THE CONCEPT
Understanding fundamentals of color & light is as important for 3D artists, as it is for 2D artists because color & light affects mood and perception of your scene, as well as allow you to strengthen your composition by drawing attention to specific points.
Color can often be neglected as a subject of study and consideration, since it may seem almost too obvious. However it is an important aspect to consider right from the start, as color does not only imply what tint you will give your objects and materials, but also what kind of lighting setup you will have, as it will greatly influence how the rest of your scene's colors are perceived and how they will interact with each other.
The three important attributes that define colors are:
- Value (black to white)
- Chroma (degree of saturation, intense to dull)
- Hue (color families - red, yellow, green, blue, magenta)
Color harmonies and combinations (complimentary, analogous, triad, etc.) are also an important part of the process to consider, especially in the pre-production stage of your project. You can construct your own color schemes using the Adobe color wheel tool (or others you can find online). Just remember - you do not need to stick to those specific colors only and nothing else, it just gives you a base to explore and build upon.
IN PRACTICE
Developing a sense for colors and how they interact is just like any muscle - it will require some practice and observation. Even though you may be well familiar with the theory of colors, it is still a good exercise to deconstruct and analyze what goes on in paintings of old masters, as having only a 2D canvas at their disposition, they made expert use of composition, light and color in order to convey their artistry.
Similarly, in modern media, iconic films make strong use of color and light - How to Use Color in Film applies color theory to several well-known films, which could give good food for thought to 3D artists as 3D environment art is quite akin to cinema.
Blender Guru offers a solid overview of color in theory and practice. You will find a more extensive breakdown of similar notions on Art Station Learning. Flipped Normals video focuses more on practical exercises which could help you develop your understanding of colors.
In addition to online resources, Color and Light by James Gurney is a book that comes highly recommended by a lot of 3D artists.
Learning Resources
These three Videos I strongly recommend watching these videos.
Power In The Grays
Along side of color temperature I share another amazing tool I've discovered over the years... the uses of color relativity
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A New Way to Think About Colors
When I learned the idea of color temperature it radically changed the way I select color and made light SO much easier to understand. Here I'll talk about the theory and also put it into practice with a live painting demo
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How to Not Suck at Color - 5 color theory tips every designer should know
How do great artists and designers pick colors for their work? How do you pair colors together? Why do my colors look so bad? In this video, creative director and illustrator Greg Gunn will share 5 important color theory tips that you can apply to your graphic design and digital art.
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STUDIES
Color Study - Light Ponderings
RESOURCES
Color palette generator - coolors
Adobe Color Wheel
How to Use Color in Film - Mary Risk (StudioBinder)
Understanding Color - Blender Guru
Color and Light for Visual Storytelling - Jason Scheier (Art Station Learning)
Color Theory Fundamentals - FlippedNormals