Colour tutorial. Tertiary colours

1. Background. You’re going to watch the video “Colour tutorial. Tertiary colours. The basics of brown and grey” in which the speaker will give examples of using neutral palette in art and illustration. Work in pairs and discuss the questions.

1.  How can tertiary colours be created? How do designers and illustrators use these colours in their work?

2.  What tertiary colours (if any) do you use most often in your work? What colours don’t you like to use? Why?

3.  How can brown and grey colours be used in illustration and design? Do you use these colours? If yes, how do you use them??

2. Key words. Read the sentences (1-6). The words in bold are used in the video. First guess the meaning of the words. Then match the words with their definitions (a-f).

1. Using the tertiary colours wisely can establish a colour hierarchy.    

2. The images for the chapter “The Wild Wood” depicting a frightening journey by mole into the menacing woods

3. Although the reaction is subtle, it’s still essential for the image.

4. It still helps to get the colours to pop off the ground and help delineate the forms.

5. It gives a context or an environment for the colours to exist.     

6. Using tertiary colours requires more attention to the use of vibrancy for creating a focal point.  

a)  not bright or noticeable 

b)   representing

c)  objects that surround a person or a thing 

d) mark the edge of something 

e)  central and important

f)  a system of things ranked according to importance 

3. Watch the video. Put the sentences from the talk in order (1-3).

a) Sometimes tertiary colours can play the largest role in a piece with only a limited need for vibrancy to make an image work.

b) Tertiary colours react quietly and discreetly drawing less attention in the loud vibrant colours. 

c) Tertiary colours can still vibrate against each other if complementary relationships are established between these neutral colours.

4. Watch the video. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)?

1. Many artists and illustrators do not use tertiary colours and call them ‘mud’. 

2. In an image tertiary colours can create a background to help vibrant colours become more visible. 

3.  The speaker used bright and warm colours to create an illustration for the chapter about frightened mole in the wood.

4. The speaker likes to work with white page and never uses colours in the background of her illustrations.

5.  Mole’s coat and the trees are in the same brown family.

6. Mole’s red scarf makes the views focus on the small and frightened mole.

7. The red colour of the mole’s scarf and the green of his coat create a complementary colour combination.

8. In the illustration for the chapter about happy mice the speaker used warm palette in the background to create the atmosphere of happiness and warmth.

9. The speaker believes that neutral tertiary colours can be used subtly and effectively in illustration.

5. Watch the video. Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

1. Tertiary colours are made from mixing or layering three primary/first colours, two contrasting/secondary colours or two contrary/complementary colours.    

2. I chose to start with a ground of Van Dyke Brown/ Van Dyke Red with a layer of bright/emerald green glazed over it to create a neutral palette/ground colour; it’s slightly dull/cool but not cold/vibrant.   

3. Using purple/grey in the neutral ground created a monochrome/complementary reaction to the opposite/complementary colour placed on top and created the greatest dull/vibrant reaction in the piece.  

6.  Read the sentences. Then watch the video and complete the sentences with one word per space.

1. Using the tertiary colours wisely as a kind of backup singer to the more vibrant ____ can create balance in an ____ .   

2. A ____ of ____ colour with high value ____ made the most sense for something serious and frightening. 

3. The variety of ____ neutral colours is made from cadmium ____, ___ ochre, burnt umber, and ____.

4. Notice that mole is wearing the highest level of ____, a pure ___ scarf made of cadmium ____.    

5. It creates just enough ____ to make the ____ focus on mole. 

7. OVER TO YOU. Answer the questions or discuss them in small groups.

1. Can you remember any illustration or poster that used neutral tertiary colours effectively? What did you like about those illustrations or posters? Get ready to bring the example of these illustrations or posters to discuss it in the classroom.

2. Do you think any book needs to be illustrated? Which one?

3. What book or book chapter would you like to illustrate?

4. Think of your favourite scene in the book you like or have recently read. How would you illustrate these scenes? What colours would you use for the background, main characters?

5. Create an illustration for your favourite scene in the book you like or have recently read. It doesn’t have to be the final version, create a first draft. Choose the colours for the scene. Get ready to bring the example of this illustration to discuss your choice of colours in the classroom.