Design Principles - Colour Theory - Subjective colour

Systematic Colour - Part 2 - Subjective Colour

• Contrast of tone

Making a hue darker.

Formed by the juxtaposition of light and dark values. This could be monochromatic;

I colour picked to discover if the grey and black were exact.

The contrast between black and grey here has the same contrast as the white on grey.

The contrast is weaker here as the darker is grey is closer to the background.

The contrast is weak here as the yellow hue is closer to the red on the colour wheel.

The contrast is greater here.

There are limits to the contrast that can be created due to RGB and CMYK limitations.

• Contrast of hue

The greater the distance of hues on the colour wheel, the greater the contrast;

Blue is the easiest to read here however...

Against the black, the blue is the hardest to read. 

The red 'word' is harder to read as the background has a similar chromatic value. 

The blue 'word' is harder to read as the background has a similar chromatic value. 

• Contrast of saturation

http://www.techopedia.com/definition/1968/color-saturation

20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100% Saturation.

• Contrast of extension

A calculation to discover colour balance.

'Formed by assigning proportional field sizes in relation to the visual weight of a colour. Also known as the contrast of proportion.'

• Contrast of temperature

An interesting extract from Ittens' The elements of colour about the phycology of warm/cool colours.

• Complementary contrast

• Simultaneous contrast

Formed when boundaries between colours perceptually vibrate.

A grey square on a red background will appear greenish grey

A grey square on a violet background will appear yellowish

A grey square on a green background will appear redish