Colours can often appear to change based on it's context. Itten designed the colour wheel to help viewers understand the relationship between colours and become more aware of these changes. The wheel developed 7 main contrasts that help with our understanding of how we perceive colour. It is unlikely that these contrasts will ever be viewed on their own as there are ordinarily several contrasts at the same time.
Contrast of TONE
Created based on the juxtaposition of the light and dark values (could be considered monochromatic) Tone is determined by the rods in our eyes, allowing us to see on a colour wheel that yellow is of the lightest tone, blue the darkest, and red the mid tone.
Contrast of HUE
The greater the distance between the hue of colours on a colour wheel, the greater the contrast of hue will be. The heavier contrasts occur in those colours that are furthest apart.
Contrast of Hue can translate to readability as if text is on a background of a similar hue then it will be more difficult to read than if it where on a background with a contrasting hue value.
Contrast of SATURATION
This is created based on the saturation values of juxtaposing light and dark colours. A colour is considered blue because it is the bluest blue we can see. When more vivid versions of that colour are added, the initial colour begins to appear more dull.
Contrast of EXTENSION
Also known as contrast of proportion, this determines field sizes based on the weight of the colour. Blue is considered the heaviest colour, with yellow as the lightest and red the mid tone. The proportions in which we use colour can balance the weight of other colours. Our perception of a colour alters based on the proportion of it we see. Equal amounts do not necessarily equate to a balance of colour.
The proportions of colour may need to be broken up and positioned appropriately to manage the weights.
Contrast of TEMPERATURE
This is determined by the juxtaposition of colours and hues that are considered warmer or colder than other colours. The coolest colour is considered to be blue while the warmed is it's complimentary, orange. A reasonably warm colour can be placed next to a very warm colour and appear much cooler.
When solid colours are placed next to each other it can appear as though there is a gradient within the colour, but that only occurs because of the comparison our eye makes with the colour next to it.
Complimentary Contrast
This is created by putting two complimentary colours, at opposite sides of the colour wheel, against each other, two colours that are considered opposites. These exaggerate the variations between them.
Simultaneous Contrast
When an image is made up of two primary colours, yellow can be perceived as a mix of green and red, causing simultaneous contrast by substituting a colour that is missing.
In our studio task we referred back to some of the coloured objects we brought in, exhibiting different types of contrast between the object and a collection of coloured paper.
We chose a few complimentary yellow and purple objects and placed them on the card to see how the contrasts changed based on background.
The most effective experiments we did were the ones in which we placed objects at the intersection of two colours. As expected it highlighted the different in contrasts with the object between them and made those contrasts seem more evident, therefore easier to identify.
Contrast of tone and contrast of saturation:
When presented on the neutral grey background, the middle green square appears vivid, but when immediately compared with the surrounding colours it appears, in some cases more or less washed out, lighter or darker, warmer or colder.
Contrast of temperature and contrast of saturation:
When these colours are put next to each other they look as though there is a gradient in each rectangle, when in fact one side appears lighter on contrast with the right square, and the other side appears darker in comparison with the lighter left square.
Complimentary contrast:
These colours appear duller alone than when presented together. Their complimentary colours force out the contrasts between them and make them more apparent.
Contrast of Hue:
The red here is the greens complimentary and appears more vivid that the other colours. This is because complimentary colours force out the differences between them and made the hue of the red appear higher than the other colours.
Contrast of Saturation:
All of these boxes are varied shades and tints of green, but when presented on this vivid green background some of them appear browner, yellower and greyer than they otherwise would on a neutral background.
Contrast of extension
Red is a heavier colour than green, so when put together they need to even out by using less red and in smaller proportions than green so that they can create a harmony when presented together.
Simultaneous contrast:
When these boxes (same colour in the green and same in the grey) are put on two separate backgrounds which vary in tone rom one another, the tone of the boxes can appear completely different but it is only the contrast they have with their background.
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