Monochromatic Color Wheel

A color wheel is a chart that shows how colors are related to make it easier to choose harmonious color combinations that attract attention to page content. The color wheel is divided into three categories of colors.

Figure 12-11. Monocromatic colors.

A monochromatic color scheme uses a single hue with various tints and shades for contrast. Normally you will pick darker colors for text presentation and lighter colors for backgrounds. The various tints and shadings range from bold to subtle, and you need to choose the combination that works well for the message you are trying to get across and the mood you are trying to set.

Figure 12-9. Color wheel.

Analogous

Figure 12-10. Tints and shades.

The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These are the foundation colors from which all other colors derive. They are called primary colors because no other colors can be mixed to create these colors. They are evenly spaced around the color wheel. Secondary colors are produced by combining any two of the primary colors. The three secondary colors are orange (red + yellow), green (yellow + blue), and violet (red + blue). Tertiary colors are produced by mixing a primary color and an adjacent secondary color. The six tertiary colors are red-orange, red-violet, yellow-green, yelloworange, blue-green, and blue-violet. The purest value of a color is its hue. A color's tint is a lighter value of the hue made by adding white; a color's shade is a darker value of the hue made by adding black.

Figure 12-13.
Analogous colors.
An analogous color scheme uses adjacent hues and their tints and shadings. All of the colors share a common hue, for example, red-violet, red, and red-orange. The presentation and feeling is similar to a monochromatic scheme with a larger assortment of hues from which to choose.

Complementary

Triadic

Figure 12-15.
Complementary colors. A complementary color scheme uses a hue on the opposite side of the color wheel from the dominant color. This color combination provides the greatest contrast and makes both colors more intense and brighter than when they are used alone.

Figure 12-19. Triadic colors.

A triadic color scheme uses three hues that are evenly spaced from each other on the color wheel. For example, if the dominant color is red, then blue and yellow hues are the triadic complements. Like the complementary color scheme, this one also emphasize the colors through their contrasts.

Split-Complementary Achromatic
Although they do not appear in the color wheel, don't forget about black, white, and the range of gray tints that can be applied to highlight or emphasize page content. These achromatic tones can offer high contrast or subtle shading.

Figure 12-17. Split-complementary colors.

A split-complementary color scheme uses a hue along with two colors that are adjacent to its complement. For example, if the dominant color is red, then splitcomplementary hues are yellow-green and blue-green.