Exploring Color Theory

How to use Scale Chart I

You will need these colors no matter what color you choose: red, blue, yellow, black, and white. You will also need paint brushes, water, a paint mixing tray, a paper towel, and possibly a piece of scrap paper. Either use the printout or draw something like the printout on construction paper (4 rows around 1 inches wide and 10 inches long and divided into 10 1-inch sections.)

The file:Scale Chart I - with gray lines
For more choices in color comparing printables go to Color Study Printables and Color Wheels

Choose one of the primary or secondary colors as the main color for the exercise and paint as described below.

Tint- In the first row of 10 squares, paint the first square the main color. Add a little white perhaps a drop or two to your main color, paint that in the next square of the same row, continue lightening the color with white and each time painting the next square in the same row. Hopefully by the time you have arrived at square 10, your color will be very pale, almost white. This is the tint value scale.

Shade- On the next row do the same with black paint.. Paint the first square with your main color, add a very tiny amount of black (go easy on the black) paint the next square and so forth.

Tone- On the 3rd row do the same with your main color and a medium shade of gray. To get gray, add some black paint to white until you have a medium shade. Paint the squares in the same manner as before. This is a saturation value scale.

Intensity- On the 4th row do the same with your main color and its complement. (The color located opposite your main color on the color wheel.) Make the complement if it is a secondary color and then do as before to make the value scale. This one is a intensity value scale.

Example with blue as the main color: