sense of rhythm.
Color + Pattern Putting the bronze colored screens over the cream colored walls emphasizes the strong pattern of the screens. The use of the solid, white seating next to the bronze screens creates a contrast emphasizing the dynamic pattern.
Color + Texture The use of white on the rough stony column surface softens the harsh look in a similar way to the lobby. The use of purple on the seating emphasizes the smoothness of the chair against the rough wall.
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Color + Culture This section will explore how different cultures view and use color. This will be done by studying two very different cultures, one of my own and one other, and examine what color means to them. By doing this we will learn how to be sensitive to clients of different backgrounds and design with color that suites their needs.
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Color + Culture
I come from an Irish-American family. I have chosen to study Ireland as my culture. I have chosen to Korea and the way its culture uses color as a culture that is completely different from my own 56
Color + Culture Ireland Ireland is an island located in the Atlantic north of Great Brittan. It is one of Europe's Celtic nations. Ireland is a country of rich culture going back centuries. Music, art, food, and literature are all important aspects of Irish culture. Because love, friendship, and loyalty are important aspects of the culture the Irish culture enjoys rich, warm color palettes that feel cozy and remind them of their homeland. Green: represents Irish Catholicism and luck. Green also pays homage to the lush, green landscapes of Ireland. Blue: represents peace and truth, and reminds the Irish of the oceans that surrounds their country.
Orange: represent Irish Protestants because of the protestant king,William of Orange. Yellow: is a favorite color among the Irish because it represents happiness, youth, and family. Red: represent heath. It is believed that red wool relieves sore throats
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Color + Culture Korea Korea is a peninsula in east Asia and is divided into two states. In its south and west areas Korea has well developed plains while its north and east areas are mountainous. Korea shares many similarities with other Asian countries such as China and Japan, but it has its own distinct culture. Music, art, dance, religion, and food are all important aspects of Korean culture. The Korean culture favors bright, energetic colors and each color holds a special meaning. Red: means power, authority, luxury and love. It is believed by the Koreans that red wards off misfortune. Pink tones represent femininity. Blue: represents peace and truth, and reminds the Irish of the oceans that surrounds their country. Yellow: represents the sun and symbolizes energy and harvest. Orange: is a combination of red love and yellow energy. It represents cheerfulness and youth. White: represents innocence and purity. It is often worn by young woman.
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References 1. Reed, Ron. Color Design:Transforming Interior Space New York: Fairchild, 2010 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea#Geography 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Korea#Lifestyle 4. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/south-koreacountry-profile-2.html?utm_expid=19618941-3.hjwW__alTZarlwKl5B gFhg.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com
5. http://www.livinginireland.ie/en/culture_society/culture_society/
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Conclusion Color is a science, a means of expression, and transportation of the senses. Through color designers can enhance the experience and moods of spatial users. Color can effect the health and psyche of people in the built environment and it is important for designers to use color thoughtfully and strategically. Using color thoughtfully, designers can create a unified and harmonious space as well as enhance the design concept.
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