AT 103
Basic Design I
Fall 2011
Project 6: COLOR INTERACTION
Assignment: Color Interaction
Materials: Acrylic paint, brushes, color swatches, glue, illustration board, Bristol paper.
In order to examine Color Interaction, we will conduct some of the famous Josef Albers color exercises.
1) Light/Dark Value Contrast: This is the ability of a color to look lighter or darker depending on the value of the background it is placed upon.
a. Paint one dominant background with a dark value (color or gray) and paint the other dominant background with a light value (color or gray).
b. Mix a single color from your acrylic paints, or use square color samples and apply the paint into each of the subordinate squares.
c. Note how the color you created appears lighter and darker depending on each background/dominant color.
2) Complementary Reaction: Emphasize a color by placing it in contrast to its complementary color.
a. Paint one of the dominant grounds with a gray (any gray) and the other dominant ground with a primary color (RYB).
b. For the subordinate squares, paint the complementary color of the one you used for the background.
i. For example: If you use Red in one of the dominant squares, use G or your subordinate color.
ii. Both of the subordinate colors will use the same color.
c. Note how the colors appear to differ.
3) In a creative exercise, demonstrate the Bezold Effect
a. In the Illustration board provided, divide the space in 3 sections of the same/similar shape and proportion of the page.
b. As “dominant color” you will use:
1- Any Hue = SATURATED COLOR
2- Same Hue + Its complementary= DESATURATED
3- Any Tint/Tone or Shade that derives from that Hue=DESATURATED
c. In your composition you can use as many colors and hues as your design require. However, you will repeat the same composition in terms of design of shapes and colors in the three backgrounds
Altering the dominant color only, you will observe how changing the dominant color/ background in the composition, it will alter the way we perceive the subordinates colors, in terms of temperature, emphasis, even meaning.
