ELI5: What Is Color in Art?

In art, color is a magical visual ingredient that artists use to show what the world looks like, grab your attention, and make you feel different emotions.

Think of color in art just like spices in cooking or flavors in ice cream. Without color, the world would be like plain vanilla, but with color, you get strawberry, chocolate, and mint!

Just like you notice things in everyday life, artists use three main ideas about color to tell a story:

• Hue is simply the name of the color, like the bright yellow of a ripe banana, the deep blue of the summer sky, or the green of the grass in the park.
• Value is how light or dark a color is. Imagine looking at your bedroom with the lights on, versus looking at it with the lights off. Dark colors can make a painting feel spooky like nighttime, while light colors feel happy and sunny like morning.
• Saturation is how strong or bright the color looks. A brand-new red fire truck has super bright color, but an old, dusty brick has a soft, dull color.

• Warm colors like red, orange, and yellow remind you of the blazing sun or a cozy campfire. They make pictures feel energetic, warm, or exciting.
• Cool colors like blue, green, and purple remind you of a chilly swimming pool or shady trees. They make pictures feel calm, peaceful, or sometimes a little sad.