Behind the Palette - Art Fundamentals
COLOR THEORY, SYMBOLISM, & HARMONY
There is a story behind a person’s palette. Colors can have a large impact on both the artist creating the work and the viewer observing. Color can connect to a specific emotion or memory or can have symbolic or deeper meaning. Use of color as an artist is so important. We can use it to leverage our ideas and convey something deeper. By adding bold contrast or subtle harmony you can change the way your piece feels.
Through this video, I will address some of the basic color theory principles, go into detail about my process of combining colors, how I use color in my own style, and ideas on where you can find inspiration for your palette.
COLOR MEANING EXERCISES
Each of us sees colors differently. Our environments and experiences can have an influence on how we react to certain colors. In order to connect your personal meaning behind each color, I encourage you to put each primary and secondary color onto a journal spread or sheet of paper. You can either paint/draw or collage the colors onto the page using any medium of your choice. Then, write down everything that comes to mind when you think of that color. For example: Blue - ocean, water, peace, serenity, calm, fluid, cold etc. Once you have a list, you can start breaking down where those meanings come from. Are they based on your memories? Do they come from what society taught you? Are they based on your surroundings or environment? Do they have cultural or religious meaning to you? Once you start seeing colors as more than just pigments, you can start to use them in your work in a powerful way.
COLOR THEORY BASICS
Color theory is an essential part of being an artist or a creative of any type. The principles of color theory can help guide you through your art journey. There are countless books on color theory that can be helpful throughout the process that I will list below if you want to further your research and understanding. You don’t need to know every single principle but it is helpful to know some of the basics so that you can create color combinations that are impactful in your own work and are unique to your own style.
COLOR WHEEL
Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666 and is used by many today as a guide. **Purchase Color Wheel HERE
WARM VS. COOL COLORS
Warm colors consist of reds, oranges, yellows and warm greens and cool colors are blues, greens, violets (purples). You can split the color wheel below to have a better understanding of warm and cool colors.
PRIMARY COLORS
The three primary colors are red, yellow and blue.
SECONDARY COLORS
The secondary colors are orange, green, and purple.
TERTIARY
There are six tertiary colors yellow-orange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, and yellow-green.
ANALOGOUS
Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel.
COMPLEMENTARY
Colors opposite each other on the color wheel. For example: red and green, blue and orange, yellow and purple.
TRIADIC
Three colors spaced evenly on the color wheel to create a triangle.
BOOKS ON COLOR THEORY
There are so many amazing resources out there that can aide you in the process. Below are a few of my favorites on color theory.