Fine Painting, NNC Peace Room

Abstract

research into colour theory

17/11/14

What is Abstract:

Something that exists in  thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.

A piece of artwork that, rather than using objects, uses shapes, colours and textures to achieve its affect.

Colour harmony, the colour wheel and the context of how colours are used all fall under the category of colour theory.

Colour harmony represents the unity and satisfying balance between colours, which, to the human eye are aesthetically good to look at. Colour harmony, to be achieved, relies on knowledge of hue, value and chroma.

Colour harmonies:

Monochromatic: 

harmony uses same values (tints, shades and tones) within the same colour family

Analogous:

harmonies are created using three or more colours that sit side by side on the colour wheel

Complementary:

colours are those that appear directly opposite on the colour wheel

Split Complementary:

Colour arrangement results from one colour paired with two other colours on either side of the colours direct complementary colour, completing a scheme of three colours.

Double Complementary:

Harmonies include two sets of direct complentary colours sat next to each other on the colour wheel forming an 'X' shape.

Tetrad:

combinations are made up of four hues of equal distance from each other, forming a square or a rectangle on the colour wheel.

Diad:

Schemes are made up of two colours two steps apart, skipping the colour in between.

Triad:

A combination of three colours of equal distance from each other, forming an equilateral triangle on the colour wheel.

Primary and Secondary colours

The primary colours consist of Yellow, Red and Blue. Mixed together, these colours then create the Secondary colours, Purple, Orange and Green, which, in different shades, then begin to form the complementary colours on the colour wheel. 

 Howard Hodgkins

He is a British painter and print-maker born in 1932 and is mostly associated with Abstraction. He came up with the Push and Pull theory, in which he used different colours and shades to show how some things would catch the viewers attention more that others within one painting.

For example, most would think that because the square is much bigger, attention would be drawn to that shape first, however, due to the vivid colour of the small dot, it is in fact that shape that pulls the attention to it, rather than the square.