There are 7 contrasts of colour (to compare in order to show unlikeness or differences; note the opposite natures)
Ittens 7 contrasts;
- Contrast of tone
- Contrast of hue
- Contrast of saturation
- Contrast of extension
- Contrast of temperature
- Complimentary contrast
- Simultaneous contrast
Contrast of tone
Formed by the juxtaposition of light and dark values. This could be monochromatic
This is a desaturated colour wheel that gives us tone (remaining colour value). The reason we can see the words below is because of the contrast. Both are just as easy to read because the background grey is the mid tone of on the colour wheel between black and white. This means it is equal distance apart.
Where as the word below is closer to background on the colour wheel meaning there is less of a contrast in tone.
Contrast of hue
Formed
by the juxtaposing of different hues. The greater the distance between hues on
a colour wheel, the greater the contrast.
Blue stands out the most in the image above because it has the highest tonal value of the 3 when on the white background.
Whereas when the 3 colours are placed on a black background their tonal value changes. Yellow has the highest tonal value in this and means this has the highest tonal value.
Formed by a juxtaposition of light and dark values and their relative saturations
The surrounding colours become closer to grey because of the purer blue making the others look duller and paler. This illustrates contrast working with the dimensions of the saturation.
Contrast on extension
Formed by assigning proportional field sizes in relation to the visual weight of a colour. Also known as the contrast of proportion.
Less violet creates visual balance next to the yellow, the second one is more vibrant, but in both of them the colour is balanced.
The brightnes of the yellow and the weight of the violet means they're both competing for attention, it looks like it is moving and vibrating. High contrast of hue.
Idea of colour having spacial quality, think about things that jump out or recede.
Equal amount of colour doesn't actually mean it'll be balanced, the small yellow stands out more against the larger violet background.
Contrast of temperature
Formed by juxtaposing hues that can be considered 'warm' or 'cool'. Also known as the contrast of warm and cool.
The magenta is the cooler of the reds compared to the red on the right, the warmer red creates a cool contrast on the red. When you stare at the borders on the flat colours a gradient appears because we perceive the colour as cool as we move along the colours, then when we get to the cooler colour the colour on the right looks warmer. It's a trick of the eyes.
Complimentary colours
Formed by juxtaposing complementary colours from a colour wheel or perceptual opposites.
These are two complimentry colours that a high contrast = high value
Even a desaturated blue and orange are high value contrasting because of the complimentary contrast fighting for attention.
The saturated blue blends together more with the green because it has a lower tone value as opposed to the yellow.
Simultaneous contrast
This is formed when boundaries between colours perceptually vibrate.
The image above is missing red (yellow and green[yellow+blue]) out of the primary colours. When staring at it long enough the yellow seems to extract the yellow value out of the green leaving behind the blue.
when starring at the yellow side then across o the blue the grey suddenly turns a slight tone of orange.