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Graphic Design vocabulary · Colour Theory

Hue

Meaning in graphic design, with examples

/hjuː/nounCommon term

In graphic design, hue means: The basic colour family of a colour, such as red, blue or green, without considering how light, dark or strong it is.

In Turkish: renk tonu, ton, renk özü

How it is used

Used in colour theory and in software, where colours are often described with hue, saturation and brightness (HSB). You shift, adjust or change the hue; in general English, hue often just means colour.

Example sentences

  1. Shift the hue slightly towards green so the blue matches the packaging.

  2. All the icons use the same hue but different levels of brightness.

Common collocations

  • shift the hue
  • hue and saturation
  • warm hue
  • adjust the hue
  • saturationHow strong or pure a colour is. High saturation gives bright, intense colours; low saturation makes colours look softer, greyer or more muted.
  • tintA lighter version of a colour made by adding white, or in print by using a percentage of the ink, for example a 20% tint of the brand blue.
  • colour wheelA circle that shows colours in order around it, such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, used to explain how colours relate and to build colour schemes.
  • colour paletteThe limited set of colours chosen for a project or brand, usually with main colours, supporting colours and neutrals, so that all designs look consistent.

More terms: Colour Theory

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