An analagous color scheme uses neighboring colors on the color wheel. Usually, up to five neighbors can be used. In this example, Sherrill starts with Red and goes left around the wheel to the next four colors. (She actually has snuck in the tiniest bits of the next one too - see it?)
Of course, as in the monochromatic scheme, all the tints and intensities of the colors being used can be included as well,
The analagous scheme is a relaxing one, even with a brilliant palette. The eye feels easy traveling from one “similar” color to another.
Even though this is actually just a “detail” from a larger piece, it still has a focal point - the darkest rectangle third from the left in the top row.
The triadic color scheme uses three colors equidistant on the color wheel. Traditionally, art students have been taught to draw a triangle with equal sides, put it in the middle of the wheel and turn it. The colors at the three points would make a triadic color scheme. We just start with a color and add every fourth color from it. Works the same way.
The most well-used and familiar triadic scheme is made up of the three primary colors (red, yellow, and blue). This sample presents a more unusual and exciting triad of Tertiary colors: Yellow-Orange, Red-Violet, and Blue-Green (Turquoise). The Triadic is a semi-exciting experience for the eye.
Focal point in this piece? The round, light colored turtle.
The most eye-popping of all the schemes, these two really wake you up! The complementary scheme uses a pair of complements. Remember that equal areas of equal intensities will clash when you are using complements and that a small area of one against a field of the other will automatically create your focal point because of how much it will stand out.
The split complementary scheme uses a color and the two next door neighbors of that color’s complement. This sample uses Yellow with the two neighbors of its complement, Violet (Red-Violet and Blue-Violet).
If you are a color genius as is Sherrill Kahn, you can take a gamble on one of what are called “discordant” color schemes. These schemes really push the limits of color harmony and often exceed them - resulting in discord (hence the title).
The first of these is called a double complement - two pairs of complements are used in the same composition. When this works, it is really visually exciting, as in the sample lower right. When it doesn't, it can be a disaster.
Here Sherrill is combining both the Blue-Orange complement pair and the Red-Green. This is a detail area of a larger piece where she actually throws Yellow-Violet in for good measure. Be careful when trying this at home!
Other discordant themes you can try if you are not faint of heart are these:
The Alternate Complement uses a triad of colors plus the complement to one of them.
TheTetrad (envelope-pushing cousin of Triad) uses four colors - evenly spaced around the wheel. Start with a color and add every third color from it.
Click on the picture to access the larger version which will print on a page by itself. Just close that window to return here.
Use any color media that your paper will handle to create your samples. Remember to choose one element of the “Dragonfly Background” to be your focal point and set it apart from the rest by using some kind of contrast.
We would like to publish some of the finished samples in a future issue, so if you turn out something really wonderful (or sort of wonderful), please send us a scan (72 dpi jpeg file) and maybe you will see your color expertise in “print”.
