Color in Industrial Design (part 3)
Color as form emphasis Color can be used to emphasize the physical form, and to enhance the surface variation or three-dimensionality. This application is not dependent upon culture, but rather is based on how our minds process visual information. Our eyes equate value variation with surface variation. When this variation is pronounced through color its three-dimensional form is enhanced. comparing similar forms with high and low value colors. Photo by Jason Morris Considering the range of value possible on a form’s surface, more contrast can occur with light (high value) colors, especially white. However, a dark color such as an 80% gray has only a small range of value to exhibit until it’s fully black. So the perceived value change is small. The example below shows how the value change in the white bumper exhibits its curvature. However the dark blue bumpers curvature is hard to see, since its value remains mostly constant and is confused by reflections. ...