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Tints, Tones, and Shades

Author: Sophia

what's covered
In this lesson, you will learn about tints, tones, and shades, and their role in visual communications. Specifically, this lesson will cover:

Table of Contents

1. Tint

In the subtractive color system, a tint is a hue plus white, which lightens the value of a color.

Below is an example of tint.

Tint

You have two hues, with the base colors up top, which get lighter as you add more and more white.

term to know
Tint
In the subtractive color system, a hue plus white, which lightens the value of a color.


2. Tone

In the subtractive color system, a tone is a hue plus gray, which mutes the color.

Below is an image example of tone.

Tone

As you add gray, it starts to mute the colors. The colors begin to lose their vibrancy as they progress toward that gray.

term to know
Tone
In the subtractive color system, a hue plus gray, which mutes the color.


3. Shade

In the subtractive color system, a shade is a hue plus black, which darkens the value of a color.

Below is an image example of a shade.

Shade

In this image, as you add black to the base colors, they get darker.

term to know
Shade
In the subtractive color system, a hue plus black, which darkens the value of a color.


4. Other Color Schemes

The other important color schemes are monochromatic and achromatic, the latter of which includes a grayscale.

Monochromatic is a color scheme based on just one hue plus its tints and shades.

When there's no discernible hue, this is called achromatic. At this point, the color is really just going through a scale of white to black, like a grayscale. A grayscale is a multi-step arrangement of swatches of achromatic grays. Each step in a grayscale represents an even progression in value from black to white.

It's worth noting that both of these color schemes can be used across professions like photography and video games as well.

terms to know
Monochromatic
A color scheme based on just one hue plus its tints and shades.
Achromatic
Having no discernible hue.
Grayscale
A multi-step arrangement of swatches of achromatic grays; each step in a grayscale represents an even progression in value from white to black.

summary
In this lesson, you learned the difference between adding white, gray, and black to indicate tint, tone, and shade. You also learned about two other color schemes: monochromatic and achromatic.

Keep up the learning and have a great day!

Source: SOURCE: THIS WORK IS ADAPTED FROM SOPHIA AUTHOR MARIO E. HERNANDEZ

Terms to Know
Achromatic

Having no discernible hue.

Grayscale

A multi-step arrangement of swatches of achromatic grays; each step in a grayscale represents an even progression in value from white to black.

Monochromatic

A color scheme based on just one hue plus its tints and shades.

Shade

In the subtractive color system, a hue plus black, which darkens the value of a color.

Tint

In the subtractive color system, a hue plus white, which lightens the value of a color.

Tone

In the subtractive color system, a hue plus gray, which mutes the color.