Color is a central element of artistic creation, with complementary and contrasting colors being the most common. [Complementary colors are colors that are 180 degrees apart on the color wheel], such as red and green, blue and orange, etc., which form a strong contrast and enhance the visual effect. [Contrasting colors are adjacent colors on the color wheel], such as red and orange, blue and violet, although the contrast is not as strong as the complementary colors, but the visual harmony.
The color wheel is a very important tool in colorology, it is a circular chart that arranges the colors in a specific order. This sequence usually starts with red, then passes through yellow, green, blue, magenta, and purple, and finally back to red. This arrangement is designed to be very intuitive, allowing us to better understand and grasp the relationships and interactions between colors.
Each color of the color wheel is obtained by mixing the other two colors. For example, the opposite of red is green, and since red and green are complementary colors, their mixture creates gray. Similarly, yellow and purple are complementary colors, and their mixture also produces gray. This complementarity can help us create a strong visual impact in our designs.
In real life, artists often use complementary colors to highlight the expressiveness of their works, such as landscape paintings with blue skies and yellow grounds. Designers are more likely to use contrasting colours, such as blue sofas and yellow carpets. To put these two color theories to work, try to add a sense of style by combining complementary colors for everyday wear, or decorate a room with contrasting colors to create a warm atmosphere. Mastering the theory of complementary and contrasting colors helps to improve the aesthetic level and creative ability.