What is Tone?

The factor that determines the atmosphere of color? - Basic knowledge about colors: What is Tone?

"Why does the same shade of blue appear soft in some cases and deep in others?"

Hello, this is Myshopper! Today, let’s explore the fundamentals of color theory. One concept that often surprises customers during personal color analysis is tone. Even with the same color, variations in tone can create entirely different moods. In other words, the same blue can feel airy and delicate or rich and intense, depending on its tone.

"I understand color, but brightness and saturation are confusing!" If that sounds familiar, let’s clarify these key terms. Colors are defined by three main elements: hue, value, and saturation. Hue refers to the fundamental property of a color, what differentiates red, yellow, blue, and so on. It represents the core identity of a color. Value (lightness) indicates how bright or dark a color appears. The more white mixed in, the higher the value; the more black added, the lower the value. Finally, saturation measures a color’s intensity. High saturation means vivid, striking colors, while low saturation results in softer, muted shades. A pure hue is at its most intense, but as gray is introduced, saturation decreases, making the color appear subdued (also known as grayish tones).

Now that we’ve outlined these three elements, let’s talk about tone. Tone is created by adjusting value and saturation together, which alters the overall atmosphere of a color. Even with the same hue, different tonal variations can change the impression it gives. For instance, colors with high value and low saturation feel soft and calm, while those with low value and high saturation appear bold and sophisticated.

At Myshopper, we developed our unique 4 Seasons, 4 Ways, 16-Type System based on the P.C.C.S color system. In this system, the vertical axis represents value, and the horizontal axis represents saturation. Some of the key tones include pale, which has the highest value and lowest saturation; dark grayish, which has the lowest value and low saturation; and vivid, which is high in saturation with medium value. We classify tones into four main categories: Bright, Light, Mute, and Deep, and by grouping colors with similar characteristics we can help identify the perfect personal color range for each individual.

Tone plays a crucial role in defining the mood and emotional impact of a color, making it an essential factor not just in personal color analysis but also in design, fashion and interior design. Among the various tones, which one do you like the most? Are you interested to find your ideal tone? Visit Myshopper to discover the shades that bring out your unique charm!

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CREDIT

Editor | Jeongyeon Kim