Why are there so many songs about rainbows
and
what’s on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions
Rainbows have nothing to hide.”
-- Kermit the
Frog,
Rainbow Connection
COLOR
is a visual
effect resulting from the eye's ability to distinguish the different wavelengths
or frequencies of light. The apparent color of an object depends on the
wavelength of the light that it reflects. In white, or normal, light, an opaque
object that reflects all wavelengths appears white and one that absorbs all
wavelengths appears black. Any three primary, or spectral, colors can be
combined in various proportions to produce any other color sensation.
To describe a color with reasonable
accuracy, three basic properties have been designated to identify the
dimensions, or qualities, of color:
1) hue, the name of a color;
2)
value, the degree of lightness
or darkness
in a color, can be expressed by shades, tints, and tones;
3) and intensity
(saturation or chroma), the degree of purity or strength of a color (hue)
or how bright or muted the colors are. For example, an intense red is
one that is a very strong, pure red color. When a lighter or darker color is
added to a color, the intensity will be less bright.
       
A visual presentation
of some color terms:
HUE
The pure color (for example RED)
TONE
Hue + small amount of gray or opposite color (will mute or
tone down the color
TINT
Hue + White (will lighten the color)
COMPLEMENT TINT
Tint + small amount of gray or opposite color (will mute or
tone down the color)
SHADE
Hue + Black (will darken the color)
The Color Spectrum or Wheel:
|
Sir Isaac Newton developed the
first
circular diagram of colors in 1666. |
Some Guiding Principles
to Harmonizing Colors:
Core Color
is the dominant color in a color scheme. It’s the color of the principal
item in your ensemble like your suit or a sweater.
Accent colors
are the second and
sometimes third colors used in a color scheme. The accent colors may be
complementary, triad, analogous or neutral.
-
Triad. The first or primary triad colors in the color wheel (or
spectrum) are red, blue and yellow. (Navy suit, pale yellow shirt,
burgundy tie) These are called pure colors because mixing them with each
other and/or with white or black can make all other colors.
The second (or secondary) triad colors in the color wheel are orange,
green and purple. Made by mixing two primary colors together. Mixing red
and yellow make orange, yellow and blue make green, and combining red and
blue produce purple.
-
Complementary colors:
are those directly opposite one other in the color spectrum or wheel.
That’s why hunter green pants look great with a burgundy sweater. Blue is
opposite of orange so gold, rust, and brown compliment shades of blue.
-
Analogous colors:
Colors, which are next to each other on the color wheel, go well together, such
as blue pants, a blue-green shirt and a green jacket.
-
Warm and Cool:
Families of analogous colors include warm colors (red, orange, yellow)
and cool colors (green, blue, violet). Designers often build color
schemes around two or three related colors.
Select two warm
colors with one cool or two cool with one warm to create dynamic harmony.
Examples: navy suit, light blue shirt and red tie, or a yellow shirt, rust
jacket and blue jeans.
-
Monochromatic: all one color, but
different shades, tones or tints.
-
Neutral: dress in shades of white,
black, gray or beige. Khaki pants, white shirt and a gray sweater are all
neutrals. It may not be a dynamic look, but it is sophisticated.
-
Seasonal Colors: Some colors are more appropriate at certain times of year
than others. Pastels are usually associated with spring/summer, while autumn
colors are rust, brown, green, and burgundy. Wearing rust in the summer, or
light yellow in the fall looks out of place.
-
Think contrast. Try one light
element with two dark, or one dark with two lights, such as a charcoal suit,
white shirt and red tie, or tan suit with yellow shirt and green tie. Or Khaki
pants and a dark blue shirt.
-
Color Value: Dark colors recede
thus making you look thinner, and light colors project, which tends to bulk you
up. Dark colors are more formal than light.
Glossary of Basic Color Terms
-
Analogous colors,
(also known as adjacent colors, harmonious colors, and related
colors), are colors which are next to each other on the color spectrum or
wheel, and are closely related, such as blue, blue-green and green. Red and
orange, blue and purple, blue and green, green and yellow, yellow and orange
and red and purple.
Families of analogous colors include warm colors (red, orange, yellow)
and cool colors (green, blue, violet). Designers often build color
schemes around two or three related colors.
-
Achromatic Color:
see neutral colors.
-
Chroma – see
Saturation and Intensity.
-
Chromatic That
which is perceived as having a hue or pure color (not white, gray, or black)
-
Color Wheel: An
arrangement of colors sequentially in a circular pattern so that each
secondary color lies between the two primary colors of which it is an equal
mixture, and opposite the primary color to which it is the complement. Each
tertiary color is positioned between the primary and secondary colors of which
it is an equal mixture.
-
Complementary colors:
The complement of each color is located opposite each other on the
color wheel. Blue, for example, is the complement of orange. Other
examples are red and green, plus yellow and purple. Complementary colors
enhance each other.
-
Compound colors:
Colors that contain all three primary colors.
-
Cool colors:
(green, blue, violet) are associated with the colors of water, sky and
foliage. They are calming, unassuming and they appear to recede.
-
Earth colors:
Naturally occurring pigments usually metal oxides obtained from
mining, such as ocher and umber that are in a subdued color range.
-
Hue: The
name of a color as found in its pure state in the spectrum (with no black or
white added). The quality of a color responsible for its name by which it is
distinguished from other colors, as red, green or blue.
-
Intensity:
The purity of
hue (see saturation or chroma). For example, an intense red is
one that is a very strong, pure red color. When a lighter or darker color is
added to a color, the intensity will be less bright.
-
Intermediate
colors: Also called tertiary colors, these colors include
combination of two secondary colors, or a combination of a primary color and
either of the two secondary colors adjacent to it, such as orange red, yellow
orange, yellow green, blue green, blue violet, and red violet.
-
Lightness:
(brightness, reflectance, value) position on the gray scale between pure black
and pure white.
-
Monochromatic:
having one color. All the elements of your attire, room, painting, etc. are
of the same hue, but may vary by quality (intensity, tint, tone, shade,
value). All blue attire could consist of a Navy suit, light blue shirt, dark
blue tie, blue pocket square, etc.
-
Neutral colors:
(also achromatic, or
non-chromatic meaning “without
color”) are shades of white, gray or black that have no hue.
Or any colors containing a significant amount of gray. Most neutrals are
tinted slightly with a warm or cool color (beige). These shades go with most
colors.
-
Pastel:
A soft delicate hue; a pale color. See tint.
-
Primary colors:
(AKA Triad colors) Red, yellow and blue. These are colors that cannot be
derived from the mixture of any other colors on the palette.
-
Quality:
Refers to the aspects of a color - tint, tone, shade, value, and brightness.
-
Saturation or
Chroma: (also Intensity) Relates to the purity or amount of pigment
in the color and determines the
degree of brightness or dullness of a
color. Color intensity or purity of tone, being the degree of freedom from
gray. A pure hue, without the addition of another color, has the highest
saturation and is the most vivid. Navy blue is a “dark” blue.
-
Secondary colors:
orange, green, and violet. These colors are made from the mixture of
two primary colors. Their hues are midway between the two primary colors used
to mix them. If you mix primary colors red with yellow you have orange.
-
Shade:
A color that has been darkened by the addition of black. e.g.,
adding black to green makes a darker shade of green.
-
Spectrum:
The distribution of colors, arranged in order of wavelengths, which
make up the light from any particular source. The simplest example of this
concept is a rainbow, a natural display of the visible spectrum.
-
Tint:
A color that has been lightened by the
addition of white. - e.g., adding white to red makes pink.
-
Tone:
The relative strength of a hue as it
approaches black or white at the opposite ends of the values scale. Each hue
has many tones. Mixed with white a color is “pale” in tone; mixed with black
it becomes “dark” in tone. The upper or lower extremes of any color would be
white or gray and black.
-
Tertiary colors:
see intermediate colors.
-
Value:
(also see Saturation, Intensity and
Chroma) The degree of lightness or darkness
in a color. The quality by which a pale or light color is
distinguished from a deep or dark one. Values can be expressed by shades,
tints, and tones.
-
Value scale:
A series of spaces filled with tints and shades of one color,
starting with white or the lightest tint at one end and gradually changing
into the darkest shade or black at the other end.
-
Warm colors
(red, orange, yellow) are associated with fire and the sun. They
will psychologically suggest emotion, energy and warmth while optically moving
the subject to the foreground.
Some Information about
color-blindness:
Color blindness, is
hereditary and common enough that it affects 8 to 12 % of the male population.
You can be easily tested at your eye care professional.
The human eye sees by light
stimulating the retina, which lines the back of the eye. The retina is made up
of rods and cones. Rods give us night vision, but cannot distinguish color.
Cones are the color receivers for the brain.
There are different types
and degrees of color blindness; most consist of a problem seeing reds and/or
green colors. The most common is a difficultly seeing difference in the red,
orange, yellow, green region of the spectrum. These colors appear shifted
towards green so that the red component in violet is weakened and the person
only sees blue. Any red is seen more weakly both in saturation and
brightness. A red traffic light might look yellow.
In some cases the brightness
of red, orange, and yellow is reduced so that reds may be confused with black
and/or dark gray. A red traffic light could appear to be extinguished.
If you are affected by color
blindness, it’s best to find reliable assistance in selecting and coordinating
your wardrobe, like a good salesperson, your spouse, or a fashion conscious
friend. If you are looking for a tie and shirt to go with a jacket, it’s easier
to take the jacket with you when you shop.
Want to know
what colors look best on YOU?
Click
here!
--
Andy Gilchrist
Have a color's name or want to know what
color a product really is with a certain color name?
Click on
NAME THAT COLOR
_______________________________________________
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The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes
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