Helpful information when deciding on your color scheme

by Linda D. Ferretti

TRIADIC

·          3 colors equally spaced about the color wheel

·          1 main color and subordinate the other 2 colors

Example:

1.         Red                             Blue    Yellow

2.         Red Orange               Yellow Orange           Blue Violet

3.         Orange                       Green                         Violet

4.         Yellow Orange           Blue Green                 Red Violet

 Simply chose your color of choice and add the other 2 colors in smaller amounts.

ANALOGOUS COLOR

·          5 Adjacent colors on color wheel

·          simply chose 1 basic color plus 4 hues

      SPLIT-COMPLIMENTS

·          affords considerable “visual interest”

·          1 principal color plus 2 splits.

 Example:  Principal Color - 2 Splits

Red                                                     Blue Green + Yellow Green

Red Orange                                       Blue + Green

Orange                                               Blue Violet + Blue Green

Yellow Orange                                   Blue + Violet

Yellow                                                 Red Violet + Blue Violet

Yellow Green                                     Red & Violet

Green                                                 Red Orange + Red Violet

Blue Green                                         Orange + Red

Blue                                                    Red Orange + Yellow Orange

Blue Violet                                         Orange + Yellow

Violet                                                  Yellow Green + Yellow Orange

Red Violet                                          Green + Yellow

       SEMI-TRIAD

·          The basic semi-triad relationship is made up of two complementary colors plus a third color halfway between the two on the color wheel.

      Example:

Orange + Blue + Yellow Green

Red + Green + Yellow Orange or Blue Purple

Yellow + Purple + Blue Green or Red Orange

Red Purple + Yellow Green + Blue or Orange

Red Orange + Blue Green + Yellow or Purple

Yellow Orange + Blue Purple + Green or Red

 DOUBLE COMPLEMENT

·          A double complement is made up of two sets of true complements with a dividing color in between.

Example: 

Red + Green

Orange + Blue

Yellow + Purple

Note:  One color must dominate over the other.  Let’s say 75% red to 25% green.  If they are equal, it is too confusing to the viewer and the eye becomes confused.  This makes for a dramatic, robust piece of work.