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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

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