Colour Theory & ApplicationVolume 1 · Issue 4 · September 2026
Colour Theory & Application
Colour for architects and interior designers, from the ground up — how we see colour, the theory foundations, the psychology and culture of colour, colour and light, building palettes, colour in interiors and on facades, specifying colour in real materials, colour and accessibility, colour for branding, and colour in practice. Design-led, honest, and grounded in Indian and global context.
Course byAmogh N P· Architect & interior designer11 modules · 44 lessons · ~15 hrs · 44 of 44 lessons live
Module 0 · Seeing Colour0.1 · What Colour Actually Is
Colour is not in the wall - it is light of certain wavelengths, reflected by a surface, caught by your eye and constructed by your brain. This lesson sets that foundation, and the precise vocabulary of hue, value and chroma the whole course is built on.
Read itStart with Module 0 — Seeing Colour
Free · openWhat this course covers
The through-line- 1Colour Theory Foundations. The core mechanics: the colour wheel, the classic harmonies, value and contrast, and saturation and temperature — the moves every scheme is built from.
- 2The Psychology of Colour. What colour does to people: emotion and arousal, cultural and Indian associations, behaviour in space, and colour's effect on wellbeing — separating real evidence from myth.
- 3Colour & Light. Colour is light: how light reveals colour, how daylight changes it through the day, how artificial light (CRI, CCT) renders it, and the traps of metamerism and colour constancy.
- 4Building the Palette. From theory to a working scheme: building a palette, proportion and the 60-30-10 idea, accent and neutral strategy, and drawing palettes from inspiration.
The full course ahead
11 modules · 44 lessons11 modules and 44 lessons, from the foundations through to practice — each lesson with a three-tier read, a hands-on workshop, hand-drawn figures and a scored mastery check.
0Module 0 · Seeing Colour
LiveBefore any palette: what colour actually is (light, not paint), how the eye and brain make it, the colour models and systems you will meet, and the precise vocabulary the whole course rests on.
Module 0 · Seeing Colour
LiveBefore any palette: what colour actually is (light, not paint), how the eye and brain make it, the colour models and systems you will meet, and the precise vocabulary the whole course rests on.
1Module 1 · Colour Theory Foundations
LiveThe core mechanics: the colour wheel, the classic harmonies, value and contrast, and saturation and temperature — the moves every scheme is built from.
Module 1 · Colour Theory Foundations
LiveThe core mechanics: the colour wheel, the classic harmonies, value and contrast, and saturation and temperature — the moves every scheme is built from.
2Module 2 · The Psychology of Colour
LiveWhat colour does to people: emotion and arousal, cultural and Indian associations, behaviour in space, and colour's effect on wellbeing — separating real evidence from myth.
Module 2 · The Psychology of Colour
LiveWhat colour does to people: emotion and arousal, cultural and Indian associations, behaviour in space, and colour's effect on wellbeing — separating real evidence from myth.
3Module 3 · Colour & Light
LiveColour is light: how light reveals colour, how daylight changes it through the day, how artificial light (CRI, CCT) renders it, and the traps of metamerism and colour constancy.
Module 3 · Colour & Light
LiveColour is light: how light reveals colour, how daylight changes it through the day, how artificial light (CRI, CCT) renders it, and the traps of metamerism and colour constancy.
4Module 4 · Building the Palette
LiveFrom theory to a working scheme: building a palette, proportion and the 60-30-10 idea, accent and neutral strategy, and drawing palettes from inspiration.
Module 4 · Building the Palette
LiveFrom theory to a working scheme: building a palette, proportion and the 60-30-10 idea, accent and neutral strategy, and drawing palettes from inspiration.
5Module 5 · Colour in Interiors
LiveColour where people live: room by room, colour and spatial perception, flow between rooms, and colour working with materials and texture.
Module 5 · Colour in Interiors
LiveColour where people live: room by room, colour and spatial perception, flow between rooms, and colour working with materials and texture.
6Module 6 · Colour in Architecture & Facades
LiveColour outside: on the facade, in context and climate, in the city and streetscape, and the heritage and regional colour of India and beyond.
Module 6 · Colour in Architecture & Facades
LiveColour outside: on the facade, in context and climate, in the city and streetscape, and the heritage and regional colour of India and beyond.
7Module 7 · Materials, Finishes & Specifying Colour
LiveColour in the real world: paint systems and sheen, colour in natural materials, specifying colour precisely (RAL, NCS, Pantone), and sampling, mock-ups and approvals.
Module 7 · Materials, Finishes & Specifying Colour
LiveColour in the real world: paint systems and sheen, colour in natural materials, specifying colour precisely (RAL, NCS, Pantone), and sampling, mock-ups and approvals.
8Module 8 · Colour, Accessibility & Standards
LiveColour that works for everyone: contrast and legibility, colour-blindness and inclusive colour, colour in wayfinding and signage, and colour safety and coding standards.
Module 8 · Colour, Accessibility & Standards
LiveColour that works for everyone: contrast and legibility, colour-blindness and inclusive colour, colour in wayfinding and signage, and colour safety and coding standards.
9Module 9 · Colour, Branding & Communication
LiveColour that speaks: brand identity, colour in drawings and presentation, colour in renders and moodboards, and managing colour across digital and print.
Module 9 · Colour, Branding & Communication
LiveColour that speaks: brand identity, colour in drawings and presentation, colour in renders and moodboards, and managing colour across digital and print.
10Module 10 · Colour in Practice
LiveColour as a professional: running a colour consultation, presenting and defending a scheme, avoiding the common mistakes, and developing your colour eye for life.
Module 10 · Colour in Practice
LiveColour as a professional: running a colour consultation, presenting and defending a scheme, avoiding the common mistakes, and developing your colour eye for life.
The author
Amogh N P
Architect, interior designer, and creative polymath. Studio Matrx began in his notebooks — his vision of design made honest, useful, and open to everyone. Its Academy is written and taught in his memory, and free, forever.
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