COLOR HRMONY

Color harmony is the manipulation of lightness and chroma within a given selection of hues so
that all colors contribute to an intended visual effect. When a more soothing environment is
desired, contrast effects are reduced and colors with more common characteristics are chosen.
The goals shift to that visual comfort, or a sense of aesthetic tranquility, which we call harmony.

To generate a state of harmony we focus on the total effect of the color combination on the eye,
regardless of the individual color attributes. In a harmonic color composition, colors are
observed easily, and the eye did not work very hard to communicate the brain with what is seen.

There are four major principles of color harmony that selected from imperfect records of the
thousands of trials and errors and partial studies so far made. These principles are not
scientifically verified but are simply the best guides to the selection or pleasing combination of
color.

There are four criterion contexts that determine whether color relationships are satisfactory or
not, and each context implies different consideration in color design:
 Pattern: the effect of color combination to preserve the overall clarity of a figure/ground
pattern, or alternately to blend visually into a specific visual mixture or texture: the
legible effect of the color choice.
 Object: the effect of the color combinations to produce visual coherence (‘goes
together’) or contrast (‘stand out’) within a single, designed or significant object, such as
book cover, vase painting, or the apparel worn by the person: the cohesive effect of the
color choices in relation to the environment.
 Representation: the effect of the color combinations to produce a pleasing overall effect
within a representational image, such as photograph or painting: the pictorial effect of
the color choices.
 Environment: the cumulative effect of all material colors and light colors visible in a
place, setting environments, natural or engineered, architectural or mechanical (such as
the interior of a certain building), which combine to create a visual mood, local
atmosphere, task setting or spatial effect: the ambient effect or the color choice.

The Four Methodological principles of color harmony

Principle I
Color harmony results from the juxtaposition of colors selecting according to an orderly plan that
can be recognized and emotionally appreciated. By this view any three color chosen from any
regular path in the color circle or solid, straight, circle, ellipse, or curved line would be selected
in accord with an orderly plan and might be harmonious.

Principle II
Similar sequence of color, that one will be most harmonious which is most familiar to the
observer. On other words, we like what we are used to. If we do not recognize that plan of
selection, we are puzzled rather than satisfied by it. There is a considerable school of thought that
holds up nature as the true guide to color harmony.

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Principle III
Any group of color will be harmonious if, and to the degree that, the color have a common aspect
or quality. If two paints produce clashing colors, put some of each in the other makes the colors
harmonious.

The difference between the two colors in thus reduced and if it is recognized that the two colors
have a good deal in common, they do not seen to clash anymore. The rule can be extended to a
large group or apparently unrelated colors by adding to each a liberal proportion of some on the
other color.

To achieve color harmony using this rule is, to make most of the color of a design have about the
same lightness or darkness.

Principle IV
This principle of color harmony used in any color arrangements reflected to distance and size.
(Ex. optical or broken colors). In general principle, too little unity is chaos, too little diversity is
monotony.

Color harmony contradictions.

If two or more colors seen in neighboring areas produce a pleasing effect, they are said to
produce a color harmony. Contradictions in these opinions are frequent. The reasons are not hard
to find.

a) Color harmony is a matter of likes and dislikes, and emotional responses vary from one
person to another, and from time to time with the same person. We get tired of old color
combinations and often welcome any change whatever. On the other hand, we sometimes
learn to appreciate a color combination, from frequent seeing of it, that originally left as
cold.

b) Color harmony depends on the absolute any angular size of the area covered by the colors as
well as on the design and the colors, themselves. A beautifully designed mosaic pattern
magnified by a factor of ten usually produces a garish and unpleasant effect. What in
miniature was seen as a subdued or even subdue color effect appears on magnification as an
overemphasized caricature.

c) Color harmony depends on the relative size of the area as well as on the colors themselves.

d) Color harmony depends upon shape of the elements of the design as well as on the color
themselves. This shape can influence the path taken by our fixation point as we look at the
color combination to appraise it and so make it unlikely that the various elements are looked
at in an unfavorable sequence.

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e) Color harmony depends on the meaning or interpretation or the design as well as on the
colors themselves. Color harmony from the stand point of the portrait painter is quite a
different subject from color harmony in abstract design.

Harmony of Consistency
If color combinations can be made more stimulation by using color that are different from each
other, then it stands to reason that reducing contrasts makes a palette more cohesive. The easiest
way to effect harmony, then is to choose colors with inherent similarities. The more consistent
they are, the more harmonic the result, because the eye does less work to read the overall palette.
When colors are more consistent with each other, the object that contain them are grouped
together in the mind’s eye, read as one block of form. Four types of harmony can be developed
through strong characteristic consistencies: achromatic, monochromatic, analogous, and
polychromatic. They are relatively straight forward solutions that depend on a reasonable level of
color control.

Achromatic Harmony: the use of a single neutral color, or versions of a single non chromatic
color, is an achromatic harmony. This is also known as neutral scheme. Examples of colors use
in achromatic harmonies are black, white, and gray. Variation between elements is established
trough value contrast only, which can be introduced through changes in surface color or by
positioning lighting to cast shadow.

These tonal arrangements are used as a backdrop in places where objects of transitory color will
appear, such as galleries and food services areas. The risk with such a color scheme is that it can
easily become too simple, losing the viewer’s interest if a richness of form detail is not available.
Another difficulty in this scheme is that a great level of control is needed to refine the final
palette.

Monochromatic Harmony: the simplest color scheme is made of single

hue that varies only in saturation and value. This is the monochromatic
color harmony. Complexity is developed through the mixture of tones,
tints, and or shades, often arranged in gradual increments. As in the
achromatic harmony, this one is visually simple to comprehend, but can
lose the viewer’ interest overtime if it is too limited. Contrasts in value
make it easier to distinguish from, other through surface color or variation
in light level. Contrasts in saturation add interest without deformation of
form. In three dimensional design, monochromatic schemes sometimes
include a small amount of an accent color to add interest.

Analogous Harmony: There are several ways to produce color harmonies using more than one
hue. When we combine hues that are immediately adjacent to each other in the color circle, or at
least within very proximity we call it analogous harmony, or adjacent harmony. There is no fixed
rule for the range of hues permitted in an analogous color scheme; depending on the choice of
key color, the range can vary from 450 to 900 on the visual hue circle. The key color is usually
near the center or the hue range, but can be at either end.

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Analogous color schemes only include color in which the key color
is the dominant hue. If he key color is orange, analogous hue range
from orange to yellow to orange red (excluding yellow and red); if
the key color is blue, the hues can range from blue green to blue
violet,( excluding green and violet).

To preserve color unity, colorant mixtures in analogous palette

should be grayed with a single complimentary color, and mixture
that take the color out of family.

The success in analogous color arrangements comes from the realization that when two or more
colors are close together in hue, the eye has a tendency to recognize them with grater similarity,
allowing them to blend harmoniously. Two or three hues are enough to create a range of hue
without exceeding the appropriate limits of adjacency. A combination of any primary and
secondary color with the tertiary that occurs between them is considered adjacent.

Variation of value and saturation can be included within an adjacent scheme, but they are
usually limited so as not to compete with the composition. Neutral spacing is one technique used
with adjacent colors to make mismatched items appear similar. When two colors look the same
but are not a true equal, their difference is intensified along the edge where they touch. If the
same two colors are separated by a neutral color, they will more likely appear to match.

Complimentary Harmony: The most effective harmonies involve a

combination of complimentary hue. Two complimentary hues, that
creates complimentary harmony, also known as dyad harmony. In
this case several values and intensities of each complement may be
include as long as each color is a derivative of one of the two hues
represented.

Complimentary colors are traditionally defined as two colorants that

mix “perfect neutral”. Traditional color wheel geometry dictates that
complimentary colors are either primary color and the secondary
color opposite, or two tertiary colors.

In the complementary color design, the key color will occupy the grater space in the image,
define the dominant pattern, appear in the saturated or pure form. The range of value and
crhroma across all colors affected their weight in the total composition, and these can be used to
adjust and vary the relative weight of the colors. When working with dyad harmonies in any
color composition, it is better not to give complimentary colors equal weight. The presence of a
dominant color’s complement will give needed respect from a highly saturated color. However if
distributed equally, focus cannot be on both colors at the same time and they tend to compete.
The preferred solution is to allow one color to dominate in scale, subduing the secondary color.

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 Off complimentary Harmony: The force of tradition, which is emphasis on either triadic or
primary color relationship two hues separated by roughly a 1200 angle ( one third of the
circumference) on the hue circle. (yellow, green, and blue, or yellow green and orange).
Off complimentary combination hue are bunches of strong hue contrast, but without the clash of
hue antagonists and the dulling effect of strongly neutralized mixture. Indeed, an excellent
method for adjusting the final choice of two hues is by examining the mixtures they produce.

Split Complimentary Harmony: One of the most popular color schemes

for expressive color effects. It built on the concept of complementary
colors. It follow the same premise as a dyad in the colors directly opposite
each other on the circle are combined to form a balance of hue. The
difference here is that one color is combined with the two hues on either
side of its opposite instead of the compliment itself. This harmony usually
made by the key color bracketed by the analogous color; the opposite
compliment is the accent color to the key in two ways: by accenting with its
complimentary color, and by extending its color resonance through
analogous hues. Because analogous schemes are usually not centered on the
primary yellow or magenta colors, split complimentary harmonies with the
warm key color are usually aligned roughly along the warm/ cool color
contrast.

As a geometric form over the color circle, a split compliment harmony forms as isosceles
triangle that encompasses the center of the color circle. By definition, a triad is a form of split
complement, but all split complements are not triads.

The variety of pure colors and color mixtures in a split complimentary palette greatly expands
richness of the palette without obscuring the emphasis on the key color. Usually a complete
range of neutrals can be mixed with complementary pair. The key color and its analogous hue
can be used broadly in unsaturated or darkened mixture, and the accent hue applied as small,
saturated color areas: the key and analogous colors from the background neutrals that create a
brilliant, jutelike effect on the accent color.

Triad Harmony: as the name implies, this one involves three hues
positioned around the color circle such that a line connecting all three would
result in an equilateral triangle. This harmony only occurs when the three
colors are equally spaced. Triad color schemes are most dramatic when
primaries are used. Generally speaking, triad harmonies do not rely on
uniformity of value or saturation. Like the dyad scheme, this is a spectral
balance. Colors may be similar in value and saturation or different. Or two of
the three colors may be reduced in intensity, allowing the third to have a
greater saturation level and serve as an accent without disturbing the visual
balance.

Tetrad harmony: It is based on four colors, two pairs in complimentary

relation to each other and the remaining two pairs in analogous of a

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rectangle or square on the hue circle, with the analogous colors as the two short sides.

A tetrad harmony offers a tremendous range of options to facilitate four colors combinations. It’s
an increasingly complex form of color harmony sometimes resulting in very active combinations
and on other occasions forming very pleasing, sophisticated palettes. Because of its complexity
this harmony is best explained through its color circle geometries. The
concept is that any two equally spaced hue pairs will offer a balanced
harmony. The two short sides of the rectangle can form analogous colors
around a single complimentary contrast. For example, warm hues against
cool hues, then the tetradic scheme are an expanded form of the split
complimentary color harmony. However, a tetradic palette includes so
much of the hue circle, that free mixture among the four anchor colors can
eliminate a sense of harmony all together. The color design should strive
to preserve a dominant key color or center of gravity in the mixtures. The
major tension is usually between a warm or cool color.

Hexad Harmony: To find a balanced combination of six colors, a

hexagon may be imposing on a color circle in the same way that a square
or rectangle is inscribed in the case of a tetrad. The result is what is known
as a hexad harmony. Geometrically, this is a combination of the three
equal spaced pairs of color compliments. The two most familiar hexads
are 1/ the combination of primary and secondary colors and 2/ the
combinations of all six tertiary colors. Other less familiar hexad
combination exist between the colors just mentioned as the hexagon is
rotated to less familiar of hue, this harmony is often appropriately sued in
conjunction with polychromatic harmony for more sophisticated
applications or in areas where high chroma is appropriate, such as
children’s activity areas.

Integrating Contrast and Harmony: The use of one particular harmony or none at all is a
matter of choice directed by the overall design concept. When a color composition is not
working well, a couple of options are available to make the combination visually pleasing.
 Try to mapping the colors already selected on a color circle to highlight the one that
needs adjustment to bring it more in balance.
 When any two specific colors within a scheme are not working together, they can be
separated by black or white for harmony. The interjection of the eyes by creating a
strong value contrast. As the same time, it keeps the two colors of hue from influencing
each other by allowing them to read independently.

Compositional Balance: To create a balanced harmony, the amount of each representative color
need not be consistent. Harmony will be experienced with unequal amount of each hue as long as
the appropriate colors are present. The decision to incorporate a color harmony is also flexible,
since not all color combinations must be harmonic to be pleasing or appropriate.

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What often does distinguish a successful color scheme is its sense of balance. Each design
concept is interpreted as more than the sum of its pars. [A successful color concept will offer the
needed interest without exceeding the viewer capacity for change]
To establish that balance, attention is given to three conditions: the degree of harmony, the
frequency and degree of contrasts, and the tendency towards balance of extent. Balance is
achieved when the level of harmony and contrast are consistent with the concept of project and
when extent is balanced above all.

Decisions to incorporate greater contrast or to implement more harmony in a scheme are a matter
of choice according to the overall intent. Without some sense of overall impression, neither set of
tools is useful. But if intent is clear, decisions regarding each contrast or harmony can be made
with well-balanced results.

COLOOR CONTRAST
Characteristic differences between individual colors cause stimulation, excitement in the
extreme, or at the very least, interest in a color composition. Collectively, these differences are
known as contrasts. When two or more colors together display distinct variation, they are in
contrast. Their relationship establishes a complexity that is unique to the combination of color in
view. The degree of our response corresponds to the strength of each contrast as it registers in the
brain. There are eight types of contrasts that artists and designers are always dealing with:

1) Contrast of hue
2) Light and dark contrast.
3) Contrast of temperature
4) Contrast of compliment
5) Simultaneous contrast.
6) Contrast of saturation.
7) Contrast of extension
8) Contrast of succession

Contrast of hue: The first form of color contrast that is immediately recognizable to most is
contrast of hue and it is the simplest of all the eight color contrasts. Hue contrast involves a
combination of colors in which the distinction of hue character are most pronounced. The effect
is increased as colors are positioned farther apart on the color circle, as long as they are not
complimentary. Some combinations in hue contrast are arranged so that one hue is given longer
percentage of area in the composition, while other colors serve as a secondary role, that of
enhancing the key color. Other compositions create greater tension by maintaining a balance of
all the colors in the composition. The colors in the color wheel have their own natural
characteristics, for example, green orange and violet are weaker in character than yellow, red and
blue; the effect of tertiary colors is still less distinct.

When the single colors are separated by black or white lines, their individual characters emerge
more sharply. Their interaction and mutual influences are suppressed to some extent. Each hue
acquires an effect of reality concreteness. Though the triad yellow, red, blue, represents the
strongest contrast of hue. Some obvious combinations are yellow, red, blue, red, blue green;
blue yellow violet; yellow, green, violet; violet, green, blue orange, black.

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When black and white are included as elements of the palette, white weakens the luminosity of
adjacent hues and darkens them; black causes them to seem lighter.

Light – Dark Contrast: The most forceful color contrast we have is that of light and dark, also
referred to as value contrast. Day and night, light and darkness – this polarity is of fundamental
significance in human life and nature generally. Almost everyone with sight, regardless of any
defective color vision, can recognize this contrast. The effect can be done in shade of natural
color, such as gray, black, and white, with some limited hue, or with a full range of hue. The
painter’s strongest expressions of light and dark are the colors white and black. The effects of
black and white are in all respects opposite, with the realm of grays and chromatic colors
between them. A uniformly gray, lifeless surface can be awakened to mysterious activity by
extremely minute modulations of shading. This very important factor in painting and drawing
requires extreme sensitivity to tonal differences. To make the contrast stronger, the edge of the
lightest and darkest values in the composition share common boundaries. Value contrast is
probably the most common one used in design. The phenomena of light and dark, both among
white, black and gray, and among pure colors, should be thoroughly studied, for they yield
valuable guides to our work.

Composition painted in light – dark contrast may be contracted of two, three, or four principal
tones. The painting is then said to have two, three, or four chief planes or groupings, which must
be well attuned to each other.

The phenomenon of value contrast results from different levels of light reflected or absorbed by
the image surface. Black and white contrast are strongest because the effect on the retina one of
opposing reactions. White excites the retina, while black reposes it. By viewing the two
simultaneously as it compares the two extremes.

Contrast of Temperature
Just as the two opposite side, white and black represent the lightest and the darkest color, while
all grays are light only relatively, according as they are contrasted with lighter or darker tones, so
blue-green and red orange, the cold and warm poles, are always cold and warm respectively; but
the hues intermediate between them in the color circle may be either cold-warm according as
they are contrasted with warmer or colder tones. According to the general temperature related
category of colors, yellow, yellow orange, orange, red orange, and red are warm colors, whereas
Green, blue green, blue, and blue violet are cold colors.

It is advantageous to use colors of similar value, maintaining the brilliance of both warm and
cool tones so that any value contrast does not dominate. Like contrast of hue, the temperature
contrast effect is heightened by an increase in saturation level.

The cold-warm property can be verbalized in a number or other contrary terms.

Cold – Warm
Shadow – Sun
Transparent – Opaque

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Sedative – Stimulant
Rare – Dense
Airy – Earthy
Far – Near
Light – Heavy
Wet – Dry
Contrast of Complement: When two compliments are used in combination, it is considered a
contrast compliment, or complimentary contrast. We call two colors complementary if their
pigments, mixed together, yield a neutral gray-black. Physically, light of two complementary
colors, mixed together, will yield white.

The more saturated the colors and the larger the area of compliments, the stronger the contrast
effect, particularly where direct compliments touch. Added depth and complexity in contrast of
compliment occurs when colors of several saturation levels or values level are used.

Each complementary pair has its own peculiarities;

Yellow / violet represent not only complementary contrast but also an extreme light-dark
contrast. Red orange / blue green is a complementary pair, and at the same time the extreme of
cold–warm contrast. Red and green are complementary, and the two saturated color hue the same
balance. If the mixture of in all proportion fail to include a neutral gray, it follows that two colors
are not complementary.

Simultaneous contrast
Simultaneous contrast results from the fact that for any given color the eye simultaneously
requires the complementary color, and generates it spontaneously if it is not already present. This
search for relief causes the eye to spontaneously generate an after image where the desired colors
are not present. As the eye generates an afterimage of complementary color, the hue of the color
is projected onto appears to shift. As the eye shifts from one strong color to another, perception
of each is impacted according to the strength of adjacent colors. If a natural gray square is
surrounded by a very warm color it will appear to hue undertone of the complementary cool
color, just as it will appear lighter if surrounded by a very dark color.

The simultaneously generated complementary neither occurs as a sensation in the eye of the
beholder, and is nor objectively present. It cannot be photographed. The simultaneous effect
occurs not only between a gray and a strong chromatic color, but also between any two colors
that are not precisely complementary.

Contrast of Saturation
Contrast of saturation is the contrast between pure intense color and dull, diluted colors. It
encompasses the use of both intense and diluted color in association with each other, usually
working within one hue. The contrast is created only in subtractive color, because it depends on
the ability to manipulate saturation quantitatively. The spectral hues found in white light are
uniformly of maximum saturation. This means the only way to reduce the intensity of an additive
color is to reduce the amount of light allocated to it.

Color may be diluted in four different ways, with very different results.

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 1) A pure color may be diluted with white. This renders its character somewhat colored.
2) When pure color diluted with black it deprive its tonal and chromatic qualities.
3) A standard color diluted with gray, might not be loose its tonal range, but in any case less
intense than the corresponding pure color. Mixed gray are easily neutralized by
simultaneous contrast effect.
4) Pure color may be diluted by admixture of the corresponding complementary colors.

Contrast of Extension:
Contrast of extension involves the relative areas or two or more color patches. It is the contrast
between much and little or great and small. All colors have some degree of inherent strength, or
tendency to attract the eye. The amount of strength naturally exhibited each color varies
according to its relative lightness and its level of saturation. We two colors are shown a full
saturation, in their greatest intensity, the lighter or the two will have greater strength.

Contrast of extension or contrast of extent, is the conscious attempt to shift the balance of
strength between colors of unequal strength to create tension or excitement or to place emphasis
within a color composition. Two attributes contribute to the dramatic effect of a color-its
comparative strength, driven by value and saturation, and its extent, the amount of area it
occupies. To create drama, unequal amounts of color are used to accentuate their difference in
strength. To maintain balance between any two colors in a composition, as smaller amount of the
stronger color must be used. When the amount of each color is adjusted so that an overall
balance of strength is achieved, there is a balance of extent.

Two factors determine the force or a pure color, its brilliance and its extent.

The harmonious area for the primary and secondary colors are:

yellow orange red violet blue green

3 : 4 : 6 : 9 : 8 : 6 :
or: Yellow: orange = 3: 4
Yellow: red = 3: 6
Yellow: violet = 3: 9
Yellow: blue = 3: 8
Yellow: green = 3: 6
Contrast of Succession:
Contrast of succession occurs with the passage of time, ability very short in duration. As with
simultaneous contrast, the effect occurs most readily with colors that are extreme in saturation
level or value level. The eye adopts to one color, and this adaptation impacts the perception of
those colors that come into view immediately afterward, often by the projection of
complimentary afterimage, if the viewer looks at a given color with great intensity and
immediately follow that observation by viewing a background of a different color, perception of
that background color will be influenced by the first.

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