Suggestions for planning pleasing colour harmonies

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN AND APPLICATION
Lesson 4: Elements of Design: Texture & Colour

Suggestions for planning pleasing colour harmonies

  • Large amount of colour should be quiet in effect, while small amounts may show strong contrasts; the larger the amount used, the quieter the colour should be, and the smaller the amount, the more striking the contrast may become. This is known as “Law of Areas”.

  • Small amounts of dark value balance large areas of light value and vice versa.

  • Complementary colours form a natural balance because they complete or complement each other in the eye. Thus it will be seen that if a touch of complementary colour is used in an arrangement it brings all of the nerves of the eye into use and prevents any one set from becoming overtired.

  • When colours are skillfully repeated, the eye travels rhythmically as it follows these colours. Rhythmic colours results from the use of gradations in hue, value, or intensity.

  • Emphasis in colour can be gained through contrasts of hue, value and intensity. In any colour arrangement there should be one outstanding colour effect. Backgrounds should show less emphasis than the objects placed against them.

  • There is a certain family likeness – a natural harmony among the warm colours and a similar kinship or unity among the cool colours; therefore, if one wishes to obtain colour harmonies, warm colours should be combined with with warm and cool colours with cool. If contrasts are desired, some cool colour may be used in a warm scheme, or a warm colour introduced into a cool scheme.

  • Any combination of colours can be made either pleasant or unpleasant, owing to the choice of values and intensities. For instance, blue and orange may be unattractive and uninteresting if used as they are found on the colour wheel. On the other hand, they may be very interesting if both of the colours are dulled somewhat (one dulled more than the other) and also if there is some difference in darkness and lightness.

  • All light values which are also all rather bright are apt to give a very weak, immature, and uninteresting effect. When all dark values are used together they may appear depressing and old.

  • A ground of colours in which all colours are of pure intensity (even though some variety in darkness and lightness may be present) often looks unrefined and primitive.

  • The more contrast there is in value, the more “exciting” and “dramatic” the combination of two. When too much contrast is used, however, the result is apt to be confusing and lacking in unity.

  • The most unifying colours are the colours of light – yellow, yellow-orange, and orange. When these colours are dull enough, as in warm grays and tans, any hue looks well against them, and therefore they make the most useful colours for backgrounds. It will be found that the grayed warm hues, which are somewhat advancing, have a tendency to unify the colours placed against them. The cool hues, which recede, have a tendency to separate colours seen against them.
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Last modified: Tuesday, 24 January 2012, 8:16 AM