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Color: Understanding Tint, Shade, & Tone
I strongly recommend memorizing these three terms: tint, shade, and tone. Even if you understand them clearly now, these concepts can become easily forgotten or confusing later, especially as new terms and lessons are introduced. In color theory, it’s crucial to solidify your understanding of each step and consistently associate the correct terms with each step, as the concepts will grow more complex as you progress.
If you are not familiar with ‘Hue’, please check: Beginner’s Guide to Hues
1. Tint (Hue + White)
A tint is created when you add white to a pure hue.
2. Shade (Hue + Black)
A shade is created when you add Black to a pure hue.
Please note that only Black can be added. I emphasize this because it is common for people to get mixed up with a tone.
3. Tone (Hue + Gray)
A tone results from mixing a pure hue with gray. You can control the value (lightness or darkness) by adjusting the proportions of black and white in the gray mixture, but both black and white must be present, even if in minimal amounts. For example, when creating a very light tone, you’ll use primarily white with your hue, but you must also add a tiny amount of black to ensure it remains a true tone rather than simply a tint.
Here is the video demonstration:
