The key difference between tone and shade in color theory lies in what is mixed with the original color: a shade is created by adding black, while a tone is created by adding gray, or by both tinting (adding white) and shading (adding black).
Here's a breakdown:
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Shade:
- Created by adding black to a pure color (also known as a hue).
- Decreases the lightness of the color.
- Results in a darker version of the original color.
- Example: Adding black to red creates a shade of red, like maroon.
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Tone:
- Created by adding gray to a pure color, or by both tinting (adding white) and shading (adding black).
- Reduces the saturation or intensity of the color.
- The resulting color is often more muted and subtle.
- Example: Adding gray to blue creates a tone of blue, resulting in a muted or dusty blue. It can also be achieved by adding both black and white.
In summary, think of it this way: shade makes a color darker, while tone makes a color less vibrant and more muted. While both affect the color's saturation, shade primarily alters its darkness. Tone, by contrast, primarily alters its intensity/saturation, or does both darkness and lightness through the combination of tinting and shading.
