OUGD403 - Studio Brief 02 - Colour theory

Colour theory

Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colour in 1666. The Bauhaus school developed colour theories for evoking particular moods and emotions through choice of palette.

The 3-part colour wheel:

This wheel consists of primary colours: red, blue and yellow. Traditionally these are the only colours that cannot be mixed or formed by any combination of other colours.

The 6-part colour wheel:

This is the secondary colour wheel, consisting of green, orange and purple. (products of primary colours)

The 12-part colour wheel:

Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green & yellow-green

These are the colors formed by mixing a primary and a secondary color.

Colour harmony: 
Defined as a pleasing arrangement of parts. Something that is pleasing to the eye. when something is not harmonious it is either boring or chaotic. To create a harmonious composition, use analogous colours. Analogous colours are any 3 colours which are side by side on the 12 part colour wheel. A colour scheme based on complementary colours would also work. Complementary colours are directly opposite each other on the wheel.

My Typeface is called Loud and I want to reflect this in the colours I use in the type specimen. I will use bright colours that would normally not sit well together to make a garish and ostentatious colour scheme. I will consider using colour combinations which are opposite on the colour wheel, although, not directly opposite so they do not complement one another.

I will use combinations such as red and blue-green, yellow-green and orange and red-violet with green.

A designer that has a great colour pallete is Kate Moross. She is able to create designs that use complimentary colours but also creates designs that are garish, using colours that clash.