| How to Practice Color Theory Posted: 09 Sep 2020 01:00 AM PDT Whether you're a graphic designer or a visual artist, you have to work with a variety of colors on a daily basis. Color theory helps you to pinpoint the various emotions and attitudes that different hues and color combinations convey. To practice and integrate color theory into your latest art projects, choose a variety of hues or color schemes to communicate a certain message. If you'd like to cater to a specific emotion or mindset, use both color theory and color psychology to figure out which feelings are associated with different colors. [Edit]Choosing Hues and Color Schemes for a Project - Create basic color schemes with primary and secondary colors. Take a look at your color palette before starting on a new creative project. Red, yellow, and blue are primary colors, which work together to create secondary colors like orange, green, and purple. As you embark on new colorful projects, review these different color mixtures, and how each hue connects with other shades.[1]
- "Hue" is another term for a generic color.
- Look at a color wheel to see how different hues bleed and connect with one another.
- To review, red and yellow form orange; yellow and blue form green; and blue and red form purple.
- Use the additive color mixing model to create digital color schemes. Imagine 3 separate red, blue, and green spotlights intersecting in a large Venn diagram, forming smaller slivers of yellow, cyan, magenta, and a white center portion. Remember that different colors can be formed when different shades of light combine. Since the additive color mixing model focuses on how colors of light are viewed by the eye, try applying it to a potential logo, or other types of professional, digital publications.[2]
- Implement the subtractive color mixing model in your print publications. The subtractive color mixing model combines the wavelengths of different colors to create new shades. To better understand this model, imagine a Venn diagram of 3 separate cyan, magenta, and yellow circles. Envision slivers of blue forming between cyan and magenta, green forming between cyan and yellow, and red forming between magenta and yellow. Note that, when combined, cyan, magenta, and yellow form black.[3]
- This model is used by color printers, and helps the human eye process color on printed material.
- Different colors have different light wavelengths, which cancel one another out in this model. For instance, red has a long wavelength, green has a medium wavelength, and blue has a short wavelength.[4]
- Go with warm tones like reds, oranges, and yellows to create bright color schemes. Associate warm colors with bright, sunny hues. On the color wheel, remember that red, red-orange, orange, orange-yellow, yellow, and yellow-green are all on the warm spectrum since they're sunny, fiery tones. Note that warm tones have longer color wavelengths, with red being the longest and yellow-green being the shortest. [5]
- Warm tones are often associated with sunsets, campfires, and other bright color combinations.
- Choose cool tones like greens, blues, and purples to make a color scheme. Connect cool colors with darker, more subtle hues. As you examine the color wheel, place green, green-blue, blue, indigo, blue-purple, and purple on the cool color spectrum, as opposed to the warm spectrum. Create reflective and soothing color schemes by combining different varieties of these colors. As you factor in the additive and subtractive color models, note that cool colors have shorter wavelengths, with green being the longest and purple being the shortest.[6]
- Play around with tone, tint, and shade to create new colors. When designing a color palette for a new project, try tweaking different hues to make them lighter or darker. To "tint" a shade, mix white into the original hue. If you'd prefer to create a darker color, use black to add "shade." If you're looking for some kind of middle ground, incorporate a splash of gray to a hue to add "tone." Use different variations of both primary and secondary colors to create new shades.[7]
- For instance, robin's egg blue is a tinted alteration of a generic blue hue. On the other hand, navy blue is a shaded variation.
- Create a synchronized color scheme with analogous colors. If you're trying to create a subtle, stylish backdrop for piece of art or an interior design, try using different color variations of the same hue. Add white, black, or gray to a color to modify the hue, then combine different variations to create a fun color scheme. Experiment with both light and dark versions of different colors, whether you're working on an art project, a graphic design publication, or an interior renovation.[8]
- For instance, if you're trying to paint a sky backdrop for a piece of art, try using an analogous blue color scheme. Use darker blues for the base of the sky, then blend into lighter shades of blue.
- Make your project pop with complementary colors. Look at a color wheel to find hues that are opposite of one another on the color wheel, like red and green. These opposing hues emphasize one another with their differing color values. Keep in mind that complementary colors don't have to be generic hues—tinted and shaded colors also have respective opposites on the color wheel, as well.[9]
- For example, try making a more engaging logo by including 2 complementary colors in your brand's identity. If you're running an ocean-themed jewelry store, try mixing light blue and peach to design an effective, eye-popping logo.
- Develop a dynamic color scheme with triadic colors. Choose 3 colors that are an equal distance away from one another on the color wheel to create a triadic color scheme. If you'd like to add more depth to an aspect of your design or art project, use triadic colors to provide harmony and emphasis without the direct contrast of complementary colors. To find a triadic color scheme, place an equilateral triangle on top of a color wheel, and use all 3 colors that the triangle points to.[10]
- For instance, purple, orange, and green are equally separated from each other, which forms a color triad.
[Edit]Communicating Messages with Color - Associate different blues with a feeling of security. Incorporate shades of blue into your art and design projects to give off a calming and secure vibe. While color alone can't completely define the mood of a design or piece of art, you can use it to set an emotionally-driven stage for your project. Use blue to establish a comfortable, relatable environment for potential viewers, so these people are more inclined to engage with your work.[11]
- In some high-risk areas, blue lights are successfully used to prevent suicide attempts.
- Many stores use blue paint on the walls, as it has a serene effect on the customers.
- Connect green hues with a sense of luck and harmony. Imbue your art, interiors, and other creative projects with a sense of luck, health, and positivity by including the color green. Choose from different green tones to convey this message, whether you're painting a bedroom or designing the backdrop for a website. Before you decide on a final color scheme, note that green can also be attributed to jealous emotions.[12]
- Since green is associated with luck and wealth, use a shade of this color when designing a website for a financial consulting firm, or an investment agency.
- Generate positive, fun vibes with the color yellow. Warm yellow is a great option when designing a friendly, engaging backdrop, or logo. People tend to associate brightness, happiness, and sunny imagery with the color yellow, which can make it a great option for a classroom, gym, or other interior. Since yellow is especially bright, use it sparingly as a backdrop for websites and other forms of media with a lot of text.[13]
- Yellow is a color with a lot of intensity, so it can generate a lot of strong emotions from a viewer.
- Embrace originality and optimism with orange tones. Select this warm color to create an engaging, enthusiastic presentation. If you're trying to bring attention to an aspect of your creative project, opt for some shade of orange to draw in the eye. Additionally, you can use this color to generate feelings of warmth and excitement.[14]
- For example, if you're trying to start a cooking channel on YouTube, try using a shade of orange in your logo. This could help provide an energetic attitude to your channel.
- People tend to have divisive opinions about the color orange. Don't be surprised if some people either really enjoy or really dislike its use in different designs.
- Demonstrate passion and excitement with the color red. Use the color red to your advantage when designing a bedroom, eating area, or other intense creative project. Note that people tend to feel amplified around this color, whether they're feeling eager and excited or passionate and angry. Opt for red in your creative projects whenever you're trying to make a statement, or when you're trying to appeal to an intense, serious audience.[15]
- The color red is associated with different things. While some people attribute the color to romance and love, others connect it to dangerous feelings and situations.
- Associate calmness and intuition with pink. Add a soft, romantic attitude to your art, interior, or brand identity with a splash of pink. Note the feminine and sensual associations people have with the color pink, even if they're connected to common stereotypes. If you're trying to create a romantic atmosphere in your creative project, opt for pink, as opposed to passionate red or energetic yellow.[16]
- For instance, if you're designing a website for a floral business, using a pink color scheme to cater to hopeless romantics and similar clientele.
- Create an aura of fantasy and mystery with purple hues. Embrace a sense of royalty and intrigue by adding different shades of purple into your projects. Note the historical significance of purple, and how it's typically associated with wealthy, royal concepts and individuals. If you're working on a project that caters naturally to a person's sense of imagination, a purple color scheme is a great option for you to consider.[17]
- For example, if you're working on a piece of art with a mysterious, mystical vibe, try using different shades of purple in the backdrop, or incorporate the color throughout the design.
[Edit]References |
| How to Make a LEGO Castle Posted: 08 Sep 2020 05:00 PM PDT There are a ton of LEGO castle-building sets, but you don't have to have a set of specific instructions to make your own castle. With a solid foundation, the right building technique, and a good design idea, you can easily build one. [Edit]Building Walls, Gates, and Towers - Choose a flat base plate to form the base of the wall. LEGO base plates are the flat pieces often used as flooring in a model. Use a flat base plate to give your first layer of bricks a surface to attach to so they're sturdy.[1]
- You can choose multiple flat base plates to build your foundation or use a large single one.
- Choose a brown base plate to mimic dirt or a green one to look like grass.
- Place rectangular bricks on the base plates to start your wall. Form the first layer of your castle wall by attaching rectangular LEGO bricks to your base plates. Place them end to end so they're touching and form a single layer.[2]
- If you want to give your castle a classic look, use gray bricks.
- Try to use bricks of the same size so your wall looks more uniform.
- Use an interlocking technique to stack additional bricks. An interlocking technique means you take 2 bricks touching end to end, and lay 1 brick across them to keep them connected. As you continue stacking your bricks and building your wall, use an interlocking technique to make your wall sturdier.[3]
- An interlocking design is a classic brick wall technique, so using it for your castle will make it look more like a real wall.
- Leave larger gaps at the bottom of the wall to create gates. As you're stacking your bricks and building your castle wall, choose where you want to place a gate. Leave a larger gap between 2 sides of your wall to leave a gate opening. If you have a LEGO gate piece or drawbridge, add it to the opening and build around it.[4]
- If you're making a larger castle, you can make multiple gate openings.
- The gate opening can be any size you like, but a proper castle must have a gate!
- Stagger the bricks to create openings for windows. If you want to add some windows to your castle walls, leave an extra space between 2 bricks so there's a small opening. Then, continue stacking your castle in an interlocking fashion.[5]
- You can adjust the size of your windows by leaving a smaller or a larger gap between bricks.
- If you have square bricks, you can stagger them to create a series of small windows.
- Add towers above the gates by stacking corner bricks. If you want to add some towers on top of your gates, use 3-studded corner bricks to add a textured design effect. Stack them on top of your gate and place rectangular bricks across them to create a roof.[6]
- You can also add smaller bricks on top to give the tower a spire, or a point.
- Space out square pieces on top for a classic castle design. Once you've finished building a section of your castle wall, add some square pieces on top to give it that classic medieval design effect. Space out the square bricks evenly so it looks consistent.[7]
- Create corner turrets by stacking bricks in a square design. A turret is a tower that's usually placed at the corners of a castle. Stack rectangular bricks in a square pattern to build turrets and then place them at the corners of your walls.[8]
- Make the turrets taller than your walls.
- If you're making multiple turrets, build them the same size and height so your castle looks even.
- Create bridges with base plates between towers or walls. Use brown base plates so the bridges look wooden. Attach them to the tops of walls or towers to connect 2 of them together and form a bridge that your LEGO people can cross.[9]
- You could also use gray base plates to look like stone bridges.
- Add thin rectangular bricks to the sides of the bridges to make railings.
[Edit]Choosing Castle Designs - Look for instructions on the LEGO website if you want a specific design. If you want to build a specific castle design, you can use the official instructions as a guide. Search on the LEGO website or in a search engine for the castle design you're looking for and print out or read the directions on your screen.[10]
- To visit the LEGO website, go to: https://www.lego.com/.
- You may need to find or buy specialized pieces in order to build some of the designs.
- Use the Kingdom's Modular Castle Creator for a variety of designs. You can use LEGO castle "modules" which are sets that can be configured in multiple ways to give you a lot of different design options. The set includes instructions and all of the pieces you'll need to build interchangeable modules, which you can use to create castle designs of your own.[11]
- You can purchase the Kingdom's Modular Castle Creator online.
- Most of the designs in the modular require specialized pieces that are included in the set.
- Find specialty castle sets if you want to build a specific design. LEGO makes sets that include instructions and all of the pieces that you'll need to build a specific castle, such as Cinderella's castle or Queen Elsa's castle from Frozen. Search online for specific castle designs offered by LEGO and choose the one you want to build.[12]
- Check out the LEGO website for different castle sets you can build.
- Combine multiple castle sets to form a large castle build. Choose LEGO castle design sets that you like and build them individually to combine them into a large castle. You could also use modules or pieces from the various sets to build a castle of your own design, using elements from each of the sets that you like.[13]
- For instance, you could take modules or pieces from a forest castle design and a medieval outpost design and use different features to make your own unique design.
- Search online for inspiration for your castle design. There are a lot of LEGO builders out there who love to construct super elaborate and detailed LEGO castles. Look up LEGO castles online and search through the designs to find elements that you like and can replicate in your own castle.[14]
[Edit]Adding Details, Decorations, and Scenery - Attach a castle door to the outside of the wall. Use a specialized rectangular brick that has studs on the side to allow other lego pieces to be attached to them and add it to your wall design. Take a LEGO castle door piece and stick it onto the studs to add a castle door to the exterior of your wall.[15]
- LEGO castle doors are specialized pieces that may only come in specific building kits.
- The castle door can't be opened like a gate, but it's a great decoration for your castle walls!
- Clip balcony modules onto walls or towers. Modules are specialized pieces that form a specific design. Choose a balcony module and attach it to a tower or wall to add balconies to your castle.[16]
- Balcony modules require specialized pieces and may need to be purchased separately
- Place LEGO animals and people around the castle. Add some pigs, chickens, soldiers, farmers, and other figures into your castle to bring it to life. Place the soldiers along the walls and the animals around the area to create a realistic scene.[17]
- Use your imagination! For instance, maybe there's a mighty dragon landing on the castle walls or a LEGO person chasing after a chicken inside of the castle.
- Use flat blue base plates to make a moat around the castle. A moat is a ditch filled with water surrounding a castle to help defend against attackers. Take some blue flat base plates and place them on the exterior of your castle, next to the walls. Stack them end to end around your castle to form a flowing moat.[18]
- Lay a brown base plate over the water in front of your castle gates to create a wooden drawbridge.
- Add some plants and trees around the castle. Attach bushes around the outside of your castle walls to add some greenery. Place trees around the inside and outside of your castle to make it look more realistic and lively.[19]
- Put some LEGO flags up around the walls and towers. If you have some LEGO banners, stick them directly onto studs on the top of your castle walls. If you have flags and flag poles, attach the flag poles to studs and connect the flags to them to make it look like they're blowing in the wind.[20]
- Spend some time sorting out your pieces before you start building so it's easier to find what you need.
- It's your castle design, so have fun with it!
[Edit]References |
| How to Read Scientific Articles Quickly Posted: 08 Sep 2020 09:00 AM PDT Scientific articles, densely packed with jargon, can be daunting — especially when you have to read several at a clip. While it's usually worth taking your time to read the article thoroughly, in some circumstances you just don't have that kind of time. Fortunately, you don't need to read every word of a scientific article to understand the main points. Focusing on the results, particularly the included tables and charts, enables you to digest the information quickly without having to read through a lot of complex text. [Edit]Understanding Article Structure - Skim the section headings of the article. The section headings of the article tell you how the article is organized so you can figure out how to read it and determine if it suits your purpose. Most scientific articles are organized with the following sections:[1]
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Glance at the tables and charts. Looking at the tables and charts before you read any other part of the article can help you determine if the article will be useful for you. If the article was assigned, the tables and charts will give you a quick understanding of the article before you start reading so what you read will make more sense.[2]
- The title of each table and chart gives you a handy summary of what the study evaluated or tested. You'll likely see similar language in the abstract of the article.
- Read the abstract to get an overview of the article. The abstract gives you a basic overview of the article in 250-500 words, so you should be able to read it relatively quickly. As you read the abstract, think back to your reason for reading the article. If it's clear from the abstract that the article doesn't support your reason for reading it, you're done. There's no need to read any further if the article won't help you.[3]
- For example, if you're looking for sources for a research paper, you'll know after reading the abstract if the article is related to your paper or would be potentially helpful for your thesis.
- If you know you'll have to read the whole article regardless (such as if you're reading it to fulfill a course assignment), the abstract still gives you a brief overview of the whole article that you can use as a sort of map to guide your reading.
- If there are any words in the abstract that you don't know, go ahead and look them up. If they appear in the abstract, you can be certain they'll appear frequently in the article. Knowing what they mean will help you read more quickly.[4]
[Edit]Identifying the Main Points - Read the last paragraph or two of the "Background" section. The "Background" section thoroughly discusses the state of research and development on the topic prior to the study that gave rise to this particular article. If you're trying to read the article quickly, focus on the last paragraph, which summarizes the entire section and tells you the authors' purpose and objectives.[5]
- Look for a phrase at the beginning of a paragraph similar to "in this paper, we will." This is a trigger phrase that the authors are summarizing the background and explaining the objective of their research.
- Answer "who," "what," "when," "where," "why," and "how." If you can answer these 5 questions, then you have a solid basic understanding of the article. Typically, you'll find the answers in the abstract or in the last paragraph of the "Background" section.[6]
- For example, suppose the article states: "In this paper, we will show the effect on 14- to 16-year-old Brazilian boys of eating 2 apples before playing soccer in the afternoon." From this one sentence, you know the "who" (14- to 16-year-old boys), the "what" (eating 2 apples), the "when" (before playing soccer in the afternoon), and the "where" (Brazil).
- Highlight or underline key points of the article. Rather than reading word for word, use your understanding of the study (gleaned from the abstract or from other research) to hone in on buzzwords that indicate a particular statement is important.[7]
- For example, words such as "found," "determined," or "concluded" typically signal the results of the study or the conclusions the authors of the article reached.
- In the methods section, highlight the word that describes the method used. It's usually a verb, such as "surveyed" or "tested." You might also see a similar phrase, such as "conducted a survey."
- Skim for words such as "surprising" or "unexpected." If the authors uncovered something that went against their hypothesis or didn't follow the conventional wisdom of the field, you can expect to see words like these. Anything described this way is an important part of the article and something you should understand.[8]
- If you have a digital copy of the article, do a simple word search for these words and their synonyms. Read a sentence or two after any word that pops up and make a note of it.
- Take notes as you read. Taking notes ensures that you're reading actively and will help you remember the important points later. If you're reading a scientific article quickly, you're likely not reading the whole thing, which makes your notes even more important if you need to refer back to the article later.[9]
- If you know you're going to be reading multiple articles, create a single-page form with sections for the title, keywords, hypothesis, methodology, and results. You can use this form to jot down information about the article as you read.
[Edit]Using Tables and Figures - Review the tables and charts in the "Results" section of the article. The tables and charts in a scientific article summarize all of the information that's provided in the "Discussion" section, enabling you to review information at a glance rather than reading through several dense pages of information. In most articles, you'll be able to understand not only the outcome of the study but also the methods the authors used to acquire the information.[10]
- Look closely at the labels and units on the axes of charts and graphs, as well as the range of values used.
- The legend and footnotes help you better understand the information presented in the article's figures. Usually, they'll help you make sense of a figure that might not be clear at first glance.
- Use the beginning of the "Discussion" section to explain the tables. If the tables don't make sense to you based on what you know about the article so far, the first 2 or 3 paragraphs of the "Discussion" section will help you. Here, the authors typically summarize their results and tell you how their research will potentially affect their field.[11]
- You might also read the last paragraph of the "Discussion" section, particularly if it isn't obvious to you how the research discussed potentially impacts the field or populations other than the one studied. But be careful — sometimes scientists, eager for their research to seem important, make bold, exaggerated claims that aren't likely to come to fruition any time soon.
- Move to the "Methods" section if there's anything you don't understand. If you're still not clear on how the research was conducted or have questions about how the data was gathered, you might find the "Methods" section helpful. The first paragraph typically provides a big-picture of the methodology used, while the following paragraphs get into more specific detail.[12]
- This section can get very technical. Unless you have some reason to know the specifics for how the particular study was conducted, there's likely no reason for you to read it in depth.
- Read scientific articles often, for your own education or enlightenment. If you read scientific articles regularly, you'll become familiar with the structure and be able to read more quickly.[13]
[Edit]References |
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