Color theory

Color mixing

• Primary (RGB, RGY)
• Secondary (CMY, GOV)
• Tertiary & beyond
• Example

For computers: RGB

For print: CMYK

Color modes

• Monochrome (tints, shades, and tones from a single hue)
• Grey scale (black and white only)
• Web safe RGB (hexadecimal compatible)

Color modification

• Tints (add white to a pure hue)
• Shades (add black to a pure hue)
• Tones (add grey to a pure hue)

Color harmony

• Complementary (colors on opposite sides of color wheel)
  • E.g. red/green, yellow/violet, blue/orange, etc.
• Split complementary
  • Complementary + a hue to left or right by two values
• Analogous
  • Tones next to each other on the color wheel
• Triad
  • Draw an equilateral triangle between colors on color wheel
• Tetradic
  • Draw a rectangle between colors on color wheel
• Quadrilateral
  • Draw a square between colors on color wheel

Color impacts

• Different palettes can invoke different moods, locations, times, etc.
• Different color properties
  • Cool
  • Warm
  • Bright
  • Dark
  • Saturated
  • Desaturated
• Intensity
  • Color intensity changes in relation to its surrounding color
• Changes in color can catch an eye
• Color increases brand recognition
• Can affect psychology 
  • E.g. no appetite response to blue
  • Pink is tranquilizing, drains energy