| Term | Definition |
|---|
| palette | the range of colors used by a particular artist |
| harmony | A pleasing combination of colors |
| color wheel | A circular diagram in which primary and intermediate colors are arranged sequentially so that related colors are next to each other and complementary colors are opposite |
| complementary color | A color directly opposite another on a color wheel and providing the greatest chromatic contrast to it. |
| earth tones | muted colors found in dirt, moss, trees and rocks. |
| pastel colors | low saturation, light colors-- like pink or baby blue |
| triadic harmony | three colors that form a triangle on the color wheel, eg red-yellow-blue or green-orange-purple |
| chroma | intensity of a distinctive hue; saturation of a color. |
| shade | a color that is mixed with black. |
| hue | the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength |
| saturation | Vividness of hue; degree of difference from a gray of the same lightness or brightness. Also called intensity |
| value | the quality of lightness or darkness of a color |
| contrast | the difference between two colors |
| after image | The visual image that persists after the eyes are shut |
| secondary colors | colors that are made by mixing two primaries-- red and yellow make orange |
| tertiary colors | colors that are made by mixing a secondary its primary, eg orange and yellow make yellow-orange |
| primary colors | colors that cannot be made by mixing. eg, red/yellow/blue |
| additive colors | color of light, eg, red/green/blue |
| subtractive colors | color of pigments, eg, red/blue/yellow |
| gamut | range |
| CMYK | the colors used by printers to create color. Cyan Magenta Yellow and Key (usually black) |
| neutral | a color that is completely unsaturated, eg, not in the color wheel, browns, grays, etc |
| tint | a color that is mixed with white |
| color temperature | the warmth or coolness of a color. eg blue is cool and orange is warm |
| achromatic | a color that lacks a strong chroma, or hue |
| split complementary | a color and the two colors surrounding its complement, eg, green, red-orange, red-violet |
| monochromatic | a harmony that has one predominant color or hue. |
| analogous | a harmony made up of colors that are neighbors on the color wheel. eg, red-orange, red, red-violet |
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