graphic tricks, tips & tutorials

• Colour Theory

The following information and images are not my own (unless stated otherwise), it has been adapted from:

https://www.google.co.za/amp/s/www.pixiteapps.com/blog/an-introduction-to-color-theory%3fformat=amp
Accessed on September 2021

Certain colors complement each other in seemingly unexpected ways. They blend, highlight, contrast and play off each other in interplay that can be subtle or surprising. Understanding these relationships is the key to understanding "color theory" – the idea behind combining colors to create contrast or harmonious blends. Understanding color theory will allow you to control various visual elements in your artwork.

The color wheel consists of:

3 primary colors: red, yellow, blue

3 secondary colors: green, orange, purple

6 tertiary colors: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, red-violet

Of these 12 colors, half of them are warm - reds, oranges, and yellows - and half are cool - blues, greens, and purples.

Here are several options for building color schemes:

Monochromatic colors are made up of different tones and shades within a single hue. For example: light lime green, medium lime green, and dark lime green.

(The above image is my work)

Complementary colors are on opposite sides of the color wheel and play off each other for a striking contrast. Examples are orange / blue, red / green, and purple / yellow.