Our lives are full of color. Color influences our mood, feelings and perceptions, as well as our decision-making processes. This means that your choices in color combinations play an essential role indesigning your brande site
Choosing the best color combination is as much a science as it is an art. While not everyone is born with an eye for color and an innate ability in graphic design, there are methods and principles you can use to choose the best color combinations to make a strong impression and achieve the desired effect. We've put together a cheat sheet to help take the stress out of choosing.
Before you start choosing color combinations, it's a good idea to have a basic understanding of colors, color terminology, how colors work together, emotional connections to colors, and the role colors play in creating colors.
Let's start by reintroducing the visual representation of relationships between color tones: the color wheel.
the color wheel
The history of this essential guide for artists and designers dates back to the early 18th century. Whether in primary school or the last time youused photoshop, most of us have seen a version of the color wheel at some point. Understanding the basics of the color wheel will help you significantly in your color combination choices, especially if you are not well-versed in the universe of color theory.
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How does the color wheel work?
A simple color wheel consists of 12 color hues arranged around a central axis.
A color wheel consisting of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.
All colors come from some combination ofprimary colors. The three primary colors are red, blue and yellow. These three colors are essentially the parents of all other colors.
Primary colors highlighted on a color wheel
Mixing equal parts of any two primary colors results in the creation ofsecondary colors
tertiary colorsthey come from mixing one of the primary colors with one of the closest secondary colors. Tertiary colors are foundin betweenall primary colors and secondary colors.
Red + Orange = Red-orange
Yellow + Orange = Yellow-orange
Yellow + Green = Yellow-green
Blue + Green = Blue-green
Blue + Purple = Blue-purple
Red + Purple = Red-purple
Tertiary colors highlighted on a color wheel
color terminology
Like any field of study, the world of art, design and color is full of technical language. A general understanding of color terminology will be helpful, both here and in the future of your business. We are going to introduce you to the most used basic terms in the chromatic world.
Hue.The terms color and tone are often used interchangeably by artists and designers. However, they actually mean different things. In general, "color" refers to all colors, including black, white, and gray. Instead, "tone" refers to theoriginthe color we see is thebasecolor and is always one of the six primary and secondary colors on the color wheel.
Hues.A tint is a lighter version of a given hue. It's a tone that hasonlywhite added to it. A tint can range from a shade slightly lighter than the original to almost white with a small amount of color..Sometimes a shade can look brighter than the original shade, but it's just a paler version.
Sombra.This is the opposite of a dye. A shadow is a hue to which only black has been added. It may include varying amounts of black, and the resulting color may be slightly darker than the original hue, or it may be nearly black. An easy way to remember this is to think about how the grass in the shade of a tree looks darker than the grass in the sun.
Application.This is very similar to tint and shade, but instead of being a tint with black or white added to it, it's a tint with just gray added. Gray added to create a hue must consist of black and white only, with no other colors (many colors considered gray actually have a base that is a hue). Toned colors tend to look more sophisticated than pure tones.
Hot versus cold.Warm colors are those that resemble or symbolize heat, while cold colors are attributed to ice and colder temperatures. For example, red, orange, yellow, and red-violet are warm colors, while blue, violet, green, and blue-green are cool colors.
Color psychology.
Now that we've had an introduction to color theory, we should take a quick look at color psychology.
Choosing a color scheme is not about choosing the colors you like; it's about choosing colors that evoke the emotions you're looking for in your audience. This is important because the colors and shades you choose set the tone for how your customers feel about your website, business cards and/or office space.
“Color is a power that directly influences the soul.” — Wassily Kandinsky
Here's a quick rundown of the different tones and the feelings they tend to elicit:
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Warm colors tend to generate energy and emotion, evoking passion, while cool colors calm and relax.
If you are interested in reading more about color psychology and how color meanings affect you, read on.our full publication.
Now that we understand color as applied to art and design, let's get to the fun part.
color combinations
Once you've decided on the psychology you want, picking colors that go together is easy. With a color wheel, you can quickly select monochromatic, complementary, analogous, split, triad, or tetradic color combinations. These different color schemes guide your choices between selecting contrasting colors and harmonious colors depending on the desired effect you want to achieve.
monochromatic combinations
A monochrome color scheme is a different variation of a single hue. This combination consists of varying the shades, shades and shades of the chosen tone. For example: dark blue, slightly lighter blue and light blue. These combinations are great for streamlining busy designs and creating a harmonious, visually appealing look.
Monochrome is a great color scheme strategy if you want your brand to identify with a specific color. It's also useful for showing progression in a layout, such as a layered price list, or for creating a fancier-looking layout with brighter colors.
complementary combinations
Complementary colors exist directly across from each other on the color wheel. These colors are very contrasting and can boldly make your design stand out with high contrast. However, if used incorrectly, they can be visually jarring.
Generally speaking, when you use complementary colors, you don't want to use them equally in your design. You'll want to pick one of the shades as your primary color, then use the complementary color to highlight and highlight a few key elements.
These contrasting color schemes can also be found in nature and lend a vibrant, natural feel to a design. Take, for example, coral orange that stands out against the blue of the ocean, or lavender against the soft green of the foliage.
Examples of complementary color combinations are:
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Red and green
blue and orange
yellow and purple
Yellow-green and reddish-purple
Red-orange and blue-green
Above is an example of a complementary combination: blue and orange. Notice how they are directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
analogous combinations
These color combinations are next to each other on the color wheel. Harmonious blends evoke serenity and peace. Some say this is due to the analogous combinations that so often exist in the natural world. It is recommended to choose a primary color as a base and then choose two more to highlight. This usually works best with a secondary and tertiary color. Make sure your base color dominates and the other two colors stand out, don't overwhelm. Also, be careful about choosing colors that are too close together as they can mix and fade your design.
Examples of similar combinations:
Violet, blue and teal
Red, fuchsia and purple
Red, orange and yellow
Green, blue and purple
Split complementary combinations
This is a variation on the complementary color scheme. The split combination comprises one color and two colors placed symmetrically around it. This strategy adds more variety than complementary color schemes, including three shades without being too loud or bold. Using this method, we get combinations that include warm and cool tones that balance more easily than complementary color schemes.
Examples of split complementary color schemes:
Red, blue-green and yellow-green
Blue, orange red and orange yellow
Yellow, blue-purple and red-purple
Purple, yellow-orange and yellow-green
triadic color combinations
Triadic color schemes are variants of the split complementary color scheme. The colors in this composition are equidistant on the color wheel. Take an equilateral triangle and place it on the color wheel. The colors in each point come together to form the triadic color scheme.
The first color in the triadic color palettes is the dominant color, while the colors following it are accent colors. You can manipulate a triadic color palette by lightening or saturating the colors.
And if you're wondering how triadic colors fade, the answer is to choose tertiary or muted tones. For example, you might swap a golden yellow for a softer honey glow, or an iridescent turquoise for a teal one.
Examples of triadic colors:
red, yellow and blue
purple, green and orange
Blue-purple, red-orange and yellow-green
Triadic color harmony refers to the aesthetically pleasing appearance that triadic colors have when combined. The colors stand out from each other and result in a bright and vibrant color palette, regardless of the specific color choice.
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tetradic combinations
Like the triadic color scheme, the tetradic color scheme involves equidistant colors. Except these color combinations use four colors instead of three. You can find a tetradic combination by placing a square on the color wheel and choosing colors in each corner, or by choosing two opposing sets of complementary colors.
These color combinations are always bold and fun, and the vibrancy makes the designs stand out. However, care must be taken when finding balance with these combinations, as they can easily be overwhelming.
Examples of tetradic color schemes:
Red, green, blue-purple and yellow-orange
Yellow, purple, blue-green and orange-red
experimentation is the key
Unless you have a natural affinity or background in art and design, choosing the best color combinations can sometimes be a little tricky. You really won't know how your chosen color combinations will look in your design until you apply them. That's why experimenting with different shades, tones, hues and undertones can help you find the best color combinations for your purpose and desire. And help you convey the message and feeling you want.
There are several apps and websites that can also help you with the decision-making process. we love thecolor palette generator in Canvawhere you can drag and drop a favorite photo to retrieve a color palette.
If you are looking for a color scheme for your website,business letters, or office, we are sure you will develop the best color combination for your needs.
Introduction: My name is Carlyn Walter, I am a lively, glamorous, healthy, clean, powerful, calm, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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