Color Chart
COLOR WHEEL THEORY
The color wheel or color circle is the basic tool for combining colors. The first circular color diagram was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666. It is designed so that virtually, any colors you pick from it will look good together. Over the years, many variations of the basic design have been made, but the most common version is a wheel of 12 colors based on the RYB (or artistic) color model.
Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Colors
In the RYB or subtractive color model, the primary colors are: red, yellow and blue. The three secondary colors: green, orange and purple are created by mixing two primary colors. Another six tertiary colors are created by mixing primary and secondary colors.
Warm and Cool Colors
The color circle can be divided into warm and cool colors. Warm colors are vivid and energetic, and tend to advance in space. While cool colors give an impression of calm, and Cool Warm create a soothing environment. White, black and gray are considered to be neutral colors.
Tints, Shades, and Tones.
If a color is made lighter by adding white, the result is called a tint. When black is added, the darker version is called a shade. And if gray is added, the result is a different tone.
The following example illustrates the tints, shades and tones for the color orange.
Color Harmonies
s are basic techniques for creating color schemes. Here are some examples.
Complementary Color Scheme
Colors that are opposite to each other on the color wheel are considered to be complementary: red and green for example. These colors create a vibrant look especially when used at full saturation, but must be managed well so it is not jarring. They are tricky when used in large doses, yet work well when you want something to stand out
Triadic Color Scheme.
Uses colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. Tend to be quite vibrant, even if you use pale or unsaturated versions of your hues. To use a triadic harmony successfully, the colors should be carefully balanced: let one color dominate and use the two others for accent.
Analogous Color Scheme.
Colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. They usually match well and create serene and comfortable designs. They are often found in nature and are harmonious and pleasing to the eye. Make sure you have enough contrast when choosing this color scheme. For example, choose one color to dominate the second. The third color is used (along with black, white or gray) as an accent.
Split-Complementary Color Scheme.
It is a variation of the complementary color scheme. In addition to the base color, it uses the two colors adjacent to its complement. This color scheme has the same strong visual contrast as the complementary color scheme, but has less tension. It is often a good choice for beginners, because it is difficult to mess up.
Rectangle or Tetradic Color Scheme.
It uses four colors arranged into two complementary pairs. This rich color scheme offers plenty of possibilities and variations. It is best if you let one color be dominant. You should also pay attention to the balance between warm and cool colors in your design
Square Color Scheme
This color scheme is similar to the rectangle, but with all four colors spaced evenly around the color circle. They work best if you let one color be dominant. You should also pay attention to the balance between warm and cool colors in your design.
Painting Projects
Here are some of our painting projects
