Secondary Color Characteristics

While the secondary characteristics of color are a little harder to define, they are no less important to artists as they strive for good art.

Color Quality

Color quality is the effect of two or more colors reflected from a visually monochromatic surface. Color quality brings color to life and gives it a richness and sensuality. Take the blue squares in Figure 8.5 and compare them. The square with the subtle patterning appears much more visually exciting than the plain blue square.

Figure 8.5: Two squares of color with the same value; however, one is boring and flat, whereas the other shows good color quality.

Color Distance

Visually, colors appear to either come forward or recede in the picture plane. This appearance is called color distance. Warm colors appear to come forward, while cool colors tend to recede. Cool colors will recede even more if their edges are soft, as shown in Figure 8.6.

Figure 8.6: An illustration of color distance.

Color Weight

Color has a visual weight. Generally, the darker the color, the heavier it appears, and vice versa; the lighter the color, the lighter in weight it appears to be. A color's weight has two uses: to preserve balance and to express a visual mood. A dark color expresses strength and solidity, while a light color expresses delicacy and lightness, as shown in Figure 8.7.

Figure 8.7: Color weight.