Lesson video

Hi, I'm Miss Blue, and I'm really excited to be learning with you today.

I hope you find our lesson as interesting as I do.

Let's get started.

The outcome of this lesson is, "I can use colour and tone to express ideas and feelings in my work." Let's go over our key words for today's lesson.

Tone, how light or dark a colour is.

Colour, what we see when light hits an object.

Hue, the pure colour itself, like red or blue.

Saturation, how intense or vivid a colour is.

In the first part of our lesson, we're going to focus on understanding how artists use colour, tone, and hue.

Let's have a look at colour, tone, and hue in these artworks.

Possible outcomes for today might look something like this.

The use of colour in this artwork is quite unusual and striking.

Have you seen any artworks that use colour or tone creatively? How can we use colour and tone as part of our shared visual language? Colour is the overall name for things we can see, such as red, blue, or green, et cetera.

Colour includes hues and tones.

Hue refers to the specific or pure colour.

In this artwork, it would be blue.

Tone describes how light or dark a colour appears, making it appear soft, dull, or bright.

I wonder how you would describe the tone in this image.

Let's decide if this statement is true or false.

Hue refers to the specific colour, like light green, magenta, teal, or Prussian blue.

Pause the video here while you decide.

If you said true, you would be correct.

Hue means the pure colour itself.

No white, grey, or black added.

Variations in tone can create the illusion of 3D form.

Which of Jun's drawings suggest 3D form, and why? Pause the Video while you think of your answer.

Sofia says, "B looks more 3D, because it has a wider range of tones." This is true.

It seems like they've layered their artwork, building up colour, and using lighter and darker tones to create contrast and 3D perspective.

How has Jun used tone to draw our attention to the object? Pause the video while you think of your answer.

Jacob says, "The difference in tone creates contrast, so the tool stands out.

The highlights help to create form and contrast with the heavier black in the background." That's a great point.

Tone helps to guide the viewer's eye.

It shows us where to look.

You can use lighter tones in one area, and darker tones around it to draw attention to parts of your work.

As Jacob said, the lighter part is in the tool, and the darker part formulates the background, showing how it stands out as a 3D object.

Let's test your knowledge.

Is this statement true or false? Variations in tone create contrast, but cannot create the illusion of 3D form.

Is this true or false? Pause the video while you decide.

The answer is False.

Tone helps to make your work stand out and create a sense of 3D Form.

Here is a depiction of a prism splitting white light into a spectrum of colours.

Colour is the visual perception of different wavelengths of light, which the human eye can detect.

It's made up of hue, saturation, and tone.

I wonder if you can spot where those three things are in the image.

Colour is made up of three main components: hue, which means the pure colour itself, such as red, blue, or green, saturation, which is the high intensity of the colour.

A highly-saturated colour is vivid, but a less saturated colour appears more muted and grey.

You can see the difference in the first image and the second.

Lastly, tone.

The lightness or darkness.

Adding white makes a colour lighter.

This creates a tint.

While adding black makes it darker.

This means a shade.

Let's test your knowledge.

Colour is made up of, A, hue, saturation, and variety, B, saturation, tone, and grey, or C, hue, saturation, and tone.

Pause the video while you work out the answer.

The correct answer is C, colour is made up of hue, saturation, and tone.

There are many different base colour palettes.

Think about how these portraits transform, depending on the base colour.

Which one is your favourite? Layering, mixing, and balancing different base colours can create a range of different effects for us to work with.

What do you notice about the colour palette in this monotype print? Pause the video while you formulate your response.

This monotype was actually made using only three primary colours, as well as black.

Seems you've got a greyish blue, red, yellow, and black.

A split primary palette gives you more control using warm and cool versions of each primary colour.

You can mix a wider range of colours without getting them muddy.

That's interesting.

The more control you have, the better you can use colour to communicate your ideas.

Colour combinations can create helpful effects.

For example, harmonious, which means next to each other on the colour wheel.

These are peaceful and natural.

Complimentary.

These colours are opposite on the wheel, bold and high contrast.

Cool.

These include blues, greens, and purples.

They're calm, chilly, and distant-feeling.

Warm.

Reds, oranges, yellows.

They're cosy, energetic, and close-up.

Monochromatic.

One colour in different shades.

They're simple and unified.

Now, let's match the colour combination and the effect.

Pause the video while you match the numbers with the letters.

Let's have a look at the correct pairings, and see what you came up with.

Monochromatic means simple and unified.

Harmonious means peaceful and natural.

Cool means calm and distant.

Complimentary means bold and high contrast.

What impact has the red background had on the colours here? Pause the video while you formulate your response.

I wonder if it was anything like Aisha's.

She says, "The combination stands out because green and red are complimentary colours, which means opposite, which means opposite each other on the colour wheel." It's interesting to see how colour wheel theory really affects how we view a picture.

Jacob says, "The red is bright and attention-grabbing.

The orange fades into it." Let's have a look at this interesting picture.

What ideas do you associate with bright colours on an artwork like this? Pause the video while you have a look and decide.

Jacob says, "It feels like summer, like a festival or fair.

It makes me think of sunshine, and feel excited." How might the mood change if the colours were black and white? Pause the video while you decide on this response.

Colours have been used symbolically in different contexts.

For example, in the creative industries, like red in advertising.

The Coca-Cola logo uses red to attract attention.

I think that definitely works, doesn't it? Black in fashion.

Chanel's iconic use of black represents sophistication.

Pink in the media.

Barbie's branding uses pink to appeal to young children.

Also in art movements.

Byzantine mosaics use gold to represent divinity and holiness.

Impressionists use blue to evoke calmness, creating a peaceful mood.

Renaissance artist from Italy used rich colours, like deep reds and golds and earthy tones to highlight details, depth, and grandeur.

Have you seen any of these examples before? Colours have also been used symbolically in global cultures.

For example, in Nigeria, indigo blue dye can be a symbol of wealth, status, and cultural identity, often used in traditional clothing.

In India, white is sometimes worn at funerals and mourning to symbolise purity and respect for the departed.

In China, red is often associated with luck, happiness, and prosperity, often seen during celebrations like Chinese New Year.

Where have you seen culturally-specific examples of colour symbolism? Pause the video while you have a think.

Let's have a look at some examples of artists that use a range of colour and tone.

Emma Stibbon uses muted tones to capture the raw beauty of the land.

Barbara Rae employs vibrant colours to evoke emotional responses, using rich, saturated tones to bring her abstract landscapes to life.

Frank Bowling explores depth of colour in his large-scale paintings, blending tones to create dynamic, layered compositions.

Johannes Itten, a pioneering colour theorist, focused on emotional and spiritual effects to create harmony.

Norval Morrisseau uses bright, symbolic colours, blending traditional Anishinaabe storytelling with vivid palettes.

Judy Watson incorporates earthy, natural tones in her multimedia works, reflecting her connection to indigenous heritage.

Here's a task for you.

Find three interesting examples of art that uses colour.

You could use work from your class, the internet, this lesson, or things you've seen in real life.

Part two of this task is to compare the use of colour in your chosen artworks.

Describe the use of colour, and consider colour, tone, mood, symbolism, emphasis, and realism.

Here are some words to describe colours that you can use in your response.

Vivid, muted, vibrant, pastoral, saturated, desaturated, luminous, dull, bright, intense, soft, pale, rich, deep, warm, cool, earthy, neon, monochromatic, iridescent, translucent, opaque, matte, glossy, subtle, bold, washed-out, smoky, fiery, icy, radiant, shadowy, jewel-toned, milky, sunlit, dusky, fiery, misty, gilded, pearlescent, chalky, metallic, fluorescent and neutral.

Pause the video while you work on your.

Pause the video while you work on your responses.

You might have said something like this.

Sofia says, "Picture A uses warm, rich oranges and highlights on the face to create lots of realistic depth with painterly brush strokes.

B is warm and neutral.

The tones are more subtle.

The mood is more serious than A." "C is my own artwork," she says.

"I used splashes to draw attention to the eyes.

The blue symbolises sadness, and the red speckles add interest." Now let's move on to using colour to communicate ideas and feelings.

How does colour influence what we can see and feel? Think about the darker tones in this image.

It seems to create an air of sadness.

What does it say about the visual message of your work? Pause the video while you come up with a response.

Sofia has been working in a limited colour palette to create a sombre mood in her work.

She says, "Tones of green and blue create a reflective mood.

I chose darker hues around the eyes and face to make them stand out, which adds a sense of depth.

The lighter tones help to unify the piece." Let's decide if this statement is true or false.

Limiting your colour palette can help you to create unity and cohesion in your artwork.

Pause the video while you decide if this is true or false.

If you said true, you would be correct.

Using a select few colours or tones can create a feeling of unity.

Which of these colour prints do you think is the most appealing, and why? Always consider the effects of colour on your artwork.

Make sure you explain how and why you made your choices.

Pause the video while you formulate your response.

How might colour be affected by other visual choices you have made? Pause the video while you think about this question.

Andeep says, "Each material and art element carries its own meaning.

So we often need to work together in unity to communicate.

Soft, wavy lines with pastel colours might feel calm and peaceful, like soft beach waves." Let's decide if this statement is true or false.

Colour can be used symbolically to build a visual language that communicates to the audience.

Pause the video while you decide if this statement is true or false.

It is true.

Colour is one of the art elements.

Using it allows us to control the way we communicate using visual language.

How has this art combined thoughtful use of colour with consideration of their materials? Pause the video while you come up with your answer.

Jacob says, "They've used coloured glass, which is semi-transparent, so it reflects the colours in the garden, and creates new colours when seen through multiple layers of glass." That's such an interesting effect.

Task B is all about reviewing your creative journey.

You might consider how the artists, crafts people, or designers you've studied used colour and tone.

Which colours and tones in your work feel successful.

If the colour and tone reflect the message, idea, or mood you want to convey in your work, does it heighten your message or take away from it? Think about opportunities to use tone to create depth or emphasis in your work.

Pause the video while you go over your work and answer these questions.

You might have reviewed your experiments, and said something like Alex.

"Most of the work looked duller than I was hoping for.

I don't think contrast is there to make it feel lively and celebratory enough.

I feel inspired by Norval Morrisseau to use colour for emphasis." Part two of this task is to select one of your artworks that you think could be more effective in its use of colour and tone.

Then you should share your ideas.

Explain why you think the colours and tones do not work.

Describe the kind of mood you would like to create.

Suggest specific changes you want to make.

Ask for ideas on how you could refine your work.

Pause the video while you work on this.

You might have said something like Alex, who says, "I think the pink stands out, but the balance of colours is off.

I want to draw attention to the right areas of my work." This is in response to his work on the left.

Sofia says, "You could lay out your colours first and choose a limited colour palette that suits your theme.

You could then make the work using just those colours." That's a good idea for improvement.

The next part of your task is to recreate one of your previous experiments, with a focus on colour and tone.

Refine your visual language.

You might use the same process and materials, but with new colours, or use new materials and colours completely.

Make refinements to other areas of the visual language.

Consider colour symbolism.

Can find examples on the internet.

Consider your chosen message, idea, or mood.

Pause the video while you work on this part of the task.

Let's have a look at these pictures.

Izzy says, "I used bold combinations on bright backgrounds, and coloured gels over the lights.

I also tried using flash versus no flash." What do you think is more effective? Alex says, in response to his work, "I chose the colours, cut my shapes, and arrange them ready to stitch to the willow loop for hanging.

I'm much happier, as the new colour combination feels bright, fun, and perfect for a festival." Now let's evaluate how effective your refinements are by comparing the work before and after.

Consider how you chose the new colour combinations, what effect more or less saturation might have, what associations you might make with your colours, what the overall mood of the colours is, how you might improve the use of colour in your next outcome.

Pause the video while you work on this part of the task.

Let's look at Izzy's response.

She says, "The background colours are way more interesting and less plain, they pop.

The dragon fruit looks more vibrant because of it.

I want to explore more combinations next time.

I think it needs a lighter contrast.

The red and blue feel urgent and energetic.

The purple image is soft and mellow." To summarise tone, hue, and colour, variations in tone can give the illusion of three-dimensionality, making objects appear more lifelike.

Artists can use tone to draw the viewer's eye to certain areas of the artwork, guiding the viewer's experience.

Colour encompasses both saturation, hue, and tone.

Colour can influence how viewers perceive and react to the artwork.

Different colours can symbolise ideas or emotions.

Colour is a powerful tool in communicating.