Color can make or break a design.
No matter if you have restrictions in your color palette options or full flexibility, color combination is a process that can take hours. Not to mention of you use Adobe Illustrator “Recolor Artwork” tool. You can go into an infinite loophole.
Sometimes the same design can look so stylish and unique in a color palette. But with the wrong color selection people just pass by and ignore it.
Color combination rules.
That’s why knowing the basics of color combination is important. Usually, when we combine colors, the starting point to do it is by the complementary color.
Complementary color
is the color located directly across the color wheel. A cold and a warm color. Cool colors are from purple to green. Warm colors are from red to yellow. This way guaranties the best contrast possible between two colors. Red is the complimentary color of green. Blue is the complementary color of orange, and so on.
Monochromatic
Means to use only one color, but in a variety of tints, tones, or shades. For example, here we would use variations from this yellow orange. But only yellow orange
Triadic
Means the use of three colors evenly spaced among the color wheel. In this case we are using red, jump over three colors, and select blue, jump over three more colors, and select yellow.
That leaves us three other colors to arrive again to red. When we trace an imaginary line across the selected colors, we create a triangle.
Tetradic (or square) and rectangular
Means the use of four colors that consist of two sets of complementary colors. In the upper color wheel, we are using red and its complementary color, green. Then we are using blue purple and its complementary color, yellow orange. In the color wheel below, we are using purple and its complementary color, yellow. Then we are using blue with orange. When tracing an imaginary line between them, you create squares or rectangles.
Tints, tones, and shades.
Great! You now know how to move around the color wheel. But what if you don’t like those bright colors? How do you use the color wheel combination rules in less saturate colors? Here is where tints, tones, and shades come into play.
Analogous means the use of colors that are next to each other. In this case purple, blue purple, and blue.
When we add white to a hue it’s called a tint. When we add grey to a hue it’s called a tone. When we add black to a hue it’s called a shade.
Usually, hues are considered more childish colors. Because they are so bright. Tints are also called “pastels”. Tones are more sophisticated and pleasing to the eye. Shades are basically a pure hue, but darker, it can go to almost 100% black.
Color is a marvelous thing!
Color is a science. Literally. Once you begin to familiarize with it, your life changes. You even start to dress differently!
Learn your basics, master them, and move on to learn something new. I promise you, there is always something new to learn about color.
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1 month ago |
6 mins
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