WARM & COOL Color Perception

Almost half the color wheel hues are considered WARM

* the apex is RED-ORANGE

* most hues can be warmed by the addition of red or yellow

* associations with fire, sun, blood

Almost half the color wheel hues are considered COOL

* the apex is BLUE-GREEN

* most hues can be cooled with the addition of blue

* associations with water, sky, trees

WARM hues seen to emit light and heat

COOL hues suggest coolness, distance and shadow

There are WARM and COOL tendencies to most pigments.

WARM & COOL contrasts evoke the following visual opposites:

WARM COOL

Light Shadow

Summer Winter

Fire Water

Fall Spring

Dry Wet

Close Distant