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Color (Colour) Theory 101, some basics on TAUPES...a much needed review

OK. Seems some of us need a paint color 101 lesson. I just read Kelly Townsend's blog asking for some help with colour suggestions for dated tiles in a bathroom. After reading some comments I see there is a lack of knowledge of color theory.

So for those of us who struggle with color...read on. BTW, I do still struggle with color just not with color theory!

First the primary colors...I'm about to blow your mind here...well some of you!

Yellow, Magenta and Cyan: a more accurate reflection of the artists color wheel than the 'red, yellow, blue' we where taught in primary school.

Taupe and brown are in the same 'hue' or family of color.

Take a look at the color wheel...notice true 'taupe' and 'brown' are NOT on it?! Because they are part of the neutral hue or family; from the centre of the wheel.

White, black, grey, brown and tan are not colors on the color wheel but are made up of varying percentages of the primary colors.

Definition of HUE: color (for the most part).
Taupe and Brown are a combination of the 3 primary colors.
Contrary to popular belief, the primaries combined in equal parts do not make black but a neutral brownish/black color. Neutral being a key word here.

Taupe in general does not show 'grey' (gray?) but red, orange, green hues as undertones Taupe has more white than a brown.

a tint means: the value of colour is lighter (english please? White has been added)
a shade means: the value of the color is darker ( english please? Black has been added)
a tone means: the value of the color is mid-range between tint and shade (plain english: Gray has been added)

So as some have mistakenly told Kelly, taupe usually showing gray is inaccurate.

What do you do if your taupe shows:

'pink'. 'peach' or 'red' (your' and my eyes see the undertones slightly differently)? Add GREEN to neutralize the red or red/yellow undertone coming through.
'green' add: red!
'grey' add: personal choice. Decide where on the color wheel you'd like it to go and adjust with the appropriate primary colors. (If you are wondering what they would be my suggestion to you would to be: break out the paints (primary only) and experiment; BTW, this is the best advise you'll ever get. By experimenting you will be learning much more than you'll ever learn from reading).

Dane Caldwell is the Lead Consultant with Toronto's 2 Hounds Design + Home Staging.

2 Hounds Design - the idea resource

(416)418-5919

http://www.2-hounds.com/

Posted by Toronto's 2 Hounds Design: Decorating + Staging on 01/01/2008 12:33 PM

Comments (17)

Paint Colour Color 101 in the ActiveRain Channel

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Originally posted at: 2 Hounds Design - Unleashed: Color (Colour) Theory 101, some basics on TAUPES...a much needed review

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17 Comments on Color (Colour) Theory 101, some basics on TAUPES...a much needed review

JAN

2008

Dane this is a great, simple and precise explanation of color. Thanks for sharing, it reinforced my intro of the color wheel many years ago and makes me want to go experiment. Have a great new year!

Linda, thanks! Have a great time experimenting. My daughter (online I call her 'Poodle' for privacy issues) who is 4 wanted to know why I play with paint colors and usually only by her 5 'colors' (includes white and black).

It is fun to experiment with altering undertones...and will one day save you from going out and buying a whole new gallon...or gallons!

Very interesting and great explanation of the different colors. With all of the options available today, it's hard sometimes to differentiate.

Thanks Al. Color (aka colour in Canada) can be very daunting but for someone to say they are a professional...this should not be the case!

Hey Dane...Nice post! Those of us who are strong with our color skills see the variety of colors within a basic shade of beige or taupe and even neutral whites. Color theory is simple and there is a VAST amount of shades, tones and hues which influence a final outcome for color.

I agree with you on your thoughts about someone who states they are a professional in the design field...they should be extremely comfortable with the ins and outs of color. Regards-Kathleen G

Great explanation! We were in a home unstaging on Friday and my business partner was commenting how she felt like the walls didn't match the existing pieces - brazillian cherry floors, maple glazed cabinets, etc. The walls were a soft (very light) brown/beige. One of the things we discussed was that the color was too warm for some of the elements in the space. If the color had been slightly cooler, or in direct oppostion on the color wheel the colors would have worked better. I think that's where people go wrong. The pick a color, without paying attention to how much red, blue or yellow (sorry -cyan, magenta, and yellow) is already in the space. When people then feel it is off they can never figure out why. (Close, but no cigar)

Good blog!

Keeping it simple...as it can be...Thanks for the refresher on colour...

Thanks Kathleen! I love the work you do BTW and can't wait to see you're website up and running.

You definitely know what you are doing!

Thanks Melissa! You are so right about cools and warms as well. Perhaps a Part Deux!

Thanks Dane....my website has taken far too long to get up and running! UGH! My youngest brother is completing the final touches (he was down in FL with me for the holidays) and hopefully, it will be up soon! You know how siblings can be when helping...it may take a few more weeks! Arrgh......yet, I will be hopeful that it will birth sooner than later! LOL!! Thanks to you for keeping standards high for color as well!! Happy New Year! Regards-Kathleen G

Terrylynn, thanks for stopping in and commenting!

Kathleen, my daughter would say, 'ugh brothers!' as well!

People are so confused when it comes to color. When doing a consult. I always give a mini-lesson on color and why.

Dane, I love the way you Canadians say "colour". It sounds so cosmopolitan! I find that most of my clients think in primary terms, red, yellow, blue and they always add green. They have no concept of the hundreds of colours that come from those primaries. Thats why I carry a fan colour chart with me, so they can visualize when I say "taupe". Thanks for the lesson!

JAN

2008

Hi Dane! - Thanks for addressing this topic and bringing to light some common misconceptions. This was a real eye opener for me in the Dewey Color Consulting class I took. The hands on mixture of primary paint colors to create for example a brown surprised me and was a lesson I'm still having fun and playing with!

Jackie

Thanks for the great tips Dane!

Dane-Thanks so much for the refresher course!!! I went to school for a graphic arts degree during the 90's, and one of my favorite classes was "Design & Color". Half the semester was on design and the other on color, and I learned SO much that I still use today. But, as professionals, it does land in our lap to educate the public. Just think of all those women who think wearing blue eyeshadow makes their eyes look more blue!!! ;)

Dane -- great post -- I think this color lesson is fantastic -- I totally get the color thing too!

Funny, in school I would have a friend who was an expert in Math, another who was a Grammar whiz, a spelling Champ, and of course there was the mad scientist that could solve any chemical equation with out hardly cracking a book; the athlete and the kid who could just play a song on the piano "by ear"! Then there was me . . . I understood color. Teachers never gave much credit for that like all the other subjects. Good for you for showing how important that knowledge can be!

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