Effects of colour on the viewer

1.    Colour attracts attention.

By using bright or saturated colours on the object of greatest interest and placing that object against a contrasting background, the director can easily capture the viewer’s eye.

2.    Colours contribute to three-dimensionality.

Some colours seem to advance toward the foreground, and others seem to recede into the background. Colours such as red, orange, yellow are advancing colours when given high intensity and dark value, they seem to advance, making objects appear larger and closer to the camera than they are.

3.    Colours create an impression or feeling of temperature.

The warm colours are the colours that advance: red, orange, yellow. The cool colours are the colours that recede：blue, green, etc.

4.    Colours function together in different ways.

Certain combinations of colour, or colour schemes, produce predictable and consistent visual effects. Monochromatic harmony results from a scheme based on variations in the value and intensity of one colour. Complementary harmony results from the use of colours directly opposite each other on the colour wheel, such as red and green. Complementary colours react with each other more vividly than do other colours. Analogous harmony results from the use of colours adjacent to one another on the colour wheel, such as red, red-orange, and orange. Such colours create a soft image with little harsh contrast. Triad harmony results from the use of three colours equidistant from one another on the colour wheel, such as the primary colours: red, yellow, and blue.

Reference: Dennis Petrie, 2011. The Art of Watching Films. 8 Edition. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.