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Color Fundamentals

 

Color Fundamentals

 

Class Description

This class will give you an overview of color principles and demonstrate how to apply them. Instructor Mary Jane Begin is an award-winning illustrator and author of children’s picture books, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate and professor in the Illustration Department. 


In this class she covers: 
  • The elements of color, including value, temperature, saturation, hierarchy, complements, light, harmony, and contrast 
  • The use of color complements in image making 
  • The relationship of color to the medium and expression 

Through a series of demonstrations, you’ll learn how to work with color and ultimately make better color decisions. This class covers color theory foundations that applies to all image making, in design, art, illustration, photography, and beyond.

Lessons

  1. Class Introduction
  2. Understanding the Basics of Color
  3. Color Contrast and Hierarchy
  4. Saturation or Vibrancy of Color
  5. Ground or Surface Color
  6. What is Color Harmony?
  7. Color Palette
  8. Set-up Chalk & Charcoal Demo
  9. Demo: Sketch Simple Still Life
  10. Demo: Establish Value Structure
  11. Demo: Find Temperature Balance
  12. Demo: Shadow & Highlight Placement
  13. Demo: Establish Dimensional Form of Object
  14. Set-up Watercolor Demo
  15. Demo: Establish Color Ground
  16. Demo: Establish Colors for Object
  17. Demo: Sketch Object onto Watercolor
  18. Demo: Color Subtraction & Value Range
  19. Demo: Color Blocking for Composition
  20. Demo: Establish the Shadow Tone
  21. Demo: Utilization of Opaque Color
  22. Desaturate Image in a Picture

Reviews

Anna Kotzè
 

I really liked the informal demonstrations and I also liked the way she set out her pallet with warm and cold colors. This was not only an informative class but inspiring. The casual and relaxed working style, encourage playfulness. Thank you for an awesome class.

Robin B.
 

I had previously learned basic color theory, but this instructor took my knowledge beyond with layered instruction about value-contrast-complements-hierarchy, etc., and she does it in such a fun way with her own examples of work and great stories! I like her poise and confidence and think this series is a terrific value.

Eve
 

Excellent instruction! Most helpful to me in terms of establishing the focal point of an image through use of value, color harmony. Also helpful to understand transparency and opacity and how that relates to highlights and shadows. MJ is fun and likable.