We were then asked to come together in groups of around 6-8 and collate all of our questions and pick what we thought to be the most important five questions. These five questions were then handed to another group to go away and research, we received another groups questions to answer and present in the next session.
We had to have a general idea of the answers to our question so that we could have a discussion in the next session so we found basic answers to our questions.
5 Group Questions:
- Why do colours force out complimentary colours? In terms of seeing one colour, putting two colours together getting a neutral tone. e.g. purple and yellow
- Simplest way to balance colour? Using the contrast of extension will help to balance colour and make it more appropriate to the content.
- Is it always a case of contrast of tone + hue working together? Yes
- How many colours can one use? You can use as many colours as you want. there is no correct answer. But the more colours you use in a piece of design, the more it can get in the way of what you're communicating. Sources on the internet recommend using up to 7 plates; CYMK, 2 sit varnishes and a gloss.
- If everyone perceives colour differently does this mean we perceive contrast differently? theres no definite answer for this because no one can actually see through other peoples eyes so this can't be proven.
Below are the five questions that we were set as a group to answer
We assigned a question to each member of the group before coming together to share each others answers and check if they're correct or not. My question was 'What is the best colour combination for body copy apart from black and white?'
The answer I found was- There is no specific colour combination but as long as you provide enough contrast between the background and body copy you should be ok, but there is no better combination contrast wise than black and white. 'Colour succeeds best when it is used with restraint and don't use complementary colours as aesthetically it can effect the legibility and readability of the body copy'. I also found out that large amounts of white/light text on a dark background can strain the eyes so it's recommended to use light on black in smaller quantities such a headlines etc...
My 10 questions
What is Hue?
Hue is somewhat synonymous to what we usually refer to as "colors". Red, green, blue, yellow, and orange are a few examples of different hues. The different hues have different wavelenghts in the spectrum.
What does chromatic mean?
perceived as having a hue; not white, gray, or black. (opposite of achromatic)
What is chromatic value?
The value is a measurement of the brightness of a colour. The brighter a colour is, the higher is its value and the more light it emits. For instance, a vivid yellow is brighter than dark blue, therefore its value is higher than that of the blue. A good way to see the difference in the values of colours is to look at the corresponding greyscale version.
Why do colours force out there complimentary colours?
Colours that appear together will be altered as if mixed with a complimentary colour of the other colour. The mixture of the two is predicted by the straight line between the two for eg. if red was placed on blue it would project an orange tint.
Do Hue and Tone always linked?
Yes. The only time when tone exists on it’s own is when it’s monochromatic – each plate – CMYK, not just Key. This is through tints and a tonal shift.
What colours should be used for body copy other than B+W?
There isn't a correct answer, obviously black and white, as they both hold alot of clarity. Colours can be used, as long as there is a large contrast of tone between them. Bodycopy and background with a little contrast merge together, this is the same with any other contrast.
Is there a maximum or minimum amount of colours to use when designing?
There isn't a fixed answer. Research suggests a maximum of 3. 60 percent primary, 30 percent secondary, and 10 percent tertiary. It all depends on the brief, client, print process and budget.
How does simultaneous contrast work?
'The eye requires any given colour to be balanced by its complimentary and will spontaneously generate the latter if it is not present' Complementary colours also can make the viewer see colour vibration—literally, the two colours seem to vibrate when near each other.
What is tint and shade?
These are terms to describe how a color varies from its original hue. If white is added, the lighter version of the color is called a tint of the color. On the other hand, if black is added the, darker version of the color is called a shade of the color.
What is saturation based on?
It is a measurement of how different from pure grey the color is. Saturation is not really a matter of light and dark, but rather how pale or strong the colour is. The saturation of a color is not constant, but it varies depending on the surroundings and what light the color is seen in.