New
New
Tone, hue and colour
I can use colour and tone to express ideas and feelings in my work
Lesson 5 of 9
New
New
- Year 10
Tone, hue and colour
I can use colour and tone to express ideas and feelings in my work
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Variations in tone create the illusion of 3D space, makes objects more lifelike, and attracts attention
- Colour is a powerful tool in the communication of a thought, idea or emotion
- Colour encompasses both hue and tone, and its combination can influence how viewers perceive and react to the artwork.
- Different colours can symbolise various ideas or emotions, allowing artists to communicate more than just the visual.
Keywords
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
Common misconception
Hue and colour mean the same thing.
Colour is the overarching name for what we see but it is made up of hues and tones.
This is a great lesson as a review as it encourages lots of reflection around how students are using colour to communicate.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Materials suitable for your specialism that encourage playful exploration of colour and tonal combinations. This could include dyes, glazes, paints, coloured gels or other semi transparent materials
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these is an element of art?
Which of these is an element of art?
Grammar
Perspective
Paragraph
Q2.True or false? Shading with a pencil can help create the effect of depth in a drawing.
True or false? Shading with a pencil can help create the effect of depth in a drawing.
fFalse
Q3.Match the artist with a key visual focus they are known for
Match the artist with a key visual focus they are known for
Q4.Which of these words describes how something feels or looks like it would feel?
Which of these words describes how something feels or looks like it would feel?
Balance
Tone
Perspective
Q5.True or false? Primary colours are red, green, and yellow.
True or false? Primary colours are red, green, and yellow.
true
Q6.Match the term with the correct idea
Match the term with the correct idea
