Design Principles: Colour Contrast & Subjective Colour (Part 3 & 4)

This session was following on from last week where we started looking at Colour Theory and the main principles behind it.

Colour Theory: Part 3- Colour & Contrast

Itten's 7 Colour Contrast:

1. Contrast of Tone
2. Contrast of Hue
3. Contrast of Saturation
4. Contrast of Exstension
5. Contrast of Temperature
6. Complimentary Contrast
7. Simultaneous Contrast

All of these contrasts are always happening all of the time

The last 4 include Perception, Subjectivity and Relationships between the Colours

1. Contrast of Tone:

Formed by the juxtaposition of light and dark values. This can be monochromatic (single colour)

-Black & White colour wheel provides the tonal values of colours on the colour wheel

-Blue, Red & Yellow/ Black, Grey & White have an equal spacial quality therefore they have an equal tonal contrast (equidistant)

-Mid-tones blend together

2. Contrast of Hues:

Formed by the juxtaposition of different hues. The greater the distance between colours on the colour wheel, the greater the contrast.

- Blue is the most vivid on a white background yet yellow is on a black background

- Active contrast vying for attention (high contrast) yet low contrast is duller

- Effects the readability and legibility

3. Contrast of Saturation:

Formed by the juxtaposition of light & dark values and their relative saturations

- It's in 3 dimensions- Desaturation of tints, shades and brightness of a colour

- Chromatic value is effected due to the spectral effect

4. Contrast of Exstention:

Formed by assigning proportional field sizes in relation to the visual weight of a colour. Also known as the contrast of proportion.

- Blue is the heaviest colour on the colour wheel as it is the darkest. Yellow is the lightest as it is ther brightest

- Produces an imbalance as one stands out more than the other

- Using variations in proportion and amounts to create a balance visually

5. Contrast of Temperature:

Formed by juxtaposing hues that are considered 'warm' or 'cool'. Also, known as the Contrast of Warm and Cool.

- Blue & Orange/ Warmest & Coldest

- Using hues to coolen or warm up the temperatures of colours

- Contrast of hot & cold cause a change in perception of the colours

6. Complementary Contrast:

Formed by juxtaposing complimentary colours from the colour wheel or perception opposites.

- Black & White have the biggest contrast

- Complementary's work together to make the biggest contrast- colours start to vibrate and compete with each other

- These colours do not go together- Colour discord

7. Simultaneous Contrast:

Formed when boundaries between colours begin to vibrate

- Distinct areas of colour that blur & merge when next to each other

From this, we had to get into pairs and select a complimentary colour pair. Me and my partner chose Red & Green. We had to get 5 objects in each colour and explore the high and low colour contrasts differ between the colours by putting them on different coloured sheets of paper.

Green Objects:

• Cup
• File
• File Divider
• Bottle Top
• Card

5 Green Objects

1. Cup

Green Cup in Different Backgrounds

2. File

Green File in Different Backgrounds

3. File Divider

Green File Divider in Different Backgrounds

4. Bottle Top

Green Bottle Top in Different Backgrounds

5. Card

Green Card in Different Backgrounds

The colours contrast together, with the background either desaturating or brightening up in reaction to the green object which means they change very slightly.  The yellow background is de-saturated slightly and appears dull, the green background is of a very low contrast, the orange becomes very bright and appears vivid, the red is of a distinctly high contrast and very bright in luminosity with a pink tinge whereas the blue appears dull and lifeless having almost the appearance that it has turned light violet or even white.

The Highest Contrasts between the green objects and the backgrounds was mainly the Red Background as green and orange are complementary colours and opposites on the colour wheel therefore they made each other appear brighter as they fought for attention. 

The Low Contrasts between the green objects and the backgrounds was the Green Background as they are very close together tonally with hardly any separation in regards to the contrast of hues.

The Mid Tones between the green objects and the background was primarily made up of the Yellow Background as it would bring out the yellow in the green object. Yellow is used to make green and they are close together on the colour wheel.

Red Objects:

• Plate
• Coffe Cup
• Gift Bag
• Tinsel
• Fabric Hair Band

5 Red Objects

1. Plate

Red Plate in Different Backgrounds

2. Coffee Cup

Red Coffee Cups in Different Backgrounds

3. Gift Bag

Red Gift Bag in Different Backgrounds

4. Tinsel

Red Tinsel in Different Backgrounds

5. Fabric Hair Band

Red Fabric Hair Bands in Different Backgrounds

The colours contrast together, with the background either desaturating or brightening up in reaction to the green object which means they change very slightly.  The yellow background is quite orange in shade, the green background is brighter and makes the red objects appear slightly duller, the orange appears warmer, the red is slightly dulled in appearance and seems orangey whereas the blue background is very violet in shade.

The Highest Contrasts between the red objects and the backgrounds was the Green Background as green and red are complementary colours and opposites on the colour wheel therefore they made each other appear brighter as they fight for attention. 

The Low Contrasts between the red objects and the backgrounds was the Red Background as they are very close together tonally with hardly any separation in regards to the contrast of hues.

The Mid Tones between the red objects and the background was primarily made up of the Orange Background as it would bring out the yellow in the green object. Orange is a secondary colour and they are very close together on the colour wheel.

Colour Theory: Part 4- Subjective Colour

Neutral colours can be effected by those around it

- Interpreting colours- grey is not made from Black & White but from colours 

Optical changes based on the colours that we put next to each other

- creates tonal shifts between the colours

- makes the same colour look optically different

White needs to be used sparingly 

- We don't see in Monochrome

- Colour is imposed onto it as that is how we see

Study Task:

We need to produce 10 colour experiments to show our understanding of Colour Theory. These experiments need to have 10 images and notes to accompany the experiment.

The first one of these experiments needs to be done as a partnership so that we can present it to a small group of people in the next session.

My partner and myself decided that we were going to present the optical changes based on colours that are similar to each other. We decided that we were going to focus on the colour red to show this.

Variations in Optical Tones with Red and Experiment Presentation 

Therefore we used red objects and put them against red, orange and purple backgrounds. This is because orange and purple are the closest colours tonally to red on the colour wheel therefore they are slightly similar. These similarities allow for optical tonal shifts between the colours. This means that a red object could appear quite luminous, bright, have a pink tinge and warm in temperature in orange backgrounds whereas they can appear darker, colder in temperature and have a bluish tinge in purple backgrounds, making the same colour look optically different.

Preparatory Task:

For the next Design Principles session, we had to collect 5 pieces of printed graphics. They are not to be things that have been founded and printed off the internet. We need to bring them in for next session:

5 Pieces of Printed Graphic Design

My 5 Printed Graphics objects are:

1. Front Cover of Computer Arts Magazine
2. Editorial Promotions Publication catalogue by O'Neill
3. Fossil Watch Tin Packaging
4. Clothing Label
5. Band Poster