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10 Rules of Color
Color Design Workbook
Combining Colors
Yellow Green
The science of color harmony involves the categorization and determination of the dynamic symmetry in color groupings. Effectively doing so goes back to understanding and utilizing color theory to create color relationships such as complements, split complements, triads, analogies, monochromatics, and the like. (Please see Chapter 2.) Color science becomes art when a designer knows how to use colors, in what proportions, and for what purpose, to create a desired response. Designers know that contrast intensifies color. Fully saturated colors create a lively impression. White and black alter the perception of other colors. Different types of color schemes have different positive and negative factors. For example, analogous color schemes (adjacent hues on the color wheel) are soothing to the eye and easy to create but lack contrast and vibrancy. Split complementary color schemes (a hue plus the two hues adjacent to its complement) are more sophisticated and nuanced than complementary color schemes (two hues directly opposite on the color wheel). Split complements have a strong visual impact but can be difficult to balance. Triadic color schemes (three hues equally spaced around the color wheel) offer contrast, but less contrast than a complementary scheme. Tetradic, or double complementary color schemes (two pairs of complementary hues), are the richest schemes with the most variety but are by far the hardest to balance. Monochromatic color schemes (variations in tints and shades of a single hue) are clean and elegant but lack contrast and often lack impact as well.
Green
Monochromatic
Monochromatic
Analogous
Analogous
Triadic
Triadic
Complementary
Complementary
Blue Purple
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Purple
Monochromatic
Monochromatic
Analogous
Analogous
Triadic
Triadic
Complementary
Complementary
Naturally, there are always exceptions. Talented, creative people can take delight in stretching the boundaries of what works in color schemes. Color harmony fascinates designers. Experimenting with it allows them to develop their unique point of view. Color interactions are both optical and aesthetic phenomena. Designers must formulate a process for visualizing color combinations that allows them to shift with changing media, clients, and trends in color usage.
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