◄ Principles of Design ◄ Principles of Design ◄ Principles of Design

Colour is a hue created by a wavelength of light reflected or emitted.  Different wavelengths create different colours such as red, and blue.  Each colour has a hue, value and intensity.   Hue is a particular colour or pigment.   "Celtic Knot Tiger : Rainbow" uses a rainbow hued background.  The hues used are of a strong intensity and blend into one another. Value in terms of colour is its lightness or darkness.  Value is changed by adding white (a tint) or black (a shade).  Value is also an element of design on its own.  The term can be used to describe the lightness or darkness of a black and white picture. "Unicorn Beach" uses a variety of values to give form and shadow to the curves of its body.  The turquoise hue tints toward the unicorns back and shades toward its belly. Intensity is the purity or saturation of a colour.  Intensity of a colour can be changed by adding its complementary (opposite) colour on the colour wheel. "Onion Exposé" shows a variety of items on a grey and deep yellow table top.  The illusion of depth is aided by the the hue of the yellow losing its intensity as it moves toward the back edge of the table.  The far edge of the table reveals some of the purple pigment, the complementary colour to yellow, which was used to create this effect.

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