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SubjectFree lesson

THE STUDY OF COLOURS

ClassNotes Team 3 MIN READUPDATED 13 JUN 2026

CULTURAL AND CREATIVE ART (CCA - FINE ART) JSS2 FIRST TERM

WEEK 1

THE STUDY OF COLOURS

Performance Objectives

Students should be able to:

  1. Define colour.
  2. List and explain any two types of colours.

Contents

MEANING OF COLOUR

Colour is viewed in various forms. Colour is the effect produced when light strikes an object and

is reflected back to the eyes. To the artists, they see colour as the pigment or hue. Scientists see colour as the decomposition of white light reflected through a spectrum. Objects around us have various hues which are actually their local colour.

CLASSIFICATION OF COLOURS

  1. PRIMARY COLOURS: Primary colours are the basic colours that cannot be obtained by mixing any other colours together. The primary triads are red, yellow and blue. 
  2. SECONDARY COLOURS: Secondary colours are colours that emerged from the equal combination of two primary colours. Two primary colours are mixed in equal quantities to obtain a secondary colour. The examples are shown below:

      RED + YELLOW= ORANGE

PC      PC      Secondary colour

      BLUE + RED = PURPLE OR VIOLET

PC      PC Secondary colour

      BLUE + YELLOW = GREEN 

PC      PC        Secondary colour

  1. TERTIARY COLOURS: Tertiary colours are derived from the mixture of two secondary colours.
  2. INTERMEDIATE COLOURS- Intermediate colours are derived from the mixture of a primary and a neighbouring secondary colour
  3. HARMONIOUS COLOURS: Harmonious colours are colours that belong to the same family. They are closely related and can blend well together in a painting. Harmonious colours are also called analogous colours.
  4. COMPLIMENTARY COLOURS: Complimentary colours are colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel. A primary colour compliments a secondary colour. The examples are shown below:

      RED is complimentary to GREEN

      PC                            SC

      BLUE is complimentary to ORANGE

      PC                            SC

      YELLOW is complimentary to PURPLE OR VIOLET

      PC                                      SC

  1. NEUTRAL COLOURS: Neutral colours are independent colours which include WHITE and BLACK.The mixture of white and black forms grey or ash. Neutral colours can be added to other colours to brighten and darken them. WHITE mixed with colour forms a tint while BLACK mixed with colour forms a shade.  

GENERAL EVALUATION

  1. State the elements of art and design and explain any two art elements.
  2. List the principles of art and design and explain any two art principles.

 

READING ASSIGNMENT

Cultural and Creative Art (New Edition) by Peter Akinyemi.(Book 2)Pages 15 – 22.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

  1. Which one of these classes of colour cannot be derived by mixing any other colours together? (a) Secondary colour  (b) Primary colour  (c) Intermediate colour  (d) Tertiary colour
  2.  ………....colours are obtained by mixing two primary colours equally. (a) Secondary (b) Primary  (c) Intermediate  (d) Harmonious
  3. The mixture of two secondary colours forms a …………………colour. (a) tertiary  (b) secondary  (c) intermediate (d) complimentary
  4. White, black and grey are ………colour. (a) harmonious (b) intermediate (c) Tertiary  (d) neutral
  5. Colours that are directly opposite each other on the colour wheel are called…..(a) intermediate colour (b)harmonious colour  (c) complementary colour  (d) tertiary colour

THEORY

  1. State a vivid definition of colour.
  2. Differentiate between tint and shade.