Answer: C. A colour family. Hue identifies the colour family, such as blue or red.
Which set contains the classic primary pigments?
A Red, yellow, blue
B Green, orange, violet
C Black, white, grey
D Teal, pink, brown
Answer: A. Red, yellow, blue. In the traditional RYB model, red, yellow, and blue are treated as primary colours.
How are secondary colours formed in the RYB model?
A Add white to one hue
B Mix two primary colours
C Mix three neutrals
D Add black to a tint
Answer: B. Mix two primary colours. Secondary colours are produced by mixing two primary colours in the traditional RYB model.
Mixing blue and yellow traditionally produces which secondary hue?
A Orange
B Violet
C Brown
D Green
Answer: D. Green. In the traditional pigment model, blue and yellow combine to make green.
What name describes colours opposite each other on a wheel?
A Analogous
B Complementary
C Monochromatic
D Neutral
Answer: B. Complementary. Complementary colours sit opposite one another on a colour wheel and create strong contrast.
Which palette uses neighbouring wheel colours?
A Analogous scheme
B Triadic scheme
C Split-complementary scheme
D Monochromatic scheme
Answer: A. Analogous scheme. Analogous colours are neighbours on the colour wheel and often create a related palette.
How does a triadic scheme select its hues?
A Two neighbouring hues
B Three evenly spaced hues
C One hue with neutrals
D Two opposite hues
Answer: B. Three evenly spaced hues. A triadic palette uses three hues spaced evenly around a colour wheel.
What defines a monochromatic colour scheme?
A Three unrelated hues
B Only black and white
C One hue, varied values
D Two opposite hues
Answer: C. One hue, varied values. A monochromatic scheme varies the value or saturation of one hue.
Which palette pairs a base hue with two neighbours of its opposite?
A Analogous scheme
B Monochromatic scheme
C Neutral scheme
D Split-complementary scheme
Answer: D. Split-complementary scheme. A split-complementary scheme combines a base hue with the two hues beside its complement.
Which colours are commonly described as warm?
A Red, orange, yellow
B Blue, green, violet
C Grey, black, white
D Cyan, teal, navy
Answer: A. Red, orange, yellow. Red, orange, and yellow are commonly described as warm colours.
Which group is usually considered cool?
A Red, orange, yellow
B Blue, green, violet
C Coral, rust, gold
D Cream, beige, tan
Answer: B. Blue, green, violet. Blue, green, and violet are generally placed on the cool side of the colour wheel.
What does colour value refer to?
A Hue family
B Surface texture
C Lightness or darkness
D Pigment source
Answer: C. Lightness or darkness. Value describes how light or dark a colour appears.
Which property describes a colour’s intensity?
A Value
B Temperature
C Transparency
D Saturation
Answer: D. Saturation. Saturation describes the intensity or vividness of a colour.
How can a tint be made in basic colour theory?
A Add white to a hue
B Add black to a hue
C Mix two complements
D Add grey to white
Answer: A. Add white to a hue. A tint is made by adding white to a hue.
What is a shade in basic colour terminology?
A Hue lightened with white
B Hue darkened with black
C Hue mixed with grey
D Two hues blended
Answer: B. Hue darkened with black. A shade is created by darkening a hue with black.
Which mixture creates a tone of a hue?
A Add white only
B Add black only
C Add grey to the hue
D Mix with its complement
Answer: C. Add grey to the hue. A tone is produced by adding grey to a hue.
Why can two beige paints look different beside a white trim?
A Their labels match
B Their containers differ
C Their sheen is identical
D Their undertones differ
Answer: D. Their undertones differ. Undertones can make similar neutrals appear warmer, cooler, pinker, or greener beside another colour.
Which choice is a neutral colour family?
A White, grey, beige
B Scarlet, lime, cobalt
C Violet, teal, coral
D Gold, cyan, magenta
Answer: A. White, grey, beige. White, grey, and beige are commonly used as neutrals.
What role does an accent colour usually play?
A Cover every surface
B Draw attention selectively
C Hide all room features
D Replace task lighting
Answer: B. Draw attention selectively. An accent colour highlights selected areas or objects rather than covering every surface.
In a balanced palette, what is the dominant colour?
A The least visible detail
B A colour used once
C The most widely used hue
D The darkest shadow
Answer: C. The most widely used hue. The dominant colour typically occupies the largest share of the palette.
How should the 60-30-10 rule be understood?
A A building safety code
B A required paint formula
C A lighting measurement
D A flexible design guideline
Answer: D. A flexible design guideline. The 60-30-10 approach is a flexible guideline for distributing dominant, secondary, and accent colours.
What can repeat a palette across connected rooms?
A Shared colours in accents
B Identical furniture everywhere
C One paint on every wall
D Removing every transition
Answer: A. Shared colours in accents. Repeating selected colours in accents can create visual continuity between rooms.
Which approach can help an open-plan palette feel connected?
A Use unrelated colours everywhere
B Repeat a few shared hues
C Change schemes at every doorway
D Avoid any neutral colour
Answer: B. Repeat a few shared hues. Repeating a limited set of hues can link spaces while allowing each area to have its own character.
Why might a pale wall make a small room feel airier?
A It changes floor area
B It raises the ceiling
C It can reflect more light
D It widens each doorway
Answer: C. It can reflect more light. Lighter colours can reflect more light and contribute to a more open visual impression, but do not change room dimensions.
What can a dark ceiling colour do visually?
A Increase ceiling height
B Change room measurements
C Remove the need for lights
D Make the ceiling feel lower
Answer: D. Make the ceiling feel lower. A darker ceiling can feel visually lower or more enclosed, depending on context and lighting.
Why should a paint sample be viewed in the actual room?
A Light changes its appearance
B Labels change the hue
C Walls change the formula
D Furniture fixes saturation
Answer: A. Light changes its appearance. Daylight, lamps, orientation, and surrounding finishes influence how a paint colour appears.
Which condition can make a wall colour shift during the day?
A Unchanged wall area
B Changing daylight
C Fixed furniture size
D The paint container
Answer: B. Changing daylight. Daylight changes in direction and intensity, so the same colour may look different over the day.
What is a useful way to test a wall colour before repainting?
A Rely only on a screen
B Choose by name alone
C View large samples in place
D Paint over damp plaster
Answer: C. View large samples in place. Large samples viewed on the actual wall reveal how the colour works with room light and nearby finishes.
How can a glossy finish affect colour appearance?
A Absorb every highlight
B Change the hue formula
C Remove surface reflections
D Reflect more light
Answer: D. Reflect more light. Glossy surfaces reflect more light, which can change perceived brightness and highlight surface imperfections.
Which finish often softens wall reflections?
A Matte finish
B High-gloss finish
C Polished metal
D Mirror finish
Answer: A. Matte finish. Matte finishes produce less direct reflection than glossy finishes and can soften the appearance of a wall.
Why might a high-sheen finish reveal wall flaws?
A It absorbs all light
B Reflections emphasize unevenness
C It darkens every pigment
D It removes wall texture
Answer: B. Reflections emphasize unevenness. Reflected highlights from sheen can make surface irregularities more noticeable.
Which scheme often creates subtle contrast through one hue?
A Triadic palette
B Complementary palette
C Monochromatic palette
D Split-complementary palette
Answer: C. Monochromatic palette. A monochromatic palette can create subtle contrast by varying value and saturation within one hue.
What generally happens when complementary hues are placed together?
A They become one neutral
B They remove all saturation
C They match automatically
D They create strong contrast
Answer: D. They create strong contrast. Complementary hues contrast strongly, so their proportions and intensity can affect visual balance.
How can a designer prevent a bold palette from feeling chaotic?
A Limit and repeat key colours
B Add a new hue everywhere
C Use maximum saturation throughout
D Ignore adjacent finishes
Answer: A. Limit and repeat key colours. Limiting and repeating key colours can help a bold scheme feel more intentional.
For normal-size text, what WCAG 2.2 contrast ratio is the AA minimum?
A 2 to 1
B 4.5 to 1
C 3 to 1
D 7 to 1
Answer: B. 4.5 to 1. WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.3 sets a 4.5:1 minimum for normal text at Level AA, with exceptions.
What is the WCAG AA contrast minimum for large text?
A 2 to 1
B 4 to 1
C 3 to 1
D 7 to 1
Answer: C. 3 to 1. WCAG 2.2 permits a 3:1 contrast minimum for large text at Level AA.
Why should colour not be the only way to convey a warning?
A Paint always fades immediately
B Bright colours are prohibited
C Contrast never matters
D Some viewers distinguish hues differently
Answer: D. Some viewers distinguish hues differently. Using labels, shapes, or patterns alongside colour helps communicate information to people with different colour perception.
Which check can improve palette accessibility?
A Review contrast and labels
B Use red-green pairs only
C Test under no lighting
D Remove every visual marker
Answer: A. Review contrast and labels. Checking contrast and using text or symbols supports communication beyond colour differences.
Why might a trendy colour still be unsuitable for one room?
A Trends define room size
B Function and preference differ
C Colours set furniture weight
D Every trend lasts forever
Answer: B. Function and preference differ. Room use, personal preference, light, and existing finishes all matter when choosing colours.
How should cultural associations affect a colour choice?
A Assume meanings are universal
B Ignore the room’s use
C Consider the intended audience
D Follow one fixed rule
Answer: C. Consider the intended audience. Colour associations can differ across people and cultures, so consider the intended users and setting.
What is a practical way to use a strong accent hue?
A Paint every item alike
B Use it on every surface
C Avoid any supporting colour
D Repeat in a few details
Answer: D. Repeat in a few details. Repeating a strong accent in a few details can connect it to the broader scheme.
How can patterned fabric influence a room palette?
A Pull hues from its design
B Ignore all pattern colours
C Match only its label
D Cover every plain surface
Answer: A. Pull hues from its design. Colours within a patterned fabric can provide a starting point for a coordinated palette.
Which neutral may read warmer beside blue?
A A grey with blue undertones
B A beige with yellow undertones
C A white with green undertones
D A black with violet undertones
Answer: B. A beige with yellow undertones. A beige with yellow undertones can appear warmer beside a cooler blue.
What should be checked alongside wall paint samples?
A Only the paint code
B The outside weather
C Trim, flooring, and fabrics
D A distant room
Answer: C. Trim, flooring, and fabrics. Adjacent trim, flooring, furnishings, and fabrics influence how a proposed wall colour appears.
What is colour drenching commonly understood to mean?
A Painting only the ceiling
B Adding random accent colours
C Removing all painted finishes
D Using one hue across surfaces
Answer: D. Using one hue across surfaces. Colour drenching generally applies one colour or closely related tones across multiple room surfaces.
Which choice can soften a high-contrast complementary palette?
A Use one hue more sparingly
B Make both hues fully saturated
C Add more competing accents
D Remove all neutral space
Answer: A. Use one hue more sparingly. Using one complementary hue as a smaller accent can reduce visual competition.
Why can the same paint look different on two walls?
A Paint labels rewrite pigment
B Exposure and nearby colours vary
C Wall height changes hue
D Every room uses identical light
Answer: B. Exposure and nearby colours vary. Light exposure and nearby colours can change how the same paint is perceived on different walls.
Which task helps assess a palette before purchasing all paint?
A Choose a colour by trend
B Ignore floor finishes
C Create a sample board
D Mix paint without testing
Answer: C. Create a sample board. A sample board lets a designer view proposed colours together with finishes and room lighting.
What does a colour palette primarily organize?
A Furniture dimensions
B Electrical circuit loads
C Window opening directions
D Relationships among chosen colours
Answer: D. Relationships among chosen colours. A palette organizes the colours selected to work together in a space.
Which principle supports a calm, cohesive bedroom palette?
A Repeat a limited colour family
B Use every hue equally
C Change wall colours daily
D Avoid considering light
Answer: A. Repeat a limited colour family. Repeating a limited colour family can create visual cohesion while still allowing variation in texture and value.