Colour in art history: pigments, colour theory and symbolism

What is the course about?

At the crossroad of intuition and science, colour has been the subject of many artistic debates. This course is a study of what colour is, how it works, and how it has been used by artists to achieve specific effects.

The fascinating history of pigments will give us an insight into artists’ materials. Through examples such as ultramarine and carmine, we will study what makes a good pigment. While some are lightfast and highly valued, others are fading quickly or react with other chemicals dramatically altering the paintings in which they have been used. We will also talk about synthetic pigments, especially those created in the modern age, making saturated yellows, oranges and purples much easier and cheaper colours.

A second field of enquiry will be colour theory and attempts at understanding how colours “work”. From Newton to Chevreul and Josef Albers, scholars have explored what we call “colour theory”, for instance developing the concept of complementary colours and the colour wheel. Many modern artists, from Turner and Seurat to the Delaunays and Bridget Riley have been inspired by these concepts and used them in their works of art.

Finally, we will approach the subject of colour in art history from the angle of symbolism. From antiquity to modern art, we will examine how colours have been used to convey meaning in a work of art. With Gauguin, Kandinsky and Rothko, we will wonder if -and how- colours alone can convey emotions and ideas.

What will we cover?

• Pigments. Based on concrete examples, we will see what pigments are made of, what makes a good pigment for a painter, how pigments have evolved through history, etc.
• Colour Theory: its history and main concepts, and how artists have made use of these
• Colour as a language: how, throughout history colour has been used by painters to convey meaning, either in a conventional way or in a very intuitive and personal manner
• Vocabulary to describe and analyse the colours in a painting

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• Name a few pigments and explain how they are made and what their main characteristic when used in a painting are
• Describe and discuss the colours of a work of art using concepts taken from colour theory
• Contrasting 2 or 3 paintings, explain how colours can vehicle meaning (emotions, or ideas)

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is suitable for all levels.

You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. This course takes place on Zoom and uses a Google Classroom to share materials. Please be familiar with or be willing to learn how to operate elements of Zoom, specifically camera, microphone and chat functions. For more on how our online learning works, please click here.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

You will be taught by lecture with slide images and you will be invited to participate in group discussion. There will be handouts provided by your tutor; these handouts will be available digitally via a Google Classroom. You will be invited to join the Google Classroom within a week of your course start date.

Please note: this is a live lecture course and will not be recorded for playback for reasons of copyright, digital infrastructure and data protection.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You might wish to purchase a notebook for taking notes.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

An introduction to art history