SP26 Wednesday Color Theory for Artists and Designers

Day/Time: 10 Wednesdays starting February 18, 2:00-4:30pm 

There is no class March 25

Location: MIT Arts Studios, W20-425

Instructor: Timothy Lee

The perception of color is not a fixed mode of seeing but rather psychological and relative. Understanding the implications of color selection, mixing, and placement allows one to harness the emotional qualities of color.

This introductory course provides students with a comprehensive guide to color theory that is applicable to their interests as both artists and designers. This is a rigorous course that will explore the properties of color, including temperatures, color bias, relational dynamics, complementary/analogous colors, color hierarchies, and color schemes that is supplemented with art historical references in how artists have handled color in their works across centuries of making.

Students are expected to have a grasp of representational drawing to benefit from this course. Multiple, short exercises in color will supplement two long-term projects that will challenge students in intentional handling of colors. For this class, we will be working with acrylic paints.