Chapter 9 Color Schemes and Harmonies

What is an achromatic color?

An achromatic color is technically a neutral (a color that contains no hue) Achromatic colors can also include chromatic neutrals that are created from complementary mixtures or muted earth colors mixed with black and white.

What is a chromatic color?

A chromatic color is a color that is based on a discernible source hue from the color circle.

What is a color harmony?

A color harmony is a combination of colors that are visually pleasing when grouped together.

What is a color scheme?

A color scheme provides a color harmony.

What are complementary dyad harmony?

A complementary color scheme begins with a perfectly balanced opposing pair of hues (a dyad) from the color circle. The most common dyad pairings are made up of one primary and one secondary hue as follows: blue and orange, red and green, and yellow and violet. There are also three tertiary dyads: red- orange opposing blue-green, red-violet opposing yellow-green, and blue-violet opposing yellow-orange. When we place full-saturation complementary hues directly adjacent to each other, a visual effect called complementary vibration occurs. A color scheme produced from a complementary pair generates a great deal of visual interest and scintillation or contrast. The two hues of a dyad can also be mixed together such as (red and green) to generate a soothing group of neutral or partially neutralized colors called chromatic neutrals. A complementary harmony consists of pure hues, such as yellow opposing violet, and then tints, shades, or tones of the pure hues and/ or their complementary intermixtures (chromatic neutrals).

What is the double complement harmony?

A double complementary scheme is a contrasting color scheme with four hues, which employs two adjacent complementary pairs. The purpose of a double complementary harmony is to soften and expand a complementary dyad, for example: green and yellow-green opposed to red-violet and red. A double complementary harmony can function by: utilizing pure hues and intermixtures between complements, and tints, shades, and tones of any of these. This harmony is a more structured approach to a cool/ warm color scheme that stresses the contrast of opposing hues.

What is a monochromatic color scheme?

A monochromatic color scheme is built upon a single hue from the color circle. You take one hue and alter it with tints, shades and tones. For example, a blue monochromatic color scheme may include pure blue, slightly warmer or cooler blues, tints, shades, and tones of blue; and blue inter-mixtures with other hues.

What is the split-complementary harmony?

A split complementary harmony can be regarded as either a contrasting harmony or a balanced harmony. A split complementary scheme is a three-hue color harmony based on an opposing dyad. A split complementary harmony begins with a dyad but rather than having a direct hue complement, the two hues on either side of the actual complement are chosen, for example, violet in opposition to yellow-orange and yellow-green.

What is a tetrad harmony?

A tetrad is a balanced four-hue color scheme, which gives it more complexity and depth than other color harmonies. Tetrads are defined by either a square or rectangle inscribed inside the color circle. The three tetrads created by squares are: Y, V, RO, BG; YO, BV, R, G; or O, B, RV, YG. Square tetrad harmonies employ two complementary pairs, which are more widely spaced on the circle than the hues of a double complementary scheme creating a divergent yet stable group of colors. A traditional tetrad is based on a rectangle inscribed in the color circle to obtain the following four-hue combinations: YG, RV, YO, BV; Y, V, B, O; or G, R, Y, V. Since tetrads are based on a larger (four-hue) selection of hues, they are somewhat less harmonious than the schemes with a more limited number of hues. To enhance the harmony of a tetrad, it may be paired with other methods of formulating color harmony, such as keying color value or saturation to a similar level. The advantage of a four-hue color system is both its flexibility and complexity, which leads to a broad-based color harmony.

Name some simple color schemes/harmonies:

Achromatic Monochromatic Analogous

What is an achromatic color scheme?

An achromatic color scheme is includes only achromatic colors: black, white and a full value tonal range of grays. They are very harmonious and rely on light/dark value contrast or warmth and coolness (as in warm and cool grays) for variety.

What is an analogous color scheme?

An analogous color scheme is based on the concept of a color family. An example of an analogous harmony is blue, blue-violet, and violet. To vary the hues of an analogous color scheme, hues may be inter-mixed, tinted, shaded, tones, and/or slightly modified with other hues.

What is a triadic harmony?

An equilateral triangle inscribed in the color wheel points to three equidistant hues, which form a triadic color scheme. The triad is a classically balanced color harmony familiar to artists and designers. There are two well-known triadic choices: a primary triad of red, yellow, and blue and a secondary triad of violet, orange, and green. There are also two tertiary triad harmonies: RO, YG, and BV; and RV, YO, and BG. All of the triadic color chords are extremely harmonious and have the advantage of being simultaneously balanced and diverse.

What are analogous hues?

Analogous hues are two to three adjacent or neighboring hues on the color circle.

What are balanced color harmonies?

Balanced color harmonies are based on separate, balanced hue selections from the color circle, often referred to as color chords. The concept of a color chord correlates with music; "color notes" (hues) are thought to have a pleasant "color sound," like the spaced apart notes of a musical chord. Two categories of balanced color harmonies are triads and tetrads. Both of the following color schemes are based on a geometric figure that is inscribed inside the color circle as a guideline for hue selection. A triangle defines a triad harmony, and a square or rectangle delineates a tetrad harmony.

What are balanced color harmonies?

Balanced color harmonies are color chords in which hue selections are based not only upon their placement, but specifically upon their spacing on the color circle.

What is color harmony and discord?

Color harmony is a formal goal of much art and design, but there is also a role for color groupings that are stridently different, perhaps harsh in contrast. Color discord is formed by a purposefully dissonant combination of colors in order to attract attention and is expressive in nature rather than harmonious. Examples of discordant color combinations might include: many strong hues together, a pure hue in combination with muddy, low- saturation colors, tones of numerous colors with a few pure bright harsh colors, or colors such as dark pinks, yellow greens, and olive greens that are traditionally less preferred than other colors. There are, however, no set "rules" for discordant colors due to the fact that color discord is highly subjective in nature. The expressive quality of color discord is discussed in Chapter 11.

What is cool/warm color harmony?

Cool/warm contrast emphasizes divergence in color temperature, a metaphorical approach to color that stems from human color associations: We feel that colors are warm (like red for blood) or cool (like blue for water), based on our personal and cultural expe- rience. The cool side of the color circle ranges from violet to green. The warm side of the circle spans from red to yellow. Borderline hues that are not definitively cool or warm are red-violet and yellow-green. RV and YG are the chameleons of color temperature, as they may be deemed to be either warm or cool colors. A cool/warm color scheme is composed of one pair of neighboring warm colors and one pair of neighboring cool colors. Since RV and YG are mutable temperature hues, they can be either cool or warm depending on how they are paired with other hues. RV is cool when paired with violet and warm when paired with red. YG is cool when paired with green and warm when paired with yellow.

What are informal color harmonies?

Informal color harmonies are more flexible, less fixed color strategies than standard color schemes. The artist can customize these harmonies to meet the color requirements of a subject, theme, or function of an artwork. Informal color schemes are often established by color characteristics rather than circle-based hue selections. The following is a list of informal color harmonies that have flexible rules and are able to form many possible color combinations. Simple Color Scheme: A color scheme based on variations from any two to four hues. Hues may be tinted, shaded, or toned to create a group of colors. High-Saturation Color Scheme: All high-saturation key hues and colors form this color scheme. Any number of hues or colors can be used as long as they are pure and intense. This scheme is often called a high-key color scheme. Low-Saturation Color Scheme: A color scheme of all low-saturation key hues and colors, formed by the addition of black or varying amounts of gray to make tones. One or two purer colors can be added for contrast. Neutral with Accents: Achromatic black, white, grays; nearly achromatic earth colors, chromatic neutrals, and very low-saturation tones are selections for this color harmony. One or two stronger color accents can give the harmony some interest and variety. Light-Value Key Color Scheme: Any number of hues keyed to medium-light or very light values are in this color harmony, also called a pastel color scheme. A few darker or stronger colors can be used for contrast. Dark-Value Key Color Scheme: The same as above but with very dark values and formed with shades, complementary mixtures, or dark tones. Limited Hue Saturation Contrast: Any one to three hues can be used to create a wide variety of saturations by using sequential tones, as in the Munsell system. Adding different amounts of varied values of gray into a pure hue can do this. There should be high-saturation versions of each hue as well. Chromatic Gradation: A color scheme from hues with some distance between them on the color circle; pure hues, as well as subtle gradations between hues are used, for example: yellow, green, and blue, which would consist of Y, YYG, YG, G, GGB, BG, B, and variations. Chromatic gradation is most effective when presented in a sequence compositionally since it is a logical progression. Value Gradation: Any two to four hues and their light-to-dark value gradations make another orderly color scheme. Approximately five value variations on each hue make the scheme more effective, especially when value gradations are in order as an integral part of the harmony. Triad Variation: Two of the three hues chosen from a triad construct a strong har-mony, for example, orange and green or green and violet from the secondary triad.

What are contrast or opposing harmonies?

Opposing or contrasting color harmonies maximize hue contrast. These color harmonies tend to generate a lot of visual excitement.

What are opposing/contrasting color harmonies?

Opposing/contrasting color harmonies are based on hue contrast: either opposing hues or hue temperature contrast.

What are simple color harmonies?

Simple color harmonies are color schemes based on a small number of neutrals or hues.

Why are simple color schemes good?

Simple color schemes can be thought of as "layman's" color harmonies because they are reliable, harmonious, and agreeable. Each simple color harmony has its own distinctive traits. An achromatic scheme is neutral, and it often emphasizes high value contrast. Monochromatic or analogous schemes are very harmonious with strong visual unity. However, any one of these color schemes may be used in an atypical manner to produce unexpected effects.

What are keyed color harmonies?

Value and saturation keys are instrumental in creating visual coherence, harmonizing a large range of colors. Color keys can visually connect a group of hues through common, similar color characteristics, such as the use of predominantly dark or light values. A consistent saturation level is also effective in harmonizing a large group of colors, resulting in a collection of colors with an equal degree of high or low saturation. Color keys harmonize because colors that share common traits visually level out color diversity and create a visual tapestry.

What are the three principal categories for color schemes/harmony?

simple color harmony opposing/contrasting harmonies balanced harmonies