Color composition: types and principles, rules

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

From red, blue and yellow, each artist can get a large number of different shades. And, it would seem, in the modern world, you can create millions of variations. But still, the question of how to correctly compose a color composition worries many. And this is not surprising. To combine shades means to choose two or more options so that their combination is as expressive as possible.

History of color composition

Every artist knows the name of the person who developed modern color theory - this is Johannes Itten. At the head of his system, he put the physiological perception of shades. To understand the full meaning of his conclusion, you can do this exercise with a color wheel: you need to look at the star for a long time, and then remove it from the field of view, and an image of a different shade will appear in the place where the figure was.

The peculiarity of long-term perception is that ourthe nervous system tries to compensate for the effect of color in such a way that a neutral gray color is obtained as a result. It is this shade that does not irritate the eyes - this is the main feature of the color composition.

Neutrality rule

The combination of shades is harmonious if, when mixing two or more colors, the artist gets gray, dark gray or black. In addition to this important conclusion, it should be noted that the combination of any color with gray, white and black is a priori harmonious. That is, if the artist takes any color, then it will look perfect with neutral shades. This is because if, for example, you mix pink with black, you end up with the same black color. With a gray tint, things are a little different. Adding to it, for example, green paint, we will not get a pure color, while the neutral color still remains.

The main rule of fashion designers, photographers, and stylists is based on this fact. For example, black and white suits with bright colored accessories look great. And it does not matter what it will be - green earrings or scarlet beads. The most important thing is that when choosing accessories, either one shade should be used, or, again, a color composition.

Three categories in art

According to the theory of shades, there are three primary colors that cannot be obtained by any mixing - these are red, yellow and blue. If you mix all these three colors, then the artist will get a dark gray or black shade, depending onproportions. That is, the result will be neutral gray colors. If a person mixes primary colors with each other, for example, red and yellow, then a secondary color will be obtained - orange. And if an artist mixes blue with red, he will get purple. It is worth noting that the final shade will depend on the proportion, so you should not further dilute the paint with white or black.

And already when mixing primary and secondary shades, the artist gets tertiary ones - these are green, yellow-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green and red-orange. The end result should be 12 colors in a circle.

It is he who gives the maximum number of saturated shades. This is called the spectral color spots of the composition. Using them, the artist can create a harmonious combination.

Composition triangle

So, the first point worth mentioning is the contrast of comparisons. This is the simplest example of how a color composition can be created and can be demonstrated using all the pure colors in the above circle. As black and white form the strongest contrast, so yellow, red, blue form the brightest combination. When creating harmonious color juxtapositions, it is necessary to use those shades that are equidistant from each other.

If the artist builds an equilateral triangle, the corners of this figure will show him a harmonious combination of the composition of the color scheme. It can be rotated as you like, and in any casethe corners will indicate a triad of harmonious colors.

Shades of colors

The isosceles figure will point to the colors, the combination of which is harmonious. But it is worth considering that all of the above applies to both bright and less saturated colors. That is, if the artist adds the composition of the color wheel and decides to darken each of the shades, then the colors that he receives will also be in harmony with each other, and the triad will be preserved.

It will be exactly the same if the creator starts using colors a little lighter than the original ones, the combination will remain harmonious.

You can get color combinations that will also be harmonious in other ways. The main thing is that the mixture of these paints with each other results in a gray or black tint.

Color and color composition

Harmonious composition began to be actively used by artists in the 20th century. Looking through the great paintings, you can see that color slides are actively used in clothing. For example, in all the famous paintings by Henri Matisse, where women are dressed, the harmony of colors is perfectly matched. The contrast of color juxtapositions is also well traced in arts and crafts.

In folk art, the color solution in the composition allows you to create a combination that makes the products very bright, filling them with cheerfulness. This is especially noticeable in the Zhostovo painting: red, yellow, blue are in perfect harmony with each other. And the use of such a combination as yellow and red is a tandem ofwarm and cold colors. This combination is always combined.

Two color poles

The division of colors into warm and cold is based on people's perception. It is believed that the warmest colors are those that approach orange. And cold ones are shades that tend to blue. So, for example, green is opposed to red, while together they look very harmonious.

It is conditionally possible to divide the color wheel into two parts, and then in one part there will be cold colors, and in the other - warm. When creating contrasting combinations of two poles, it is desirable that they be of the same lightness, that is, equally light or equally dark in the spectrum. As a rule, the combination of cold and warm space makes the picture alive and breathing.

For example, consider blue-green, purple and orange shades. These colors are close to each other in their lightness, but not in temperature. It is due to this imbalance that the movement of the picture in color is created.

Decorative art also uses this contrast of cold with warm, while the work becomes calmer, less bright and more peaceful.

Additional way

The following color contrasts in the composition are a combination of complementary shades. They can also be obtained using a tint circle. As mentioned above, diametrically opposite colors in a circle, when mixed, give gray or black colors and are complementary to each other. Therefore, the combination of two colors is also harmonious. That is, if we connect only a couple of colors in diameter, we will get what is required. This is, for example, a combination of red and green or a combination of purple and yellow. In this method, you can use additional colors. To do this, you need to draw not a triangle, but a rectangle. By rotating this figure in a circle, the artist will get a combination of complementary colors. In this way, you can create not only four colors, but also six and eight.

This is a more complex combination of shades, but it also has a place. And, perhaps, the most striking example of the use of these combinations will again be Zhostovo painting.

The product that will be made using this technique will turn out bright, and it will be possible to meet almost all the colors of the tint circle.

Ordinal colors

And the last rule I would like to dwell on is the harmony of similar colors. If the artist takes shades standing next to each other, then he will receive a harmony of similar colors.

Three colors next to each other, such as yellow, yellow-green and green, will give the artist the perfect composition. There are no similar colors for another example, because all colors that are close to each other create a great combination.

Reinforcement exercises

To learn any theory, it must be put into practice as soon as possible. Color composition is no exception, so here are some activities to help you.any creator will quickly figure out the perfect combinations:

1. Creating your circle. In the modern world there are a large number of colors and shades, so there is no need to create everything yourself. But, despite this, in order to create the most accurate combination, it is better to make your own circle. To do this, you need to take three colors: red, yellow and blue. Based on the example above, you need to mix shades in different proportions. This will create an individual circle that you can rely on in the future.
2. Creating still lifes. This genre is one of the easiest to create because you don't have to take the picture out of your head and the model is completely still. It is necessary to write a still life from warm colors, and then from cold ones. And only then the artist can proceed to the third picture, to create a harmonious combination.
3. Seasons. Ideal compositions are best seen in nature itself. The creator only needs to choose the right shade when creating paintings on the theme: autumn, winter, spring and summer.

Don't think that these exercises will only help artists. In fact, such work will facilitate further creativity for the architect when creating the interior, and for the photographer when processing images, and even for the designer when designing any building.