**Color Perception**
**I. Classification of Colors**
1. There are two methods to classify colors. According to common practice, they can be divided into achromatic and chromatic color systems. On the color wheel, hues can also be categorized into cold and warm color systems.
- (1) Achromatic Color System: Refers to black, white, and various shades of gray.
- (2) Chromatic Color System: Refers to red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, and all other colors derived from them.
2. Color Classification on the Color Wheel:
- 1》Cold Color System: Colors like blue and purple on the color wheel evoke a sense of coldness and are thus called cold colors.
- 2》Warm Color System: Colors such as red, orange, and yellow on the color wheel give a feeling of warmth, hence they are called warm colors.
- Note: The warmth or coolness of colors is relative, not absolute. Even within the same hue, there can be distinctions between warm and cool tones. For example, compared to blue, lemon yellow is considered warm, but compared to medium yellow, it appears cooler.
**II. Primary Colors, Secondary Colors, and Tertiary Colors**
1. **Primary Colors**: Also known as first-order colors, these are the basic colors that can mix to create all other colors. The three primary pigment colors are red, yellow, and blue.
2. **Secondary Colors**: Also called second-order colors, these are created by mixing the primary colors in different proportions. For example:
- Red + Yellow = Orange
- Yellow + Blue = Green
- Red + Blue = Purple
3. **Tertiary Colors**: These are formed by combining two secondary colors or one primary color with one secondary color. Tertiary colors have lower purity compared to primary and secondary colors.
**III. Three Elements of Color (Hue, Value/Brightness, Saturation/Purity)**
1. **Hue**: Hue refers to the appearance of a color and distinguishes one color from another. For example, red represents a specific hue. Mixing pure red with white creates several variations of pink with differing brightness and purity levels, yet the hue remains fundamentally red. Shades like vermilion, dark red, and rose red all belong to the red family but differ in warmth or coolness.
2. **Value/Brightness**: Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. It has strong independence compared to hue and saturation and can be represented separately using black, white, and gray tones from the achromatic system. Adding more white increases the brightness of a pure color, while adding more black decreases its brightness.
3. **Saturation/Purity**: Saturation, also known as purity or vividness, refers to the intensity or clarity of a color. Adding white, black, or gray reduces the saturation of any color. The more black, gray, or white mixed in, the lower the saturation becomes.
**IV. Principles of Color Coordination**
1. **Clear Color System**: Adding white to pure colors creates high-brightness, low-saturation colors, which produce effects of relaxation, vitality, youthfulness, and expansion. This system suits people with fair skin tones and slim body types.
2. **Muted Color System**: Adding black to pure colors creates low-brightness colors, giving an elegant and dignified impression.
3. **Analogous Colors**: Analogous colors refer to colors obtained by adding black, white, or gray to any single color on the color wheel. They form a harmonious series of colors. In terms of color coordination, analogous colors create a stable and gentle combination (within 15 degrees on the color wheel, making it the weakest contrast in hue).
4. **Adjacent Colors**: Adjacent colors refer to colors located between 30 to 60 degrees on the color wheel. In color coordination, adjacent colors provide stability, harmony, and a sense of calm (generally not exceeding 45 degrees on the color wheel).
5. **Complementary Colors**: Complementary colors are those located directly opposite each other on the color wheel (approximately 180 degrees apart). They offer the strongest contrast in color combinations, resulting in clear, vibrant, and striking visual effects. Mixing complementary colors produces a grayish-black tone (e.g., yellow-purple, orange-blue, red-green).
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