California IDEX Practice Exam

The Prang system organizes colors according to...

1. Their relationship to the primaries as organized in a circle (color wheel)

2. Color temperature

3. Lightness and darkness

4. Chromaticity

The correct answer is: Their relationship to the primaries as organized in a circle (color wheel)

The Prang system organizes colors according to their relationship to the primary colors arranged in a circular format, commonly known as the color wheel. This system emphasizes how various hues relate to one another, providing a visual representation that aids in understanding color mixing and harmonies. The color wheel is instrumental in both art and design, as it helps users easily identify complementary colors and create visually appealing color combinations. The other choices focus on different aspects of color theory. Color temperature refers to the warmth or coolness of a color, impacting mood and perception rather than directly organizing colors. Lightness and darkness highlight value, which is the degree of a color's brightness or darkness but does not provide a systematic arrangement based on color relationships. Chromaticity deals with the quality of color regardless of brightness, which is essential in color science but does not relate to the organizational structure of the Prang system.