NCERT Class 7 Arts Kriti: Chapter 16 — Nature’s Palette
This chapter, "Nature's Palette," from NCERT Class 7 Arts Kriti, explores the significance of colour in visual art, inspired by nature's vibrant displays like rainbows. It explains how light affects colour perception, from bright reds appearing dull in low light to everything turning white in excess light and black in darkness. The chapter introduces concepts like tints, shades, and tones used in art to depict light effects. It emphasizes that colour is a crucial element in art, improved through practice in making, mixing, and applying colours. The text also touches upon the diversity in colour vision, acknowledging individuals with colour vision impairment and the importance of sensitivity towards their experiences. Finally, it details the creation of secondary and tertiary colours using a colour wheel, starting with primary colours (yellow, red, blue) and their combinations.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE / NCERT |
|---|---|
| Class | Class 7 |
| Subject | Arts |
| Book | Kriti |
| Chapter | Chapter 16 — Nature’s Palette |
| Language | English |
| PDF type | NCERT Textbook |
| Session | CBSE 2026 |
| Reading time | 3 minutes |
| Word count | 404 |
Learning outcomes
- Understand the role of light in colour perception.
- Learn to create secondary and tertiary colours.
- Appreciate the diversity in colour vision.
- Recognize colour as a key element in visual art.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| tints | Variations of a colour made by adding white. |
| shades | Variations of a colour made by adding black. |
| tones | Variations of a colour made by adding grey. |
| colour wheel | A circular chart showing the relationships between colours. |
| primary colours | Colours that cannot be made by mixing other colours (yellow, red, blue). |
| secondary colours | Colours made by mixing two primary colours (green, orange, violet). |
| tertiary colours | Colours made by mixing a primary and a secondary colour. |
| colour vision impairment | Difficulty in seeing or distinguishing certain colours (colour blindness). |
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Practice questions
- What are the three primary colours? Answer: Yellow, red, and blue.
- How are secondary colours made? Answer: By mixing two primary colours.
- What is an example of a tertiary colour? Answer: Yellow-orange (mixing yellow and orange).
- How does light affect the appearance of colours? Answer: Light changes the appearance of colours; too much light makes things appear white, and no light makes them appear black.
- What is colour blindness? Answer: Colour blindness is a common term for colour vision impairment, where people see certain colours differently or find it difficult to differentiate between colours like blue and green.
Frequently asked questions
What is the relationship between light and colour?
Colours are visible because of light. When light changes, the appearance of colours also changes. Too much light makes everything appear white, and no light makes everything appear black.
What are primary colours?
Primary colours are colours that cannot be made by mixing any other colours. In this chapter, they are identified as yellow, red, and blue.
How are secondary colours created?
Secondary colours are created by mixing pairs of primary colours. For example, mixing yellow and blue makes green.
What are tertiary colours?
Tertiary colours are formed by mixing any secondary colour with one of its primary colours. For example, mixing green (a secondary colour) with yellow (a primary colour) creates yellow-green.
What does it mean to have colour vision impairment?
Colour vision impairment, often called colour blindness, means a person sees certain colours differently or has difficulty distinguishing between colours like blue and green.
Why is it important to be sensitive to how people see colour?
It is important to be sensitive because not all people see colours the same way, especially those with colour vision impairment.
Related resources
Important topics
Topics covered
NCERT Class 7 Arts — Kriti — Chapter 16 — Nature’s Palette. Verified by NCERT Help Editorial Team. Reviewed on 29 Jul 2026. Last updated 10 Aug 2026.