Fundamentals of Art and Design 3(1+2)

Lesson 04 :COLOR-IMPORTANCE, CHARACTERISTICS AND APPLICATION

THE DIMENSIONS OF COLOUR – HUE, VALUE, AND CHROMA or intensity

The Qualities or dimensions of colors can be explained by means of fig 4.3 and the terminologies as follows.

1. Hue
2. Value
3. Chroma or Intensity

1. Hue: Hue is the descriptive name of a color such as red, orange, and violet. Each hue represents a family of color, or a pie shaped wedge on the color wheel. Hue also indicates the warmth or coolness of the color. Red color is a pure hue. It has many variations. Pink color is a tint of red. Maroon is a shade of red. Pink and maroon colors are members of the red hue. Hue also indicates the warmth or coolness of color.
2. Value: Value is the lightness or darkness of a hue by the addition of white, gray, or black. The gray scale is a guide for modifying the value of any color. White added to a hue, creates a tint (Fig 4.4). Adding gray, creates a tone.shade (Fig 4.5). For instance variations of the color blue might include baby blue (tint), colonial blue (tone), and navy blue (shade). The addition of white lightens or brightens and increases the value of a color. It also increases the reflection of light. The addition of black darkens and decreases the value, creating shades of the color and also more of visual weight. Black added to a hue, produces a
3. Chroma or intensity: Chroma is the third quality or dimension of color, which indicates the brightness or dullness of the color. It refers to the degree of color intensity, strength, saturation, or purity of a color. The purity of a color refers to its freedom from white, black, or gray.

Classification of coloUrs:
The classification of colors is as follows:

1. Primary colors
2. Secondary or Binary colors
3. Inter¬mediate colors
4. Tertiary colors
5. Quaternary colors