Podcast #2 Color Theory

The right use of color can do what? Maximize productivity, minimize visual fatigue, and relax the body.

Within the electromagnetic spectrum, which waves allow us to see color? Visible light

Describe white light? Equal parts of all the colors in the visible light spectrum.

How do we see color if objects "have no color of their own"? They absorb or reflect one or more of the colors in the visible light spectrum. The reflected color is the color we see.

What is a glass prism? A transparent triangular object that breaks white light into all of the colors of the visible light spectrum.

What seven colors result when white light is refracted through a prism? Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Describe hue? Hue is the color itself. Each hue is a different reflected wavelength.

When does white light occur? All wavelengths are reflected back to your eye.

When does black light occur? No light is reflected back to your eye.

How color is perceived depends on what? The type of light that the color is seen with and it's surroundings.

What is a color wheel? A visual tool that shows the relationship between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.

What are primary colors? Name them? Colors that can't be created by mixing other colors. Red, yellow, and blue.

What are secondary colors? Name them? Colors that are created when mixing two primary colors. Orange, green, and violet.

What are tertiary colors? Name them? Colors that are created when mixing a primary and secondary color. Red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, and red-violet.

What are neutral colors? How can they be created? Colors of very low saturation that don't show up on the color wheel such as blacks, grays, whites, and browns. They can be created by mixing complementary colors.

How can a neutral color help a design? Help put the focus on other colors or to tone down other colors.

What are complementary colors? Name them? Colors that are positioned opposite of each other on the color wheel. Red and green, orange and blue, and yellow and violet.

What is color value? The lightness or darkness of a hue.

What is a shade? A low value color.

What is a tint? A high value color.

What is saturation/intensity? Brightness of a color.

What happens when you mix complementary colors together? You produce a dull tone.

Describe color harmony? Something that is pleasing to the eye that engages the viewer and creates a sense of order.

What is a color scheme? Harmonious color combinations.

Describe a monochromatic color scheme? Uses variations and shades of one color. It is clean and elegant and easy on the eyes.

Describe an analogous color scheme? Uses three colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel.

Describe a complementary color scheme? uses two colors that are opposite of each other on the color wheel.

Describe a split-complementary color scheme? Uses one color and two colors adjacent to it's complement.

Describe a triadic color scheme? Uses colors equally spaced around the color wheel.

What colors are considered to be warm colors? Yellows, oranges, and reds.

Describe a warm color scheme? Bold and energetic.

What colors are considered to be cool colors? Greens, blues, and violets.

Describe a cool color scheme? Calm and rarely overpowers the message of a design.

Why is important to consider which colors are being used within a design? You need to think of how colors are perceived to convey the right message and evoke the right response.

Review Week 6

What is the pen tool used for? The pen tool is used to create your own shapes and lines by creating and manipulating points.

How can you manipulate a path/line in Illustrator? Discuss the use of the white arrow tool, pen+, pen-, and convert too. The white arrow tool is used to move an entire line, move individual points, and adjust the curve of individual points. The pen+ tool is used to add more anchor points onto an existing line. The pen- tool is used to delete anchor points from a line. The convert tool changes points from curved to straight.

How can you utilize the layers palette in Illustrator? The layers palette can be used to lock images in place. You can also use a layer to trace over an image without having to draw on the image itself.

How do you create a clipping mask in Adobe Illustrator? To create a clipping mask, you create a box without any fill or border. Arrange it to the front and then select everything you want to clip out and include in the mask. In the object menu, click on clipping mask, and then make.

Review Week 5

Shape

This is a great example of a poster using shape in it's design. The artist used different shapes to create interest in the piece. This poster has a great balance of different types and sizes of shapes. The placement of the shapes nicely moves the viewers eye throughout the work.

Line

This advertisement greatly uses lines to create a nice flow to a beautiful image. The artist nicely uses a combination of straight and curved lines to create interest within the piece. They also used more lines to break up the image into block segments, adding more for the viewer's eye to enjoy. This creative piece makes the viewer interested in finding out more about what the message is and who is advertising it.

Texture

This poster is a great example of texture. The artist designed a soccer ball with each segment made up of a different snack food that they are advertising. The use of a texture not normally seen on a soccer ball makes it very interesting to it's viewers. It grabs the attention of the viewer and makes them want to look at the picture and figure out what the ball is made of.

Space

This design poster uses it's negative space to it's advantage. The negative space draws the viewer's eye throughout the image, making the viewer want to see the next segment of the poster. The artist did a great job of ensuring that the negative and positive spaces balance each other out.

Value

The artist of this poster uses value to balance out the image and make the viewer interested in reading the type. By creating a bright block of shapes and placing a white space next to it gives the viewer a balance so they aren't overloaded with color or an empty space. Even within the colorful part of the image, there is value to keep the eye from resting on it as a whole. Also within the white space, there is a gradient which causes the viewer's eye to view it from top to bottom which makes the viewer inadvertently read the poster.