Week Three: All Shades (and Tints!) of Sam

This week we learned about colour theory. Now I know a thing or two about colour theory from art classes in school from grades 7-9 (in which I made the aforementioned colour wheel). So I've already heard the terms analogous, complimentary, monochromatic, hue and saturation. Those last two are almost common knowledge among anyone who customizes their computer/web browser/instant messenger's colours these days (which I do).

I've always been fascinated with colour. One of the few things I retained from those (I guess I should have said *mandatory*) art classes was looking at shades and tints, and the word psychoactive. It probably has a negative connotation, but it just means a colour that catches the eye (the most being red). These lessons have influenced me so much in my choices regarding personal appearance I'd venture to say they transformed me in a way. I dyed my hair red (and black, because I love contrast) and the main colours of my wardrobe are black, white and red. It's not that I'm necessarily trying to draw the eye to myself in a narcissistic way, just that I want to show that with my contrasting appearance also comes a contrast in personality - I'm not just one way or another or (ironically) black or white. I have dimensions, and I like my choices in colour to reflect that.

I'm no expert, but I also know how much colour can affect or appeal to a person's mood. Not just the hue either, but the saturation as well. I generally like to surround myself with more saturated colours but depending on my mood they can give me a headache. For example: the walls in my apartment are green, but a very low saturation of a green (almost this, but less saturated) I would never normally think of liking. If it was as saturated or bright as the colour I just showed you I probably wouldn't be able to stand living here, which is a pretty serious situation of colour affecting an important part of life.

I'd like to think I have a heightened understanding and appreciation of colour because I take so much notice of contrast, that I can pick up all the minute differences in shades, tints, hues, saturations, etc. I picked a black background with monochromatic colour scheme for this blog (with a splash of complimentary colour) so it would be easier to read and have a unified look. Also I drew all the colours from the image I used in my header. See? I'm using the CRAP theory already!