What is Colour Theory - for Coloured Pencil Artists

What is colour theory and why do we need to know about it?

Understanding colour theory can really improve our art!

It's an incredible tool that helps us artists make sense of how colours interact, harmonise, and even influence the other colours around them.

But here's the thing: no two people perceive colour in exactly the same way. That's what makes it so fascinating!

In this guide, we'll cover the essentials of colour theory and beyond, in a way that's easy to understand and fun to apply. We'll start with the basics – primary, secondary, and tertiary colours – and explore their relationships and practical applications in step-by-step ways. You'll be amazed at how these simple concepts can make such a powerful impact!

So grab your pencils, sharpeners, and colour wheel, and let's explore together!

The Color Wheel: Understanding Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colours

At the heart of colour theory lies the colour wheel, a visual representation of colours arranged in a circular format. The wheel consists of:

• Primary Colours: Red, blue, and yellow. These colours cannot be created by mixing other colours.
• Secondary Colours: Green, orange, and purple. Secondary colours are formed by mixing two primary colours.
• Tertiary Colours: Created by mixing a primary colour with a secondary colour (e.g., red-orange, yellow-green).

This basic information is often as far as some artists go when trying to answer the question “What is colour theory?” But learning how to use this knowledge will make all the difference to your work.

We'll go into more detail below the following inforgraphic.

Colour Schemes

Complementary colours

Yesterday I was looking at a web site with a bright red bar at the top of the page under which the words disappeared as I scrolled. When I came to look at the keyboard to type, the top row of keys looked green!

This only lasted for a few seconds, but it was a great example of how our brains can be tricked into seeing colours differently based on what we've just looked at.

Do you know why the keys looked green?

Red and green are what is known as complementary colours, which are pairs of colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel.

Purple and yellow, along with orange and blue are also complementary colours.

How can we put this to use in our coloured pencil drawings? Well we can use these pairings together in a piece of work, if we keep some “rules” in mind.

If you use equal quantities of each, your work will zing!

But your poor eyes won’t know which colour to look at. They will be drawn one way and then the other in quick succession.

If that is the effect you're after, then go for it, but if you want to create a more subtle and balanced piece, it's better to use one colour as the dominant colour and the other as an accent.

What if you layer one on top of the other?

The colours will neutralise each other, forming a dull grey or brownish result. In watercolour painting you might hear this described as mud.

If your whole painting is comprised of these colours it can turn out rather dull and uninteresting, which is probably not the effect you're aiming for in your coloured pencil artwork.

But don’t discount using a complementary colour to add subtle shading or depth to your work, as the neutralising effect can be quite useful in small doses.

Not everything in real life is brightly coloured!

They are especially useful when drawing shadows. Instead of grabbing a black or grey pencil, try using a thin layer of the complimentary colour to add realism to the shaded areas.

We’ll go more in depth on complementary colour on their own page.

Analogous Colours

Instead of picking colours opposite each other on the colour wheel, lets look at those that are side by side. When you pick three colours that lay next to each other, these are known as analogous colours. Used in a drawing they create a more serene and gentle look.

An example of an analogous grouping would be blue, blue-green and green. Think of the ocean and how these colours would together create a soothing and natural palette that echoes the gentle gradations of colour found in the water. Stick a tiny boat with a bright orange sail in the distance and that spot of colour will really stand out!

Triadic Colours

So we have looked at using colours opposite each other on the colour wheel and those that sit next to each other. What about those that don’t fit into either of those categories?

If you pick three equidistant colours from the wheel, you end up with a triadic colour scheme.

This could be a case of using all three primaries - yellow, red and blue. Or purple, green and orange. You might have never thought of using these together!

When you mix two of these you will end up with rich semi-neutrals rather than greys.

As with other colour groups you will get the best effect if you avoid using equal quantities of the three colours. Instead pick one to be your dominant colour, use less of one, and a tiny amount of the third to achieve a more pleasing piece of art that appears balanced but dynamic.

Warm and Cool Colors

You may have heard colours referred to as warm or cool, and wondered what this means.

Let's explore this concept further.

Warm colours tend to evoke feelings of warmth, energy, and excitement, while cool colours can create a sense of calm, serenity, and even sadness.

Think of a cozy fireplace on a cold winter's night - the warm colours of the flames and the surrounding room can make you feel snug and comfortable. On the other hand, a cool, misty morning in a forest can evoke a sense of tranquility and peacefulness.

In terms of the colour wheel, warm colours are generally found on the red, orange, and yellow side, while cool colours are found on the blue, green, and purple side. However, it's not just about the individual colours themselves, but also how they interact with each other.

When using warm and cool colours in your coloured pencil artwork, you can create a sense of depth. Let's try an exercise to illustrate this concept. Take a look at the colour bars at the top of this section, which shows a range of warm (top row) and cool colours (bottom row).

Now, let's create a simple landscape using warm and cool colours. We'll use a mix of warm colours, (yellow, yellow-orange and orange), for the foreground, and cool colours, (blue, blue-green and green) for the background. Notice how the warm colours seem to come forward, while the cool colours recede?

As you work on your own artwork, remember to experiment with warm and cool colours to help areas sit in the distance or appear closer to the viewer.

Next, we'll explore the concept of local colour and how it's affected by light and atmosphere. This is a fascinating topic that can really help bring your coloured pencil art to life.

Are you ready to learn more?

Local Colour

The local colour of an object is its inherent colour.

However…

Sunlight can warm a colour, making it appear more vibrant.

Shadows can cool a colour, making it appear more subdued.

The material from which an object is made can also affect what you see.

As an artist you get to decide whether to represent the local colour or the way it is modified by the environment.

The Influence of Surrounding Colours

Have you ever noticed how the colour of one object can seem to affect the colour of another object nearby? For example, if you place a red apple next to a white vase, the vase might take on a slightly pinkish hue. This is because the colour of the apple is reflecting onto the vase, changing its apparent colour.

As coloured pencil artists, we can use this phenomenon to our advantage by suggesting these colour reflections in our work.

Now, let's try it out!

Choose two objects with different colours and place them side by side. Observe how the colours seem to interact with each other. Then, using your coloured pencils, try to capture this effect on paper. Don't worry too much about getting it perfect – just have fun experimenting with colour reflection!

An example

I noticed this effect on the container holding my pencils (designed for hairdressing scissors but it works a treat). The smooth end of the container is a yellow-green.

The sides have a raised pattern which catches the light at various angles. Where they face the window they appear lighter, whereas away from the light they appear darker. The local colour hasn’t changed.

When I place something purple beside the container some of the purple light is reflected off the green changing the appearance again.

I emulated this by layering a red-violet pencil and a yellow green.

Where you place colours in your painting can also influence how they appear in relation to each other. I tried two exercises in my sketch book. First I took yellow and violet and put a square inside a square to show how putting the yellow around the outside makes it zing, whereas it looks more lemon when surrounded by the violet.

I then doodled, first creating two patches of a dull purple (layers of blue-green and red-violet) then surrounded them with either blue or yellow-orange. Do the colours in the initial shapes look the same to you?

Don't worry if you can't find the perfect colour in your pencil case. You can actually alter how a colour looks by choosing the right colours to place next to it. Isn't that handy?

Experiment!

When I'm working on a piece, I like to experiment with mixing colours using the pencils I already have in my hand. Instead of reaching for a new pencil, I try to create the shade I need by layering and blending the colours I'm already using.

I wrote a page on using a limited palette of pencils here. 

This technique adds a depth and subtlety to my drawing that might not be immediately noticeable, but it can make a big difference in the overall feel of the piece.

It's amazing how sometimes, people might not be able to put their finger on what it is, but they'll just know they love the way it looks!

 

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