Color Schemes
Color
Schemes
Monochromatic




“Mono” means “one”
“Chroma” means “color”
Monochromatic color schemes have only
ONE color and its values.
The painting is an example
of a monochromatic color
scheme using tints and
shades of blue
Monochromatic

This room displays
the use of yellows
Monochromatic

This room displays the use of blues.
Analogous

The analogous color
scheme is 3-5 colors
adjacent to each other
on the color wheel.
This combination of
colors provides very
little contrast.

This picture shows the
use of yellow, yellowgreen, green, and bluegreen.
Analogous

Bottom picture shows use of
yellows and greens.

Above picture shows use of
reds and oranges.
Analogous

This picture shows the
use of purples and
blues.

This picture shows the
use of oranges and
yellows.
Complementary

Complementary colors
are opposite on the
color wheel provided a
high contrast.

This painting is an
example of
complementary colors
and their values using
blues and oranges.

Complementary
Colors opposite on the
color wheel- red/green,
yellow/purple. blue/orange
Triadic:
Red, yellow, blue
Purple, orange, green

The primary colors are
not mixed from other
elements and they
generate all other
colors.

The secondary colors
are mixed from the
primary colors.
Triadic
Three color scheme – red, yellow, blue
or orange, green and purple
Warm Colors

Warm colors are found
on the right side of the
color wheel. They are
colors found in fire and
the sun. Warm colors
make objects look
closer in a painting or
drawing.

This painting displays
the use of warm colors
such as reds, oranges,
and yellows.
Warm Colors
Cool Colors

Cool colors are found
on the left side of the
color wheel. They are
the colors found in
snow and ice. The
colors tend to recede in
a composition.

This painting displays a
cool color scheme
using greens, purples,
and blues.
Cool Colors
Other possibilities
Split Complementaryred, green and blue or orange
purple and green