Understanding Colour
The next two exercises centre around using and manipulating colour, to prepare for this, the first section of the project helps you to understand colour and how it works. I've read through the sheets and highlighted key pieces of information. This is the first step in helping me to fully understand the information written.
Photosensitive cells in the eye pick up light that is either absorbed, reflected and or scattered off objects. This depends ultimately on the objects reflective qualities. Because how light is reflected depends on the material, this is important for designers when we think about what type of paper to print on, glossy paper would be reflective or matt which would be an opaque (non-reflective) material. Natural daylight contains a balance of all the colours in the optical spectrum and is said to have a neutral colour temperature. By comparison, artificial light is not neutral and can be either cool (more green-blue) or warm (more red-yellow).
The two main colour models are Additive and Subtractive.
Additive deals with colour as light, it is vital when understanding lens-based media such as photography. Additive colour reproduces the full spectrum of colours using: red, green and blue light (RGB).
Subtractive deals with colour as a physical pigment like ink. This is an important model to understand as a paper-based graphic designer. The primary colours (red, yellow and blue) are used as the main hues from which all other hues are mixed.
The first exercise asked me to draw two grids of colours, one grid of colours I like and one grid of colours I don't like. Now reading onwards it does say that the usual result is that the colours we don't like usually look better (compared to colours we like) when put together on a grid. However, this is because the usual result is that we tend to pick bright colours that we like and side by side look garish and jarring. However, with me, this wasn't the case, given that I'm not a fan of bright colours in the first place, the colours I genuinely like are more subdued pastel like colours. However, even though they didn't look jarring together, the colours I didn't like did look quite good together which Is because (like the exercise brief suggests) they were muddy mixed colours and the occasional bright. hues. Here is the final result. (Like being on the left and Don't Like being on the right)
This was the list I created with the different ideas and the two colours I would use.
Angry: I used red and dark red because quite simply red represents anger and blood and is an emotionally intense colour.
Brave: For Brave, I used gold and silver. When I read the word brave the first thing that came to mind was a jousting scene in Game of Thrones, I pictured the silver shield and the golden lion and decided to use those. These two colours were worn by knights, and knights had to be brave.
Creative: I used orange and yellow because orange represents creativity and yellow is associated with joy and happiness and I thought that worked because I'm happiest when I'm being creative.
Dangerous: For dangerous I used black and yellow, its used on big warning signs and barriers, this is because In nature black and yellow are the colours of dangerous insects such as wasps and sometimes mammals such as poisonous frogs.
Energetic: Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. When I pictured the word energetic I thought of a child and all the energy they have and how happy they are. Light blue also represents health, as being energetic is healthy for the body and mind.
Familiar: This was a tricky one because it didn't have many direct connotations with colour, I chose green as it represents safety, my thought process was that often familiar places are the ones we feel safe in because we know our surroundings. Green and orange pair nicely with each other so I thought this combination would look 'familiar' as it isn't jarring or an eyesore
Gregarious: To start I wasn't too sure what this word meant but after googling it I found it meant sociable. For this word, I chose to use blue and green, firstly blue is associated with trust and loyalty which is what great friendships are based off and green as it symbolises safety, for me, I feel safer around my friends because I know them and they are familiar.
Hopeful: For hopeful, I chose blue and orange, blue symbolises trust and confidence and orange because normally hopeful people are very optimistic and look for the best in situations (like myself) and often are happier because of it.
Independent: When I picture someone who feels they are independent I thought of them having power and ambition, which Is what purple symbolises. I chose red as well because it's such an emotionally intense colour which signifies passion and desire, which could have a romantic side or also for life goals and achievements.
Jumpy: For jumpy I chose yellow because of the energy and happiness it symbolises. I pictured jumpy as someone who was eager to do something, It could be because they are nervous as well. I also chose dark purple, not because of anything the colour emotionally represents but physically yellow and dark purple don't go together, and because of the harshness of dark purple, it is a big 'jump' from yellow.
Kinetic: For kinetic I chose red and white, these are the first colour combinations that came to mind when I thought of kinetic. Kinetic represents speed and this combo is used a lot on race cars.
Luxurious: This was quite an easy one, I had used this exact combo for a branding task at my old college. Dark purple is used a lot because it symbolises royalty and quite literally symbolises luxury and nobility. Dark colours are used a lot in luxury branding as it seems more adult as the opposite (bright colours) are used for children's branding. I chose gold as well, for obvious reasons as its a rare, sought after and luxury material.
Masculine: This was an easy one, Navy is according to studies a masculine colour and Is highly accepted by men. Dark green symbolises nature and the idea of a stereotypical man being out in nature hunting.
New: For new, I chose black and white, these aren't really colours, however white represents cleanliness and purity. When coupled with black they work incredibly well together, they are plain and simple and untouched.
Open: For open, I used green and yellow, for me, I wanted to represent being open emotionally and chose what I deemed the most approachable colours, yellow has connotations of joy and happiness and green is all about safety.
Precious: I chose to go down the route of precious items, I used red as it represents rubies and saffron (the most expensive object by gram) and then purple because it is found a lot in gemstones and as well represents luxury.
Quiet: For quite I chose to use white and dark green. Quiet is often associated with innocence, so white was perfect to represent that. Dark green is quite a dull colour especially paired with white, there isn't much going on and isn't as metaphorically loud as say luminous pink.
Reasonable: For reasonable, I went back to my branding task at college, I chose red and yellow as these two colours are used in fast food all the time. Which is a reasonably priced product.
Sociable: I wanted to use a different combination to 'gregarious', I chose Yellow and orange, for much of the same reasons, yellow produces a warming effect and represents joy and happiness. Orange combines the energy of red and happiness of yellow, to be a sociable person you need to have a warming energy that people want to be around, also you need the energy to approach people.
Tasteful: For tasteful I chose white and gold, white is such a simple colour there isn't anything you can really say bad about it. It isn't striking or making a statement and wouldn't offend anybody. I chose gold because it works really well with white.
Unhappy: For unhappy I chose black and grey, grey is used to represent sadness as it is the colour of rain clouds and just generally quite a gloomy colour, and black because it has very negative connotations and is a symbol of grief.
Vital: I didn't really know how to describe vital with colour, so I chose to go down the route of the big "urgent' stamps. These stamps are quite often red and stamped on white paper.
Wonderful: For wonderful I chose purple and green, purple representing extravagance. I wanted to try and represent the wonders of the world with a colour, I chose green because often they are part of nature and all the wonders of the worlds are outdoors.
Extra special: For this, I chose white and yellow, white representing new and perfection ( two things you would want something 'extra special' to be) and yellow to symbolise the joy of having something extra special.
Youthful: I chose orange and red for youthful, my vision was that orange combines the energy of red and happiness of yellow, orange is also the colour of creativity, ambition and enthusiasm. Red represents the determination, passion and hunger for success of most youthful people.
Zany: For zany, I chose bright yellow and luminous red, these colours combined together are unconventional and both are eccentric by nature.
The two main colour models are Additive and Subtractive.
Additive deals with colour as light, it is vital when understanding lens-based media such as photography. Additive colour reproduces the full spectrum of colours using: red, green and blue light (RGB).
Subtractive deals with colour as a physical pigment like ink. This is an important model to understand as a paper-based graphic designer. The primary colours (red, yellow and blue) are used as the main hues from which all other hues are mixed.
The first exercise asked me to draw two grids of colours, one grid of colours I like and one grid of colours I don't like. Now reading onwards it does say that the usual result is that the colours we don't like usually look better (compared to colours we like) when put together on a grid. However, this is because the usual result is that we tend to pick bright colours that we like and side by side look garish and jarring. However, with me, this wasn't the case, given that I'm not a fan of bright colours in the first place, the colours I genuinely like are more subdued pastel like colours. However, even though they didn't look jarring together, the colours I didn't like did look quite good together which Is because (like the exercise brief suggests) they were muddy mixed colours and the occasional bright. hues. Here is the final result. (Like being on the left and Don't Like being on the right)
The next step was to experiment with placing the colours like Itten did and instead of finding colours you like and dislike you needed to try and find two colours to illustrate each of these ideas.
Angry: I used red and dark red because quite simply red represents anger and blood and is an emotionally intense colour.
Brave: For Brave, I used gold and silver. When I read the word brave the first thing that came to mind was a jousting scene in Game of Thrones, I pictured the silver shield and the golden lion and decided to use those. These two colours were worn by knights, and knights had to be brave.
Creative: I used orange and yellow because orange represents creativity and yellow is associated with joy and happiness and I thought that worked because I'm happiest when I'm being creative.
Dangerous: For dangerous I used black and yellow, its used on big warning signs and barriers, this is because In nature black and yellow are the colours of dangerous insects such as wasps and sometimes mammals such as poisonous frogs.
Energetic: Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. When I pictured the word energetic I thought of a child and all the energy they have and how happy they are. Light blue also represents health, as being energetic is healthy for the body and mind.
Familiar: This was a tricky one because it didn't have many direct connotations with colour, I chose green as it represents safety, my thought process was that often familiar places are the ones we feel safe in because we know our surroundings. Green and orange pair nicely with each other so I thought this combination would look 'familiar' as it isn't jarring or an eyesore
Gregarious: To start I wasn't too sure what this word meant but after googling it I found it meant sociable. For this word, I chose to use blue and green, firstly blue is associated with trust and loyalty which is what great friendships are based off and green as it symbolises safety, for me, I feel safer around my friends because I know them and they are familiar.
Hopeful: For hopeful, I chose blue and orange, blue symbolises trust and confidence and orange because normally hopeful people are very optimistic and look for the best in situations (like myself) and often are happier because of it.
Independent: When I picture someone who feels they are independent I thought of them having power and ambition, which Is what purple symbolises. I chose red as well because it's such an emotionally intense colour which signifies passion and desire, which could have a romantic side or also for life goals and achievements.
Jumpy: For jumpy I chose yellow because of the energy and happiness it symbolises. I pictured jumpy as someone who was eager to do something, It could be because they are nervous as well. I also chose dark purple, not because of anything the colour emotionally represents but physically yellow and dark purple don't go together, and because of the harshness of dark purple, it is a big 'jump' from yellow.
Kinetic: For kinetic I chose red and white, these are the first colour combinations that came to mind when I thought of kinetic. Kinetic represents speed and this combo is used a lot on race cars.
Luxurious: This was quite an easy one, I had used this exact combo for a branding task at my old college. Dark purple is used a lot because it symbolises royalty and quite literally symbolises luxury and nobility. Dark colours are used a lot in luxury branding as it seems more adult as the opposite (bright colours) are used for children's branding. I chose gold as well, for obvious reasons as its a rare, sought after and luxury material.
Masculine: This was an easy one, Navy is according to studies a masculine colour and Is highly accepted by men. Dark green symbolises nature and the idea of a stereotypical man being out in nature hunting.
New: For new, I chose black and white, these aren't really colours, however white represents cleanliness and purity. When coupled with black they work incredibly well together, they are plain and simple and untouched.
Open: For open, I used green and yellow, for me, I wanted to represent being open emotionally and chose what I deemed the most approachable colours, yellow has connotations of joy and happiness and green is all about safety.
Precious: I chose to go down the route of precious items, I used red as it represents rubies and saffron (the most expensive object by gram) and then purple because it is found a lot in gemstones and as well represents luxury.
Quiet: For quite I chose to use white and dark green. Quiet is often associated with innocence, so white was perfect to represent that. Dark green is quite a dull colour especially paired with white, there isn't much going on and isn't as metaphorically loud as say luminous pink.
Reasonable: For reasonable, I went back to my branding task at college, I chose red and yellow as these two colours are used in fast food all the time. Which is a reasonably priced product.
Sociable: I wanted to use a different combination to 'gregarious', I chose Yellow and orange, for much of the same reasons, yellow produces a warming effect and represents joy and happiness. Orange combines the energy of red and happiness of yellow, to be a sociable person you need to have a warming energy that people want to be around, also you need the energy to approach people.
Tasteful: For tasteful I chose white and gold, white is such a simple colour there isn't anything you can really say bad about it. It isn't striking or making a statement and wouldn't offend anybody. I chose gold because it works really well with white.
Unhappy: For unhappy I chose black and grey, grey is used to represent sadness as it is the colour of rain clouds and just generally quite a gloomy colour, and black because it has very negative connotations and is a symbol of grief.
Vital: I didn't really know how to describe vital with colour, so I chose to go down the route of the big "urgent' stamps. These stamps are quite often red and stamped on white paper.
Wonderful: For wonderful I chose purple and green, purple representing extravagance. I wanted to try and represent the wonders of the world with a colour, I chose green because often they are part of nature and all the wonders of the worlds are outdoors.
Extra special: For this, I chose white and yellow, white representing new and perfection ( two things you would want something 'extra special' to be) and yellow to symbolise the joy of having something extra special.
Youthful: I chose orange and red for youthful, my vision was that orange combines the energy of red and happiness of yellow, orange is also the colour of creativity, ambition and enthusiasm. Red represents the determination, passion and hunger for success of most youthful people.
Zany: For zany, I chose bright yellow and luminous red, these colours combined together are unconventional and both are eccentric by nature.
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