Complementary Colors

Complements sit across from one another on the traditional color wheel

Jan Van Eyck—Madonna of the Chancellor Rolin

Complementary color schemes were very common in Renaissance paintings—dark grays were created by layering neutrals on top each other

Katie Grinnan Brainscapes

Blue/orange contrast, neither color at full saturation

Complements are pairings of one Primary and one Secondary color

• Blue + Orange (red + yellow)

Red + Green (Yellow +Blue)

Yellow+ Purple (Red +Blue)

Thus, each complementary pairing is also a combination of all primary colors (a single primary, as well as two other primaries combined to create a secondary color).

• Besides Black and White, complement pairings are color combinations creating the highest contrast

At full saturation, each complementary pairing has it’s own specifics

• Yellow and purple are highest in value contrast

• Blue and orange have the most warm/cool contrast

• Red and green are equal in value

Complements placed next to one another maximize their vividness, and allow each other to ‘pop’

Mixed together, complements neutralize one another-literally. If you mix two complements, you will create neutrals. If not mixed

completely, adding a complement to a color will reduce it’s saturation.

• Mixing complements is a way to create Chromatic Neutrals---Neutrals mixed from colors rather than black and white.

• Color schemes based on complements and the neutrals mixed from complements can be very harmonious—the complements pop, and the range of neutrals keeps everything unified.

Alex Katz, Sandals (blue+orange+neutrals)

Philip Guston, Zone, (Red+Green+Neutrals)

Philip Guston, Pit, (Red +Green+Neurals)

Peter Doig, Painter in Mountain Landscape (Red-violet+yellow-green+neutrals)

Luc Tuymans , Ballroom Dancing, (Blue-violet+yellow-Orange+neutrals)

Edward Hopper, Sailboat, (Purple+Yellow+Neutrals)