Color Wheel

COLOR WHEEL: A color wheel (also referred to as a color circle) is a visual representation of colors arranged according to their chromatic relationship.

Color Combinations

Monochromatic Colors are shades (add black) or tints (add white) variations of the same hue. There is a risk of monotony but using it with pure colors, white or black can break that dullness.









Analog Colors lie on either side of any given color. Often these are color schemes found in nature so they usually feel harmonious.








Complimentary Color are directly opposite from one another on the color wheel. They are contrasting and stand out against each other; it is a good idea to use a complementary color as the highlight color.






Split Complementary Colors is a color and the analogous colors to its complement color. This combination give you a greater harmony than the use of the direct complementary and can give your design a higher degree of contrast.






Double-Complementary Colors are two complementary color sets; the distance between selected complementary pairs will effect the overall contrast of the final composition.








Triad Colors are three hues halfway on the color wheel. When you want a design that is colorful and yet balanced, a triad color scheme might be the way to go.

PROJECT 08 - COLOR RELATIONSHIP COMPOSITIONS USING COLOR WHEEL (COLOR THEORY)

Select a close up image from nature that has detailed areas of interest where you can see different design elements in the shapes of the image. With cropping L's (given in class), search for select areas in the image to create a balanced and interesting composition. Look beyond the actual literal image and visualize and interpret the shapes from the original image. Use your creativity to execute your original composition. Crop into it and create an abstraction creating your own version. You will be creating three of the same compositions using scale and color relationships.

Color Combination Studies Derived from the Color Wheel

Create three repetitive compositions on 9”x9” paper using three distinct color relationships from the color wheel. Repeat your composition on each one. Using paints, execute your compositions using the following color relationships, use saturated colors and their tones and tints. Do not use white or black. Select one hue as starting point and develop its relationships. Refer to the color wheel and the examples from the different combinations from the color wheel posted from the blog.

CHOOSE THREE COMBINATIONS OF RELATIONSHIPS:

     - Complimentary colors (Split or Double complimentary)

     - Analogous colors

     - Monochromatic colors

     - Triad

 Process
•  Sketch out 3-4 thumbnails for your desired composition. Experiment with pencil and play with color
    in your sketchbook so you can explore different relationships and color combinations.
•  Select the strongest one to execute your final 9”x9” painting.

•  Consult with teacher for final selection of strongest concepts.

Materials

• White Bristol 9”x9” format (3 final paintings)

• Paint (acrylic or gouache) with a wide range of saturated colors.

Check Georgia O’Keefe's work

Students Samples