How to Improve by Understanding Color Harmony
1. Primary Colors
2. Color Temperature
3. Secondary Colors
4. Tertiary Colors
5. Chroma
6. Complementary Colors (color contrast)
7. Analogous colors
8. Neutral colors
9. Triadic colors
10. Summary
1. Primary Colors
First, primary colors are Red, Yellow, and Blue.
I'm going to talk about Munsell primary colors in another lesson, but for now, let's follow the color wheel
2. Color temperature
Color temperature is relative. When we compare two colors, we can say one is cooler than another. We are comparing the amounts of blue in them. A cool red for example contains more blue in it, so it'll be closer to violet. A warm red will be more orange. On the other hand, a cool blue has more green in it, but a warm blue has more red in it.
3. Secondary colors
Secondary colors are the result of mixing two primary colors. You'll get Orange, Green and Purple.
4. Tertiary colors
Tertiary colors are mixed by 1/2 of primary color and 1/2 of secondary color. Primary red mixed with secondary orange results in a Red-Orange color. Primary yellow mixed with secondary Orange results in an Orange-yellow color.
5. Chroma
Chroma means the color's brightness. One of the ways to reduce a color's intensity is to mix with its complementary color. For example, reducing red's intensity, and mixing it with green. reduce yellow's intensity, mix with purple, reduce orange's intensity, mix with blue. You can also mix with neutral gray.
6. Complementary color
Complementary color is also known as color contrast. Those are the colors directly opposite one another on the color wheel. As I mentioned in Chroma's example, red's complementary is green, yellow's complementary is purple, and blue's complementary is orange. Using those colors in your painting will make your artwork look attractive.
7. Analogous colors
Analogous colors are the neighbors. Orange's analogous colors are red-orange, red, orange-yellow and yellow. Your painting will look very harmonious with analogous colors.
8. Neutral colors
Neutral colors are close to the greys. Your painting will give you a subtle feeling. Vivid green became moss green, bright blue became opaque and soft blue, and orange became brown.
9. Triadic colors
Triadic colors are based on three primary equally spaced colors on the color wheel. For example, Red, blue, and yellow. or Orange, purple, and green.
Summary
-Primary colors are Red, Yellow, and Blue
-Color temperature is relative. When you compare two colors, the one with more blue is cooler.
-Secondary colors are orange, green, and purple
-Tertiary colors are mixed by 1/2 of primary color and 1/2 of secondary color.
-Chroma means the color's brightness. To reduce brightness, mix with it's complementary color or grey
-Complementary colors are directly opposite one another on the color wheel.
-Analogous colors are the neighbors.
-Neutral colors are close to the greys.
-Triadic colors are based on three primary equally spaced colors on the color wheel.
Exercise
For beginners, try to start with 2 complementary colors, move to 3 analogous colors, and then try with 6 colors (3 cool primary colors and 3 warm primary colors). Your painting will look harmonious no matter how you mix them together this way.
Let me know if you have any specific questions.
