COLOUR

The most striking aspect of clothes is their colour. Colour is the one factor that makes one instantly like a garment. Colour is a major deciding factor in everything. New colours are introduced during each fashion seasons as they stimulate scales. The chosen colour should be appropriate for the seasons and occasion for which it is to be worn. Colour Dimensions: Three dimensions of colour areHue, Intensity and Value. Hue: Hue is the word used to distinguish one colour from other. It refers to colour visible to the eye when any surface is viewed. The colour on the surface depends on the light waves it reflects and those it absorbs. The name given to the colour such as red, blue, etc are hues. Intensity: Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a colour. Bright colours have higher intensity as compared to pale colours. Addition of white or grey, black to any colour produces lower intensity. All grey colours are called tones. Value: Value is the degree of lightness or darkness of the colour. White is added to get tints and black is added for shades. A higher value is achieved by adding white and which is pure light and a lower value by adding black.

Colour forms an integral part of everyday life. Colour attracts our attention. It is one of the least expensive factors that can be altered. Colour types:a. Warm colours: The colours that are associated with sun and fire are known as warm colours. E.g. Red, yellow, orange. These colours signify aggressiveness and liveliness. Red is the colour of Love and Romance and is also associated with danger. Yellow colour of sunlight signifies brightness, cheerfulness and optimism makes objects appear larger and closer than the colours. It emphasizes the body and shape of the dress. b. Cool colours: Cool colours are of the sky and sea such as blue, green and purple. Since blue is restful colours generally for denim material blue colour is used. It is a peaceful colour that soothes and calms a person. These colours are associated with wealth and dignity. Cool colours have receding effect, that is making objects appear smaller and farther away as compared to the objects in warmer hues. c. Neutral colours: Neutral colours are a part of every fashion season. They complement other colours and are therefore always popular. Some examples: neutral white, black, beige, tan, brown, gray.

Apparel:Colours and Patterns: Colour can be made a part of the garment in the form of pattern such asStripes, plaids, checks and florals. The selections of the patterned fabric requires a clear picture of the pattern or design as regard its motifs. Its arrangement in terms of background area, colour combinations, textured effects and the end use of the fabric. Influence of clothing colour: Colours of the clothes greatly influence various factors, such as complexion, body, shape, age and emotions of the wearer. Complexion- clothing selected should be in harmony with the complexion. Soft colours and clear tints are best for people with light skin colour. Dark values drain colour from the skin and make a fair person look pale, while light values add colour to their skin. Warm or contrasting colours look flattening on people with dark skin. Bright colours bring out their complementary colours such as green dress would make a blushing face. Undesirable tones in the skin can be subdued by using analogous colour scheme in garment. Body shape Light values and warn bright colours tend to enlarge figure- should be avoided by heavy people. They are suitable for skinny people. Dark colours make the figure slimmer are suitable for heavy persons. Light colours and shiny surface fabrics which reflect light increase size of the place where they are used. Therefore they should not be used in problem areas like large busts, broad hips and heavy arms. Dark or very low values outlines the silhouette and light or high values reflect the light falling on them, emphasizing body appearance. Value contrast should be placed on the area of the body that needs to be high lighted such as neck waist and bust. Colour and illusions: Colours can be helpful in providing an illusion of height when garment are made with a single colour or tones of that colour. The illusion is further enhanced if it is floor length garment. Light colour used in the upper garment and dark colours at lower give an illusion of tallness. Dark colours recede visually and can be used to give an illusion of slimness. Light colours are suitable for skinny people as they provide an illusion of widened areas. Bright colours should be used to high light the beautiful and appealing parts of body.

Optical illusion and colour phenomena:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Colours are modified in appearance by their proximity to other colours. All light colours seen most striking against black. All dark colours seen most striking against white. Dark colours upon light colours look darker than on dark colours. Light colours upon dark colours look lighter than on light colour. If complementary colours are put side by side each seems more intense than by itself. Eg.Red and green.

7. Dark hues on a background, which is not complementary will appear weaker than complementary ground. 8. A bright colour against a dull colour of the same hue will further dull the colour 9. When a bright colour is used against a dull colour the contrast will be strongest when the colour is complementary (blue and orange). 10. Light colours on light grounds can be greatly strengthened if bounded by narrow bands of complementary or black colour. 11. Dark hues on dark grounds will strengthened if bounded by narrow bands of white or light colours. Modification of colour: Each colour can be modified by mixing it with another colour (change in hue). A colour can be mixed with white to get a tint (change in value). A colour can be mixed with black to get a shade (change in value). A colour can be mixed with grey to reduce its luminosity (change in intensity). A colour can be mixed with its complementary (change in value and intensity). Primary colours:- Red, Yellow and Blue are the purest and brightest colours. They are primary colours. Others are derived from them. Secondary colours:- Obtained by mixing of two primary colours in equal proportion. A mixture of red and yellow makes orange. Yellow + red = orange; Red + blue = violet; Blue + yellow = green. Teritiary colours:- A mixture of primary colour with its neighbouring secondary colour gives teritiary colour such as Yellow green, blue green. When two secondary colours are mixed in equal proportions we get totally new colour called teritiary colour yellow green, blue green, blue violet, red violet, red orange and yellow orange one of the primary colour is always present in the teritiary colour. Intermediate colours:- Uneven mixture of two primary colours produce intermediate colours. These are yellowish orange, reddish violet, bluish green, yellowish green.

Colour Harmonies: Colour combination having one or more colours with vivid tints and shades and creating a pleasant and agreeable sensation to eye and the mind of the observer are called colour harmonies. Colour schemes facilitate in assembling a set of colours that synchronise or contrast well with each other. 1. Monochromatic Harmony: Colour executed in one colour with its tints and shade. A monochromatic colour scale gives us the value and intensity of a single colour. It may include such as pink, red, and maroon. 2. Analogous colour scheme: It is a scheme of colours from one of the family. Any three consecutive colours on colour wheel produce this type. Eg red orange, orange, yellow orange. 3. Complementary colours: Colours placed opposite to each other on colour wheel are complementary such as red and green; blue and orange; yellow orange and blue violet. 4. Double complementary: A pair of two consecutive colours in a colour wheel and their diagonally opposites are called double complementary. Eg yellow and orange and its opposite pair of violet and blue are called double complementary. 5. Split complementary:A harmony formed by a colour with two adjacent of its complementary are said to be in split complementary. Eg yellow with red violet and blue violet; blue and yellow orange and red orange. 6. Double split complementary: It is a harmony formed by two adjacent of a colour with two adjacent colours of its complementary. The harmonies formed by yellow orange; yellow green and violet blue and violet red. Physical effects of colour: The designers colour palette usually changes with the season. Cool, light colours are preferred in summer because they neglect light and heat, and are therefore cooler to wear. Warm dark colours are worn in winter. White objects may absorb as little as 10 percent of light rays hitting their surface, black objects may absorb over 95 percent of light rays.