More Ideas about Color Harmony

Hopefully, you are all enjoying this discussion of color as much as I am. Thinking through the concepts in Sanford's Manual of Color in order to summarize them here has really helped me to understand them much better. So, today, here are a few more ideas about harmonizing color:

1. Adding either white or black to a primary color produces 2 colors that always harmonize. So pink, which is red mixed with white, will always harmonize with maroon, which is red mixed with black.

2. Related to #1 is the idea of interchange - the breaking up of broad color areas with small amounts of harmonious colors, including lighter or darker shades of the same color.

3. Contrast warm and cool colors. Green, blue and violet are cool colors; red, yellow and orange are warm colors.

4. Balance colors, though not necessarily by using them in equal amounts. The balancing color should be less conspicuous in order to keep the original color prominent.

5. The same color tone should be used throughout the piece to avoid a clash of colors. I'm pretty sure this is where most people get into trouble. I really think most colors will work together on some level, if they are equal in tone. But throwing in a strong color with a bunch of pastels just won't work in a lot of cases. Or, as Sanford puts it:

In Nature, sudden, violent contrasts are comparatively rare, and even when they do exist, she is capable of harmonizing conflicting colors in a way art can never equal. Therefore, harmony may usually be more successfully attained by accord of colors and gradual gradation and delicate transition from one color to another, than by sudden contrast.

As I said yesterday, I will try to work up some granny squares as examples for some of these principles this weekend. Have a great weekend!