Color Theory

In the 18th century, Sir Isaac Newton invented the first color wheel where he split white sunlight into 6 different beams - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and cyan. A century later, Johann Wolfgang Goethe conducted a study on how color had an effect on ones emotional being. Later on, Johannes Itten modified the color wheel by developing color chords. Because of Itten a modern color wheel was developed that was based on red, yellow, and blue with tweleve hues.

Primary colors consist of three colors - red, yellow, and blue. Primary colors cannot be replicated by mixing any other color. Other colors, also known as secondary colors, are created by combining primary colors. By adding black or white it can produce various tints and hues of these colors.

There are two basic methods of creating colors. The first way is called the addictive method where it starts out black and then is illuminated with color. The other way is called the subtractive method where it begins with all colors- white- then subtracting out the unwanted colors. This method is done with color printing. When combining colors it causes some of the wavelengths of light to either be absorbed or reflected. Designs that will eventually be printed on paper uses a computer-based color model called CMYK. The image viewed on a computer screen uses the RGB model. The use of different models is the reason why a printed photo may not look like what appears on the monitor.

There are various factors such as the intensity of light and the color of surrounding items that affect the way we see color. Individuals will see color in their own way and no two people will see the same color the same way. Therefore, each person can look at the same picture but it will not appear differently.

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