WARM AND COOL COLOURS

 

Every colour has a certain tendency towards what's called warm and cool.

As a group, reds and yellows are considered warm colours and blue a cool colour. But in general, warm colours contain more yellow, and cool colours contain more blue. Red can go either way, depending on the amount of yellow or blue in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The use of either predominantly warm or predominantly cool colours can have different psychological effects.

Cool colours such as blue, green and light purple have the ability to calm and soothe, while warm colours, traditionally associated with hot things, (like the shining sun) may transmit more energetic sensations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                     Alley by the Lake, Leonid Afremov

 

Warm colours are said to advance or appear more active and predominant in a painting, while cool colours tend to recede.