Color theory explained using mandala

 

The illusion of depth is like the magic of warm and cool colors. Place a cool color in the background

and warm color in the foreground. A two-dimensional picture turns more meaningful.  This is where

experimenting with color theory comes in. 

I often make mandalas and it gives me peace. You will find mandalas throughout Indian temples.

There is something magical about making a mandala. You start off with a blank canvas and draw a

circle. You don't know where your inspiration comes from. But, when you lift your eyes off the canvas,

a beautiful picture looks back at you. 

I will use this mandala to describe warm and cool colors in color theory. And, I will also explain

saturation, tone, and shade of colors in color theory. 

The warm color is energetic and draws attention. It seems to come close to the viewer. Examples of

warm colors include red, orange, and yellow. Cool colors like blue and green look peaceful. They don't

attract much attention. They seem to move away from the viewer. I have used this concept to create an

illusion of depth in my picture. 

Saturation, tone, and shade comprise another concept in color theory. Saturation means how pure a

color is. The greater the purity of color the greater its saturation. You can also mute colors by mixing

black with it. When you mix black with any color then you form shades of that color. A darker shade of

violet has more black mixed with it than a lighter shade. 

You can also dull color if you add white to that color. If you add while then you produce a lighter tint of

that color. As you add more white into violet the lighter the tint you create. 

Colors follow two trends from the outer rim to the center. There are very cool colors towards the

periphery and warm colors towards the center. Again, colors towards the periphery have a darker

shade. Colors towards the center have a lighter shade. 

What does this mandala depict? (According to me) the outer border is like the soul. It remains within

us all like a silent yogi. We cannot depict its nature. But it covers all our thoughts, actions, and karmic

reactions. 

Then the background color is like the mind. It remains confined by the limits of the soul. But, all

thoughts and actions come out of it. Then comes the green color of the leaves. 

Green is a color that gives life. This green is warmer than the blue background and cooler than the

colors of flowers. It is like a transition between the mind and the flowers. In nature, leaves perform

photosynthesis and nourish flowers. Here, these green leaves take nourishment from the mind and the

soul. Then it changes it into food for the flowers.

The flowers are like our aspirations. We do not know where they come from but they are strong. They

attract our attention to such an extent that we forget about the mind and the soul. 

Now back to color theory. Why did I use purple and green? It is because it is easier to make both warm

and cool shades of purple and green. Both are transition colors. 

Darker shades of colors look more mysterious because black is a mysterious color. Lighter tones

represent youthfulness and a lack of seriousness. So, I have used shades of purple to make the rim

and the background. And, I have used a darker shade of green to make the leaves. 

But, to make the flowers I have used tones of purple. It means I have mixed black with purple and

green for the rim, background, and leaves. And, I have mixed white with purple to make flowers.  

The color violet also represents energy and peace. You mix red and blue to form violet. Red stands for

energy and blue for peace. So, you can make violet more or less peaceful if you change the

proportions of red and blue in it. 

If you loved this blog then here is my website for you. Comment and let me know what you would like

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Email me at subarnacreative@gmail.com.