Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
The boundary between the blue-violet on the left and the blue-green on the right is easy to see in
the top pair. Replace the darker color with a violet of similar value to the blue-green, however, and
their boundary is more difficult to see and seems to vibrate.
Temperature
The temperature of a color is a subjective quality that is related to experi-
ences. Colors considered “warm,” such as red or orange, remind us of heat; cool colors,
such as green or blue, remind us of cold objects or environments, such as ice. Colors
of a particular temperature remind us of these specific kinds of objects or substances
because those substances reflect similar wavelengths of light. The temperature of any
color will be thrown in one direction or another if compared to any other color. Placing
a hot red near an even hotter orange will make that red seem cool; conversely, placing a
slightly cooler magenta next to the same hot red will simply enhance the perception of
its intrinsic temperature.
