Learn about the impact of colour in the world: from colour theory and colour in art and design, to the colours of 2016.

26,562 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    4 weeks

  • Weekly study

    3 hours
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We live in a vibrant and colourful world, but few of us truly appreciate the sheer power of the hues around us. This course will lift the lid on the world of colour: exploring the science behind the shades, the theories beyond the tints and the cultural impact of colour.

Understand the science behind colour

On the course we’ll take a closer look at how humans interpret colour - examining the physics and biology that determine our colour perception and getting to grips with how the brain processes colour.

Explore different colour theories

Throughout the course we’ll explore and evaluate different colour theories and apply them in real-world situations. We’ll also meet an eclectic and inspirational group of creative professionals and hear about their personal relationships with colour, as well as examining the use of colour in different disciplines like graphic design and art.

Learn about colour and culture

Broadening our scope, we’ll look at colour from a global and cultural perspective - examining colour preferences in different countries and even looking at the colours of 2016. We’ll then zoom in further to see colour in a more local sense: examining the colours of London and inviting you to share and contrast the colours of your home location.

Get confident using colours

As this course continues your appreciation of colour, and confidence in using colours, will grow. You’ll learn about digital tools that support colour discovery and manipulation and how these are employed in interior design specifically, giving insight into combining colours to achieve a desired effect and create drama and impact in the home.

We hope you’ll finish the course inspired and ready to express yourself confidently through your colour choices; presenting your work, your world and yourself with colourful and creative originality!

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Skip to 0 minutes and 5 seconds Hello, from the fabulous Fox Linton Showroom in the Design Center Chelsea Harbour, London. My name is Jenny Gibbs, and I want to welcome you to the home of KLC School of Design. In collaboration with our friends at Time Inc. Magazines, KLC brings you the power of color, a course that brings the impact of color into our lives. The power of color is a four week introductory course that will give you a broad view of the study of color. Over the next four weeks, we’re going to cover– biology. How we see color. Physics. How color travels as lightwaves. Anthropology. Cultural associations with color. Psychology. How color is believed to impact on us emotionally.

Skip to 0 minutes and 54 seconds But mostly, we will be discussing creativity and design. Color theory, how to apply and combine color in order to achieve the desired impact. We will talk about color generally and its application in gardens and interior specifically. We hope to attract a diverse and global cohort, and it’s through your variety of backgrounds and cultures that you’ll be able to share your material and your thoughts and build upon the base that we’ve developed for you. We’ll be taking you on a tour of London’s most colorful and diverse streets, and we’ll be giving you virtual reality references so you can truly immerse yourself in these locations. Along with my colleagues, Jules and Morwenna, I’m the lead educator on the power of color.

Skip to 1 minute and 40 seconds We can’t wait to interact with you and see the work that you produce. We hope you will find the course joyful and creative and that you will develop a habit of color awareness and learning through observation. We want you to leave this course feeling confident and with a renewed love of color. Hello, I’m Suzanne Imre, and I’m the editor of Livingetc. We’re delighted to be collaborating with KLC on this incredibly creative program. The program has many highlights and we’ll be working with some top name designers and creators, who will all be able to share with you their experience and their understanding of using color to great effect. So on behalf of Livingetc.

Skip to 2 minutes and 22 seconds and the KLC School of Design, I’m thrilled to welcome you on to the course. And I look forward to seeing the work you do as it progresses and as you upload it. So a very big welcome to the power of color.

What topics will you cover?

  • The physiology of the eye and how it receives colour information
  • The structure of light waves within the visible spectrum and their colour designations
  • The colour wheel and how pigments and coloured light behave differently when combined and create different primary and secondary colours
  • An introduction to colour theory, and strategies for combining colour in order to create a desired effect
  • The psychology of colour: theories of the emotional impact of colour
  • Colour and culture: the local significance of colour within society
  • Creating original colour ‘moods’ by taking inspiration from abstract imagery
  • Digital tools to enable colour extraction and reference conversion between systems of notification
  • Colour in art: a brief history of the impact of colour and theories of colour on artists over the centuries
  • Colour in Interior Design: how interior designers make and apply colour choices within projects
  • Commercial use of colour: an introduction to how colour is used in branding and graphics
  • The activities of the colour forecasting industry and their near-term predictions

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Investigate the relationship between the physics of light and colour, and the receptor cells of the human eye that collect this light ‘information’
  • Debate the merit and relevance of the theories of psychology and social issues associated with colour
  • Design original palettes and combinations of colour inspired by abstract imagery
  • Explain the strategies employed within colour combinations and relate this back to colour theory

Who is the course for?

This course is delivered at an introductory level for a general audience. Materials will address both personal and professional considerations for the use of colour.

Who will you learn with?

Julia Begbie

I have two jobs: I am both an interior designer and a director of the KLC School of Design, I have many years' experience of teaching colour theory and applying this understanding in practice.

Promoted by

Livingetc

Who developed the course?

KLC School of Design

Established for over 35 years, KLC School of Design offers a variety of courses at its London Studios and online, all with the aim of developing the creative potential of every student.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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