Separating chromatic from achromatic colours

DESCRIBING COLOURS:
Lightness/value and Chroma

Discover the differences between chromatic and achromatic colours


Details:

  • All ages

  • Time: 10 minutes

  • Learning Outcome: Recognize the difference between chromatic and achromatic colours

  • Colour Concept: How chromatic and achromatic colours differ

Materials:

Instructions:

See Free Sort Lesson plan for instructions on using online CHROMO sorting set.

If you have done a previous exercise, go to Menu and Clear All.

Figure 1.  All 45 coloured tiles displayed as diamond shapes in random order.

  • From the CHROMO Menu, select the diamond shape and click on Add 36 Colours. When these appear on the next page click on Menu again and then on Add 9 Gray Scale. See Figure 1.

Figure 2.  Diamond shape tiles separated and moved to the right.

  • Move the tiles to the right of the screen. See Figure 2.

Figure 3.  Achromatic coloured tiles moved to the left and arranged as a grey scale.

  • Move the achromatic coloured tiles to the edge of the screen on the left. Arrange them as a grey scale with white at the top. The tiles can overlap slightly. See Figure 3.

  • Take a screen shot or photograph of your arrangement and save it. Then post or send it to your teacher/ workshop leader for display and discussion.

Vocabulary:

Questions & observations:

  • Describe the differences between chromatic and achromatic colours.