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
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