Colour Temperature

Have you ever noticed that colours seem to have different temperatures?

WARM COLOURS

     They remind us of the sun or fire and can add a feeling of excitement, boldness or happiness to a work of art. Warm colours make objects seem larger and appear to advance in an artwork. 
                                                               Yellow              Red
                                                               Orange            Brown
                                                                           Magenta

COOL COLOURS

     They remind us of lakes, distant mountains, sky and foliage. Cool colours tend to be calm and restful. They recede into the distance and make object smaller.

Green                   Black
Blue                      Grey
Purple                  White

                        

Colour temperature and Art

     Artists have been using one side of the colour palette to express differents feelings. There are painters, like Picasso, that went through fases along their lives depending on their moods. They choose a cool or warm palette.

    

Klimt

Matisse

Picasso

Picasso

Sorolla

Sorolla

Compare the diferences between these paintings. 

  

Colour temperature and Design

 In Graphic design as well as in Decoration we can find examples of Cool or warm colours.

Why do they choose these colors in this two ads?

What do you feel when you see these two rooms? Which one do you like best? Why?

Try the multicolor search lab for mixing colours and see which images come up!

View this short video about cool and warm colours from Art Attack.