Digital Photography and Imaging / Week 7

 Week 7

Lecture 7 : Colour Theory 

Colour theory is both the science and art of using color. It explains how humans perceive color; and the messages colors communicate artistically and emotionally.

RGB v.s CMYK

1) RGB: Additive color mixing model

Colour is created by mixing red, green and blue light sources of various intensities.

TVs, screens and projectors use red, green and blue (RGB) as their primary colors.

2) CMYK: Subtractive color mixing model

Colour is created by the subtraction of light. 

The CMYK color system is the color system used for printing.

Hue, shade, tint and tone

1) Hue is the most basic of color terms and denotes an object’s color. 

2) Shade is a hue to which black has been added. For example, red + black = burgundy.

3) Tint is a hue to which white has been added. For example, red + white = pink.

4) Tone is a color to which black and white (or grey) have been added.

Colour Harmony

The arrangement of the colors in design in the most attractive and effective way for users’ perception.

1) Monochromatic

Monochromatic is hard to make a mistake and create the distasteful color scheme.

2) Analogous

Analogous: Usually one of the three colors predominates.

3) Complementary

Complementary colors are opposites on the color wheel. This scheme is opposite to analogous and monochromatic since it aims to produce high contrast.

Complementary colours make imagery pop, but overusing them can get tiresome.

4) Split-Complementary

Split-Complementary involves the use of three colors. Start with one color, find its complement and then use the two colors on either side of it. 

Split-Complementary involves the use of three colors. Start with one color, find its complement and then use the two colors on either side of it. 

5) Triadic

Triadic colors are evenly spaced around the color wheel and tend to be very bright and dynamic. 

Using triadic color scheme creates visual contrast and harmony simultaneously.

The Psychology of Color

Colors have an extraordinary ability to provoke specific emotions for each individual and to attract people’s attention and harmony simultaneously.

While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, some effects have universal meaning. 

1) Warm V.S Cool

a) Warm colours

Warm colors often evoke feelings of happiness, optimism and energy. 

However, yellow, red and orange can also have an attention grabbing effect and signal danger or make you take action (think stop signs, hazard warnings and barrier tape). 

b) Cool colours

Cool colors are usually calming and soothing but can also express sadness. 

Purple is often used to help spark creativity as it’s a mixture of blue (calm) and red (intense).

2) Black

Black is often used sparingly – such as for text – but it works quite well as a primary colour element (like for backgrounds). 

Black adds an air of sophistication and elegance, and also mystery, though with much bolder confidence.

3) White

As primary, white gives off an impression of clean, virtuous, healthy.

White pairs well with just about anything, making it ideal as a secondary colour. 

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PROJECT 2A DOUBLE EXPOSURE:

INSTRUCTION:

1. Follow the WEEK 7 Tutorial Demo (DOUBLE EXPOSURE)

https://youtu.be/y2JuZUhZWZY

2. Download the images here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lDhDvSaro8tW7XCRa14nOqJO9bDRuqS6?usp=sharing

3. Attach the Project 2A: Double Exposure - PART 1 (DOUBLE EXPOSURE FOLLOW TUTORIAL)

4. Attach the Project 2A: Double Exposure - PART 2 (MY OWN DOUBLE EXPOSURE)

Video: 

Double exposure (Tutorial) process :  

1) Used selection tool to select to subject in the image

2) Used 'select and mask' and used brushes to refine the layers

3)  Added curve adjustment layer to increase contrast for portrait layer

4) Inserted forest picture and applied clipping mask for the effect of the forest image in the portrait.

5) Used brush to unmask the lady's face.

6) Duplicated the forest layer, flip vertical and reposition it. Then, I adjusted it's clipping mask, as well as the portrait’s mask.

7) Added birds and clouds images. I used darken blending mode to remove white background.

8) Added gradient. I choose a gradient map that I liked and lowered the opacity. 

Completed image: 

Double exposure (My own) process :  

1) Used selection tool to select to subject in the image

2) Used 'select and mask' and used brushes to refine the layers

3)  Added curve adjustment layer to increase contrast for portrait layer

4) Inserted nebula picture and applied clipping mask for the effect of the nebula image in the portrait.

5) Used brush to unmask the face.

6) Changed background colour the match with the nebula image.

7) Added birds and clouds images. I used darken blending mode to remove white background, then I inverted the bird images to make the bird white, in contrast with the dark background.

8) Added gradient. I choose a gradient map that I liked and lowered the opacity. 

Completed image: 

Reflection : 

While I enjoyed the process of creating my double exposure portrait, I did struggle to express myself  with double exposure, mainly because I really didn't know what image to edit with my face. I was fun learning about new photo editing tricks, and improve my photoshop skills.

I do look cool though, I liked my galaxy glasses the best.