Warm Colors, Cool Colors: How Artists Use Color to Tell a Story
Look at a picture of a sunset and a picture of the ocean. The sunset picture probably feels warm and cozy. The ocean picture probably feels cool and calm. That's not an accident -- artists pick colors on purpose to make you feel a certain way!
What You'll Learn
- Which colors are called 'warm colors' and which feelings they give us - Which colors are called 'cool colors' and which feelings they give us - How artists pick colors on purpose to tell a story in their picture - How to use warm and cool colors in your own drawing
Warm Colors: Red, Orange, and Yellow
Red, orange, and yellow are called warm colors. They remind us of things that are warm, like the sun, fire, and hot lava. When artists use lots of warm colors, a picture can feel exciting, happy, or even a little bit dangerous -- like a fire truck racing by! Next time you see a birthday party picture or a picture of a beach on a sunny day, look for warm colors. Artists often use them to make a scene feel bright and full of energy.
Cool Colors: Blue, Green, and Purple
Blue, green, and purple are called cool colors. They remind us of things that are cool, like water, grass, and shady forests. When artists use lots of cool colors, a picture can feel calm, peaceful, or sleepy -- like a quiet night sky. A picture of the ocean, a forest, or a rainy day probably uses a lot of cool colors. Artists use them to help you feel relaxed or still when you look at the picture.
Cover one eye and squint a little at a picture with both warm and cool colors in it. The warm colors (red, orange, yellow) will usually seem to jump forward, while the cool colors (blue, green, purple) seem to sink back. Artists use this trick to make parts of a picture feel closer or farther away!
Mixing Warm and Cool in One Picture
Lots of great artists use both warm and cool colors in the same picture on purpose. A famous example is Vincent van Gogh's painting 'The Starry Night' -- he painted a cool blue night sky, but added warm yellow swirls for the stars and moon. The warm yellow stars pop out and grab your eyes against all that cool blue!
Drag each color to the correct group: Warm or Cool.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
Which group of colors reminds us of things like fire and sunshine?
In 'The Starry Night,' why do the yellow stars stand out so much against the blue sky?
Paint a Warm Picture and a Cool Picture
Draw or color two small pictures of the same thing -- like a cat, a tree, or a house. In the first picture, only use warm colors (red, orange, yellow). In the second picture, only use cool colors (blue, green, purple). When you're done, look at both pictures and write one sentence about how each picture makes you feel differently.
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