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Color Harmony

Definition of Harmony: Harmony can best be defined as a pleasing arrangement of parts, whether it be color, poetry, art, or even a gourmet meal. In visual experiences, harmony is something that pleases the eye. It engages the viewer and it creates an inner sense of balance and order in the viewer's visual experience. When something is not harmonious, it can be jangling, wearisome or disordered.

To summarise, harmony is really a dynamic equilibrium where extreme unity leads to under-stimulation, and on the other end of the sprecturm, extreme complexity leads to over-stimulation.

Harmony in Color: Harmonious colors are colors that work well together, and produce a color scheme that looks attractive. The color wheel can be used as a valuable tool for determining harmonious colors.

Complementary colors are colors directly across from each other on the wheel. These are typically colors that will produce a strong contrast.

Split complementary colors are those on either side of a complementary color; these colors contrast, but not as strongly as complementary colors.

Triadic colors represent three colors equidistant on the color wheel; this typically provides a balanced color scheme with reasonable contrast.

Analogous colors are colors next to each other on the color wheel. They typically harmonize well but may not provide enough contrast, and are perhaps best used in conjunction with a complementary color. Monochromatic colors are all shades and tints of the same color.

Color Harmony Formulas: Color harmony is achieved by arranging particular colors as formulas. Although there are many theories and formulas for harmony, the four recognised formulas, (both artistically and scientifically) are:

Monochrome

Analogous

Complementary

Natural

The Monochrome color scheme is derived from a single base color, using just one hue. This single color is extended by using its shades and tints (that is, a color modified by the addition of black and white).

As a result, the energy is more subtle and peaceful due to a lack of color contrast. Monochromatic colors offer very little contrast and may be considered boring unless there is diversity within the design.

Composition of the painting or art work is achieved entirely through adjusting saturation and tones. Although limited, monochrome colors can be a powerful approach.

Example of a monochromatic color scheme

The Analogous formula is characterized by combining three of the colors which are side-by-side on a 12-part color wheel. An example of this would be to use green, yellow-green, and yellow. In most cases, when using an Analogous color scheme, one of the three colors usually predominates.

The Complementary color formula is usually used to increase color contrast, and uses two colors which directly oppose one another on the color wheel. Yellow and purple, red and green, and blue and orange are all opposites and are used in a complementary color scheme.

The hues can be mixed in various proportions, and tones added with white or black (or preferably earth.

This famous painting by Monet of the Beach at Trouville (1870). was painted on the spot. Monet is here using a complementary color scheme with an orange in beach and flesh tones against chalky tints of blue pigments).

The Nature color scheme provides more freedom in choosing colors because you can use any color combination which occurs in natural environments. Red, yellow, and green always create a harmonious design regardless of conforming to a technical scheme.

In conclusion, all artists use color in their paintings and drawing, and will not produce successful work unless some type of color harmony scheme is implemented. The important thing is to research and experiment for yourself — study the great masterworks and try out their color schemes to help understand what color scheme was used and why. This can be easily achieved today by taking copies of the work from books or the internet and looking into them with the basic graphics software which comes standard with most computers.

There are many formulas and schemes for color harmony, but the following tips should prove useful for the artist. Note that they apply only to hues: for variety you can (and should) vary the purity and tones of the hues concerned.

Select from the colors in the subject you are about to draw or paint
emphasise certain aspects of the colors you can see
OR utilise a scheme of colors that is not present in the subject

Some paintings might need a combination of all three approaches, and putting it all into practice does require a very clear idea of what you're trying to achieve.

Excerpts from Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

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Color Harmony

Harmony in Color: Harmonious colors are colors that work well together, and produce a color scheme that looks attractive. The color wheel can be used as a valuable tool for determining harmonious colors.

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