The Smashing Book – The Ultimate Guide to Fantastic Color Usage (part 2 of 3)
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Color Theory
Color theory is the study of how pure colors relate to each other and the effect of their combinations. We’ll go over some of the most recognized color relationships, or schemes, along with examples of their use on various websites today. Developing a color scheme is often the first step in deciding which colors will look best together in a design. In each of the following screenshots, the color palette shows the main colors being used in the accompanying screenshot, while the pure color hues are marked on the color wheel to show the relationships between the colors.
Monochromatic: one hue, varying in saturation and brightness.
Monochromatic palette.
Monochromatic color scheme.
Analogous or Blend: hues adjacent to each other on the color wheel.
Analogous palette.
Analogous color scheme.
Complementary: two hues directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
Complementary palette.
Complementary color scheme.
Split-Complementary: one hue on one side of the color wheel, and the two hues adjacent to its complement.
Split-complementary palette.
Split-complementary color scheme.
Triadic: three hues equidistant from each other on the color wheel.
Triadic palette.
Triadic color scheme.
Double-Complementary or Rectangular-Tetradic: two hues and their complements.
Double-Complementary palette.
Double-Complementary color scheme.
Square-Tetradic: four hues equidistant from each other on the color wheel.
Square-Tetradic palette.
Square-Tetradic color scheme.
Analogous-Complementary: two complementary hues, and an adjacent hue of one of their complements.
Analogous Complementary palette.
Analogous Complementary color scheme.
Neutral: muted colors.
Neutral palette.
Neutral color scheme.
Accented: muted colors, with one color high in saturation.
Accent palette.
Accent color scheme.
Warm: colors from the top of the color wheel, with hues ranging from 271° to 90°.
Warm palette.
Warm color scheme.
Cold: colors from the bottom of the color wheel, with hues ranging from 91° to 270°.
Cold palette.
CoLd color scheme.
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Liz
February 5th, 2013 5:51 amYour information is so simply explained with excellent examples.
I will direct all my colour students to you site.
Thanks for putting all the work in.