Edward Burne Jones
Analogous
Color Scheme
The analogous color scheme uses colors that are adjacent to each
other on the color wheel. One color can be used as a dominant
color while others are used to enrich the scheme. The analogous
scheme is similar to the monochromatic, but offers more depth.
In Monet's La cathédrale de Rouen you can see he used tints
and Shades of colors close to each other in the color wheel.
Monet:
La cathédrale de Rouen
Complementary
Colors
The
complementary color scheme consists of two colors that are opposite
each other on the color wheel. This scheme looks best when you
place a warm color against a cool color, for example, warm yellow
with a cool blue. This combination give a high contrast and lots
of punch to your work.
In the image below Alphonse Mucha used shades
and tints of Red and Green to great effect.
Alphonse Mucha
Split
Complementary Color
The
split complementary scheme is a variation of the color combination
above. It uses a color and the two colors on each side
of its complementary color. This still gives high contrast
but without the strong tension of the complementary scheme.
Below
you can see Monet used yellows and deep oranges to contrast the
blue shadows to give the sky and his sunset lots of impact.
Claude
Monet
Triadic
Color Scheme
The
triadic color scheme uses three colors equally spaced
around the color wheel. This scheme gives a strong visual contrast
but still retains a harmony among the colors. The triadic scheme
is not as contrasting as the complementary scheme and give a balanced
and harmonious look to your work.Here
Andy Warhol uses Blue, Yellow and a tint of Red to create one
of the many of his iconic images of Marilyn.
Andy Warhol: Shot Blue Marilyn
Tetradic
(Double Complementary) Color Scheme
The
tetradic (Double Complementary) scheme is the most varied because
it uses two complementary color pairs. This
scheme can be hard to harmonize if all four hues are used in
equal amounts. So consider choosing one color to be dominant
or subdue the colors for a softer effect.
In
Mary Cassatt's Summertime you can see Blue-Violets and Yellow-Orange
as one complementary pair and and Blue and Orange as the second
complementary pair.
Mary Cassatt: Summertime
