| The Color Wheel | | | | that are opposite each other on the color wheel. An |
| Before we can start designing combinations, first we | | | | example of this is red and green. These are mostly |
| need to know how color works. There are 12 basic | | | | thought of as Christmas colors, but did you know that |
| colors: Red, Red Orange, Orange, Yellow Orange, | | | | these are complimentary? That is why they look so |
| Yellow, Yellow Green, Green, Blue Green, Blue, Blue | | | | good together, because they are located opposite |
| Violet, Violet, and Red Violet. The color wheel is | | | | each other on the color wheel. |
| created by these 12 hues formed into a circle. | | | | Analogous |
| Color Value | | | | An analogous color scheme is created when you use |
| When you see colors on a color wheel, these colors | | | | 3 - 5 colors that are right next to each other on the |
| are at their full brightness, otherwise known as | | | | color wheel. An example of this is yellow green, green, |
| saturation. When you add black or white to one of | | | | blue green, blue, and blue violet. A piece of jewelry that |
| these colors, then the hue, that was once at full | | | | was created using this color scheme would most likely |
| saturation, becomes either paler or darker, depending | | | | come across as cool, yet earthy. The reason for this |
| on what you add and how much. The paleness or | | | | is that it uses cool colors (blues, greens, and violets,) |
| darkness of a color is called the color value. | | | | and blue is the skies and the oceans, with the green |
| A hue is any color that is pure, with no black, white, or | | | | being the grass, plants, and trees. |
| gray added to it. A tint is a hue with the addition of | | | | Triadic |
| white, and a shade is made by adding black. A tone is | | | | A triadic color scheme is a combination of three colors |
| created when gray is added, and you have a color | | | | that are found in the shape of a triangle on the color |
| that has the same value as the original color, but is not | | | | wheel. Orange, green, and violet is a good example |
| a hue. | | | | here. Triadic color combos are most striking when one |
| Color Schemes | | | | or two of the colors used are used in volume, and the |
| Color schemes are combinations of hues that are | | | | one or two colors left over are used as accents. Let's |
| created by using the color wheel. Here are a few: | | | | use the combo I already mentioned. I would probably |
| Monochromatic | | | | use mostly violet and orange in my piece and accents |
| A monochromatic scheme is made up of the same | | | | of green. On the other hand, someone with a different |
| color in many different tints, shades, and tones. For | | | | style than me might do mostly green and orange, with |
| example, a monochromatic scheme could be made of | | | | violet as the accent. There are no wrong answers |
| a rich red, a red and a pink. This is because they are all | | | | here, just personal style and decisions! |
| from the same color family, which is the red family. | | | | These are the four basic combinations, and though |
| Complimentary | | | | there are many other ways to use a color wheel, this |
| A complimentary scheme is composed of two colors | | | | will at least get you started for a while. |