Basic Colour Aspects | Colour Trends | Colour and its Meanings | Colour and its Effects
| Colour holds a wealth of complex meaning across different people and cultures. No colour is seen the same way by any two people. Colour is personal and universal, sending messages full of endless variations |
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A large proportion of the wide array of colours we see around us today, in houseware, clothing and decorations, were non-existent 200 years ago. Before this, there was no expansion in colours for almost 2000 years. Even so, the incredible array of colours we now have are constantly being refined and expanded.
Three factors have always determined how the colour is used, and who uses it. These are appearance, durability and cost. The brightest, most long-lasting and rarest colours were always the most expensive. The use of bright colours was therefore once a status symbol.
In ancient times, colour use was limited by the pigments’ ability to adhere to surfaces. In this context, paint pigments that could be effectively used on wood, plaster and fabric had the most influence. Many of these were fresco colours – ground pigments, which could be mixed with lime. These pigments had a naturally earthy tone.
The Italian renaissance saw a large expansion of colours. This range was to form the base from which the entire palette of paint colours evolved up until the late eighteenth century.
In the eighteenth century, mineral-based paints gave surfaces a signature grandeur and brilliance. The cheapest, and therefore most widely-used paint used was distemper. Often known as ‘size colour’, this coating was manufactured from ground chalk and tinted with a pigment. Oil-based paints also made their first appearance during this time. These paints were typically cream or mid-brown colour. While white and stone colours were popular because of their low cost, newer and more expensive colours such as blossom, straw, orange and lemon also appeared. The most expensive and dominant colours were the deep greens.
In the nineteenth century, lilac and salmon paints became popular. Others tints such as crimson, terracotta, red and warm greens were also popular. The advent of paint technology had also made blues and yellows far more affordable.
The twentieth century saw a revolution in paint technology that would bring about a much larger colour range. New developments in chemical dyes made colours brighter, stronger, and more consistent than ever before. These new colours were also becoming less toxic.
The ability to tint colours became more widespread among paint manufacturers in the early 1900s. By 1930, a standard colour range was available. Today, it is possible to synthesize sixteen million separate colours. People can therefore express their individual character with the awesome array of tints and hues that chemical colours have allowed.
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 The reason why certain colour combinations are universally more appealing is more than a matter of personal preference or instinct. The properties of light and the pigments also play a significant part in determining the effectiveness of colour schemes. One colour always affects the way we see another.
That is why pale blue, when placed next to a dark brown, may appear very light with an almost greenish tint. The same pale blue will seem much heavier next to a pinkish white. Understanding which colours work best together is much easier when we understand the basic principles behind colour matching through the colour wheel.
The colour wheel provides the foundation from which to choose the best colour solution for your needs. The wheel consists of the three primary colours – red, blue and yellow. Mixing these primary colours together or adding black or white to them is the basis from which all colours can be produced.
 Secondary colours are produced when primary colours are mixed together. Mixing red and yellow together, for example, produces secondary colours. On the colour wheel, secondaries are interspaced between the primary colours.
Tertiary colours are produced when secondary colours are mixed together. For example, mixing purple (from blue and red) and green (blue and yellow) makes olive green.
Tints are produced when white is added to a primary, secondary or tertiary colour.
Shades are produced when black is added to any primary, secondary or tertiary colour.
A tone is obtained when either black or white colour is added to another colour.
 Complementary colours are two colours that are direct opposites on the colour wheel.
You get discordant colours when the tones do not match. This mismatch occurs when too much black or white is added to colour combinations so that both colours smother each out.
Another mismatch that can happen is when two colours throw each other ‘off-hue’. This occurs when colours which are not linked alter each other. For example, when dark blue is placed next reddish purple, the colours will seem altered – the dark blue will look yellow and the violet even rosier.\
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You can use this colour wheel to help you create the colour scheme of your choice. Simply position the key colour indicator on your choice colour. You can then see for yourself the extendable schemes based on your selected colour.
The colours are arranged in varying levels of intensity according to the rings.
1. Monochromatic (Same hue family) : Ideal for creating a cosy, relaxed and soothing ambience
2. Complementary (Opposite hues) : Uses colours that are direct opposites of your chosen colour. Able to evoke a contrasting combination of cool and warmth
3. Related (Analogous): Creates a complementary blend of colours. Laid next to each other, these colours combine harmoniously together
4. Split Complements: Consists of the main central hues and two hues on either side of its complement. Resulting scheme is bright yet contrasting and dramatic. Must be used carefully
5. Triadic: Ideal for brightening up a room, these colours intensify each other to create a lively, vibrant theme. To avoid the colours overpowering each other, always select one dominant colour for this scheme.
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