To create a shade of a color, black is added.
Understanding Shade in Color Theory
Shade, in the context of color mixing, refers to a darker version of a hue. Unlike tints (which add white) or tones (which add gray), shades are created solely by adding black to the original color. This process deepens the color while maintaining its fundamental hue. The provided reference clearly states: "Shade is a hue or mixture of pure colors to which only black is added. It contains no white or gray. Shade darkens the color, but the hue remains the same. When mixing a shade, begin with the color itself then add black one drop at a time."
Several examples demonstrate this principle:
- Adding black to red creates a dark red shade.
- Adding black to blue creates a dark blue shade (navy).
- Adding black to yellow creates a dark yellow shade (a deep mustard).
This process is commonly used in various artistic applications, from painting to digital design, to achieve depth and contrast. Many of the provided references allude to shade in other contexts, such as window shades or shading techniques in illustration. However, the core concept remains consistent: a darkening or modification of existing light.
Other Contexts of "Adding Shade"
While the question focuses primarily on the color mixing aspect of shade, several provided links illustrate other interpretations:
- Adding physical shade: The link discussing privacy liners for woven shades shows how additional material can add physical shade to a space. This involves adding a liner to existing shades to block more light.
- Adding digital shade: In digital art and design (implied in the reference about removing extra shade in a gradient tool), shade is often added digitally using techniques that darken parts of an image to create depth and dimension.
- Adding shade to a home automation system: References relating to Google Home and motorized shades show that "adding shade" can also refer to incorporating shade control devices into a smart home system.
These various uses underscore the importance of context when interpreting the term "shade." While technically the original question is most clearly answered by "black," the context can be considerably wider.
