In theory, there are two main harmonious combinations:Īnalogous color schemes are those which fall side-by-side in the color wheel, such as yellow-orange, orange, and orange-red. Pairing too many colors can be over-stimulating while a lack of color complexity can be under-stimulating, a proper balance will lead to color harmony. I am personally a fan of monochromatic color schemes (those relating to the same hue) while another might lean towards pairing many colors together. As you saturate and de-saturate an experience, the emotional response triggered will register with each user differently.

Relating to color, harmony is a balance in the visual experience. Harmony is described as the pleasing arrangement of parts – whether that’s a recipe, painting, or even a braided bracelet. Color HarmonyĮveryone will react to color differently, but we are all hard-wired to see color the same way. Each of these hues will have two names (denoted by a hyphen) showing which colors were used to create it. These are the colors made by mixing a primary color and a secondary color. Tertiary Colors – Yellow-Orange, Red-Orange, Red-Purple, Blue-Purple, Blue-Green, and Yellow-Green These are the colors made by mixing the primary colors. Secondary Colors – Green, Orange, and Purple All other colors are directly derived from these 3 colors. In traditional color theory, the primary colors are those that cannot be formed by any other color combination. Here’s a crash course on understanding the color wheel: Color FamiliesĬolor is divided into 3 common families: primary, secondary, and tertiary (or intermediate) colors. It’s important to understand how color works because it has the ability to influence our moods and emotions this is information that advertisers and designers have been employing for many years. You’ve likely seen it a hundred times but have you ever truly understood it? It’s one of the most invaluable tools in teaching you how to recognize and approach color theory – how hues relate to one another, why some color combinations are more pleasing than others, etc.

The color wheel is your guide to visual harmony.

Color wheel 3 primary colors