Introduction to Colour Theory – Three Sessions

Description

Colour Theory

Introduction

In this introductory video, LFAS Director Ann Witheridege introduces not just the idea of colour theory, but also the terms surrounding it: colour, hue, value, chroma, and temperature. This video sets the stage for what will be covered in the course, including the concepts of the colour wheel, the colour triangle, and colour charts, and establishes the basic materials needed: crayons or pencils, paper, an eraser, and a sharpener. 

Unit 1: Hue & Chroma

In this first session, LFAS tutor Michael introduces the colour triangle, which you will use to explore hue and chroma, and discuss primary, secondary, and complementary colours. After determining the materials needed, you will begin by creating your triangle, and then systematically filling it with colour as Michael walks you through the interplay of hue and chroma at each stage. As your triangle fills in, the relationship between the primary and secondary colours will physically materialize, and you will be pushed to create an understanding of colour that is broken down to its most essential elements, and that is rooted in hue relationships.

Unit 2: Values

In this second session, you will dive into one of the foundational aspects of drawing and painting: value. Understanding colour value, or how light or dark something is, will be integral to your ability to correctly reflect not only how light works on form, but how light informs colour. Working step-by-step with Michael, you will create a colour chart using only primary colours, black, and white. As you witness the vast range of colours and values you can achieve working with only 5 pencils, you will develop the integral ability to accurately understand colour within value, and value within colour. 

Unit 3: Colour Temperature

In this final session, you will tackle the third element of colour: temperature, or how warm or cool a colour appears. Once again creating a colour chart, this time you will turn towards creating a range within whites and blacks–ie grays– and then slowly introducing varied temperatures using subtle additions of primary colours. Through the creation of this chart, you will learn to modify your colours to better represent reality by creating adjustments in their temperature (and learning to actually identify these subtle differences), and then putting these adjustments in applied conversation with value, hue, and chroma. 

Conclusion

In this concluding video, Ann summarizes the essential elements of this course, including colour theory, and the work of breaking it down to its essential elements: value, chroma, hue, and temperature. Ann invites you to progress in your understanding of colour by continuing to practice translating what you see in real life to the page, and paying close attention not only to colour in isolation, but also object colour in relationship.