Color harmony. Circle of color combinations. Color matching

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The harmony of color combinations is quite important for many aspects of our life. After all, it is necessary to take into account the degree of interaction of various shades and color combinations in the interior, in clothing, in various types of art and in many other industries.

Itten's color wheel

There is a certain scheme of basic color combinations. She is represented in a circle created by the artist I. Itten. You can see this circle in the picture below.

This model clearly shows the interaction of colors among themselves, the separation of colors according to the degree of primacy. So, there are basic and additional, you can also trace the order of their combination.

The Color Matching Circle was developed to help beginners to work with color more easily. The circle taught the most harmonious combination of shades. It is relevant even today. The outer shell in the form of a closed circle contains twelve colors of the spectrum from red to violet. Red, blue, yellow are basic, that is, the main tones. All the rest, formed by mixing, are secondary colors. Asfurther mixing produces tertiary shades.

However, it is clear that in real life we perceive and use a much larger number of shades. Therefore, the most complete model can be imagined in the form of a sphere, the poles of which will carry white and black colors.

The concept of color consonances

The laws of color harmony are based on the patterns of combinations and are the basis of the color composition as a whole. There are many of them. The schemes used to compose color harmonies are different in outline. The construction is based on a certain number of tones (two, three, four or more).

The use of such schemes will help you navigate the variety of shades and choose the right combination.

To understand what will be discussed next, keep Itten's color wheel in mind or look at the picture.

Two-tone color harmony

It suggests the compatibility of pairs of colors. These can be both adjacent and opposite sectors of the Itten circle. An example is a combination of opposites (complementary colors): red - green, blue - orange. All of them harmoniously interact with each other. The basis of such compatibility is color contrast. It is also possible to combine tones that are extremely distant from each other (light orange - blue).

Three-color harmony

It is also called the "color triad". Such combinations can be represented by variousschematic options. With an adjacent combination (neighboring colors) and with a combination of similar colors (through one), harmonious color unions are formed. But the classic scheme is the use of triangles (isosceles and equilateral). In this case, harmonious color triads are formed (yellow, red, blue; purple, green, orange). Therefore, by inscribing any of these figures in the circle of Itten's color combinations and rotating, it is easy to determine the most harmonious union. As a rule, contrasting combinations are obtained. You can also apply linear variations from complementary colors to adjacent colors and so on.

Four-color harmony

This is a complicated version. However, such harmony is easy enough to imagine. Her color scheme is defined by inscribing simple geometric shapes, such as a square and a rectangle, into the Itten circle. It is also possible to turn on the trapezoid. When mixing the colors of this combination, you get a black tone. An example of a four-color consonance: yellow, red-orange, violet, blue-green.

Harmony of six colors

It is formed by including an equilateral hexagon in the space of a circle. This is a rather complex harmony, the color scheme of which consists of six different shades. Mentally, it is quite difficult to make such a chain. Therefore, in this case, it is worth using the circle model. If we consider a sphere as a basis, then interesting color combinations can be achieved by spatial rotation.

Color matching

Whole solutionthe question of choosing a tone depends on the goals, objectives and scope of a particular color. To solve design problems, there are some features, for the selection of wardrobe - others. But one way or another, one cannot do without the use of color theory, as well as the concepts of how important harmony, color compatibility and general characteristics of colors are. With a conscious approach, it is quite easy to create the necessary compositional structure, based on the basics of color science.

Some of the tones that form the basis of the Itten circle have a number of features. Also, their distinctive feature can be called increased brightness and saturation. Spectral colors are not always used in their pure form. Often they are joined by achromatic black and white. And many of them are difficult to mix or understand.

For example, purple is a rather complex color. The color harmony formed with its use is quite interesting. It is formed by mixing light rays of red and purple hues. When choosing one or another tone to an existing one, it is important not to forget the rules for their combination, schematic models.

Colour characteristics. Basic

Each color has three main characteristics. These include saturation, lightness, and hue. It is also important to take into account the contrast (color and light) and the spatial effect of a particular color scheme. Choosing a color for solving a problem should begin with an understanding of these properties.

Color tone is determined by the position in the spectralstructure and defines its name (green, red). Tone allows you to reveal the difference between spectral and achromatic color.

Saturation - a characteristic that determines the degree of proximity to the ideal spectral color. The closer, the higher the degree of color saturation. If, for example, white or black paint is added to a color, a loss of saturation will occur. That is, in fact, saturation determines the degree of remoteness of a color from gray with the same degree of lightness.

The degree of lightness is a color property that determines its position on a scale from white to completely black. In everyday use, this property is also called brightness.

Color contrast is a concept that is often used by artists, colorists, and designers. It is based on the properties of contrasting colors, the degree of their interaction and compatibility. Contrasting hues enhance each other's saturation while having a big impact on each other.

There are a number of other terms used to characterize color. These are the concepts of intensity, sonority, degree of reflection. All components are variable, as they are directly dependent on the time of day, the type of lighting.

Combination rules

It is necessary to adhere to the compatibility of no more than four shades (if the direct task is not to combine more).

Achromatic colors, as well as gray, are versatile. Match well with bright colors.

Washed shades, the so-calledpastel colors tend to blend well with each other due to the generalizing element in the base (white).

Related (blue - purple) combinations or complementary (red - green) combinations are considered the standard of harmony.

A combination of monochrome colors (shades from one segment) can be a good solution.

Thus, puzzling over the choice of a particular color union, you should pay attention to the theoretical basis of color, take the time to color models and characteristics of the colors you choose.

Harmony is essential in any industry, the color structure of which affects the characteristics needed to select the right combinations. This should not be forgotten.