We have designed a new way to enjoy colouring that can feel like magic. Instead of mixing coloured materials, you can colour in shapes to create the perception of colour mixing. When you follow the colour code provided for each colouring page, the shapes appear to transform from 2D flat drawings to 3D overlapping transparent objects. It’s not the coloured materials being mixed but the colours are mixing perceptually.
The part of our brain that interprets light waves entering our eyes, understands colour. It’s the stories we have consumed that can alter our expectations of what colours will appear when materials are mixed. If you were taught that blue and red paint mix purple, the colour you see when those materials are mixed will be labeled purple in your mind. It won’t necessarily match the colour you call purple when you see a vivid purple flower.
Many people have added a range of colours to different colour concepts to accommodate stories that don’t actually make sense. If we attach a more specific colour concept to a colour name, it can help us create stories that are more logical and helpful. When we do this, a wide range of colours can be identified in relation to the main colour concept. We can use different concepts like light, dark, proximity to other colours on the spectrum, and how much of the primary colours are involved, to understand if the the colour is more vivid, black, brown, grey, etc.
Thinking about how much CMY is involved in different colours can help you predict how colours will interact. ‘Colour by Code’ is a fun way to train your brain to think about how much CMY is in play. We created a video to help you learn how to colour by code. It’s an easy and fun way to learn about and interact with colour. You can get your copy of ‘Colour by Code: Shapes’ on the books page.
We will keep working to create many fun and interesting ways for you to play with colour!