Drawing lessons - illustrated lesson notes for teachers and students

The psychology of color No2

the green - red combination of similar values.

We cannot talk about saturation without discussing value. Value is what we do when we make

drawings and shade them. It is the method we use to define form. If drawing is ‘line’ then as

soon as we shade that line we create value differences, and a third dimension. So the third

element, when describing most colors, is value. Value, as stated previously, is the blackness or

whiteness of a color (scaled 1-10). Most hues tend to darken with increased saturation.

If you desire to make pleasing two dimensional color compositions you can do so with chords of

equal value or similar hues. This is useful and great fun but to make a painting with 'depth' we

will also need to match color 'values' therefore we must consider how best to 'mix' the values

we want. Would you expect a value five red mixed in equal amounts with a value five yellow to

produce a value five orange or a value five red mixed with a value five blue will produce a value

five purple?

STUDENT ACTIVITY:I asked: 'Would you expect a value five red mixed in equal amounts with

a value five yellow to produce a value five orange or a value five red mixed with a value five

blue will produce a value five purple?' Do this on your palette and determine the result. Also do

the same with paints of differing values to see whether they 'average' their values. Write up

your results. Allow 40min.

GO TO ... mixing colors

Lesson list

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