Colour Theory for Artists and Designers

Graphic designers, artists, photographers and all those involved in the visual arts need an accurate understanding of colour theory. This free online course from ALISON presents aspects of colour and light perception such as hue, lightness and chroma, brightness and saturation, visual perception of colour, mixing paints, and additive and subtractive colour mixing. The comprehensive text is accompanied by interactive graphics that further explain the concepts. This course is ideal for any learner who practices the visual arts, either professionally or as a hobby, and who wants to greatly enhance their knowledge and understanding of colour theory.

To qualify for your official ALISON Diploma, Certificate or PDF you must study and complete all modules and score 80% or more in each of the course assessments. A link to your Diploma certificate will then appear under the My Certificates heading of your My Account page.

Upon completion of this course you will understand the dimension of colour by observing colour relationships, and selecting and mixing colour. You will know the meaning of chroma, saturation, hue, lightness, colorfulness and brightness. You will know the basics of colour vision, adaptation, colour constancy, simultaneous contrast and assimilation.You will learn about colour mixing such as additive and subtractive colour. You will understand the principles of colour that are relevant for painters.