Function of Light

Properties of Color

Expressive Qualities

Optical Effects

Examples

Color schemes are a helpful way to begin to predict the ways in which color will affect a composition, but first, the artist must decide whether they are more concerned with colors' representational, formal, spatial or emotive dimensions. The artist must also consider where their chosen colors will be distributed in the composition and in what amounts. As you can see from these examples, the variety of color effects is staggering. Studying how other artists have used color can help artists to invent individual solutions and compositional strategies.

 

Click the buttons on the left to see how today's artists incorporate emotion into their pieces using color.