Color and Contrast

Figure /ground relationships are basic to all visual representation

• A figure is a subject and a ground is the area that surrounds it.

• How much the figure and ground stand aprt from each other is the measure of contrast

• The more contrast, the higher the visibility

High contrast between text and background is important when designing material to be read.

• text presentations should offer at least 80% contrast between figure and ground

• black on white is ideal but not alwaus desireable

• lack of contrast causing squinting and eye fatigue

Simoultaneous contrast

• Simoulataneous contrast occurs when complementary or opposite colors are placed next to each othertwo colors of

The Color Wheel

• Color wheels arrange color in a way that allows us to see the relationships between primaries, secondaries and even tertiary colors.

• A good color wheel also shows the range of gradations between different hues.

• This color wheel also shows how colors can be divided into passive, active and neutral zones

• Most often warm, saturated, light value hues are "active" and visually advance

• Cool, low saturated, dark value hues are "passive" and visually recede

• Tints or hues with a low saturation appear lighter than shades or highly saturated colors

• Some colors remain visually neutral or indifferent

• Advancing hues are most often thought to have less visual weight than the receding hue