Using a Color Wheel

About Monochromatic and Analogous Color Schemes

“Monochromatic and Analogous schemes have the lowest contrast in color. Colors in these schemes are closely related, and near each other on the color wheel. They work well for photos with different colors, or ones with a busy background. They also complement black and white photography”.

Monochromatic

Consists of only one color its shades and tints Scheme is unifying and harmonious

Example:

Analogous Consists of three to five colors that are side by side on a

color wheel Harmonious and pleasing to the eye Scheme works well for matching colors

Example:

About complementary, split, and triad color schemes

“Complementary, triad, and split complements have more contrast. Colors are further away from each other on the color wheel, and aren’t as closely related. These color schemes are easy to work with, and can adapt to different moods”.

Complementary

Directly across from each other on the color wheel

Red/green, blue/orange, and yellow/purple

Example

Split Complements

On each side of the complement color on the color wheel

Examples of spilt complements are red-orange and blue-green

Subtle and effective in creating a balanced approach

Example

Triad colors

Equally spaced out on a color wheel

Red, blue, yellow; orange, green and violet; red-orange and blue-violet

Example

TETRAD COLORS

Four or more colors. Find the key color and its complement, and on each side of these two colors are the tetrad combination (Combination forms a rectangle)

Colors are dissimilar

Example