Design & DTP · Higher
Colour theory
10 cards · 5 quiz · 0 exam
Graphic Communication · Higher · mrkellydt.co.uk
What you're learning in this topic
Learning intention WALT
We are learning about colour theory, specifically to:
know
- primary, secondary and tertiary colours
understand
- warm, cool, advancing, receding, harmony, contrast, tints, shades and mood
- accent colour
Success criteria WILF
- I can identify primary, secondary and tertiary colours
- I can explain warm, cool, advancing, receding, harmony, contrast, tints, shades and mood
- I can explain accent colour
The colour wheel
- Primary: red, yellow, blue.
- Secondary: orange, green, purple (violet), each made by mixing two primaries.
- Tertiary: a primary mixed with a neighbouring secondary, e.g. red-orange, yellow-green, blue-violet, red-violet.
Using colour
- Warm colours (reds, oranges, yellows) feel energetic and advance: they seem to come forward.
- Cool colours (blues, greens, purples) feel calm and recede: they seem to sit back.
- Harmony: colours next to each other on the wheel, giving a calm, unified look.
- Contrast: colours opposite each other on the wheel (complementary), such as red and green or blue and orange, which make each other stand out.
- Tint: a colour with white added (lighter). Shade: a colour with black added (darker).
- Mood: colours suggest feelings: green for nature and health, red for danger or excitement, blue for trust or calm, black and gold for luxury.
Design challenge: choosing colour
The brief. A calm leaflet for a dentist's waiting room, with one item that must stand out.
- Choose a colour scheme and justify it.
- Say how you would make the key item stand out.
What a good answer includes
- Cool, harmonious colours (next to each other on the wheel) for a calm, unified look.
- A contrasting (complementary) colour on the key item so it stands out.
- Cause and effect in every point.
Accent and print colour HIGHER
- Accent colour: a small amount of a contrasting colour used to draw attention to key items such as a button, price or heading.
Key terms
| Primary colours | Red, yellow, blue. |
|---|---|
| Secondary colours | Orange, green, purple. |
| Tertiary colour | A primary mixed with a neighbouring secondary, e.g. red-orange. |
| Tint | A colour with white added. |
| Shade | A colour with black added. |
| Advancing colours | Warm colours that seem to come forward. |
| Receding colours | Cool colours that seem to sit back. |
| Harmonious colours | Neighbours on the colour wheel. |
| Contrasting colours | Opposites on the colour wheel. |
| Accent colour | A small amount of contrasting colour to highlight key items. |
Quick check
1. Which is a tertiary colour?
- Red-orange
- Green
- Blue
- Purple
Show answer
A: Red-orange. Primary + neighbouring secondary.
2. To make a tint you add…
- Black
- White
- Grey
- The complementary colour
Show answer
B: White. Tint = add white.
3. Red and green are…
- Harmonious (next to each other)
- Both cool colours
- Contrasting (complementary)
- Both tertiary colours
Show answer
C: Contrasting (complementary). Opposite on the wheel.
4. Which colours seem to come forward?
- Cool colours
- Greys
- Tints only
- Warm colours
Show answer
D: Warm colours. Warm colours advance.
5. Blue, blue-green and green together are…
- Harmonious
- Contrasting
- Warm
- Primary
Show answer
A: Harmonious. Neighbours = harmony.
Printable worksheet
An I do, we do, you do worksheet for this topic, with a separate answer sheet.