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Graphic Communications
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geometric shape on the color wheel will give you
pleasing color combinations. See Figure 11-9.
Complementary Colors
In color theory, two colors mixed in exact
proportion to produce a neutral color (white, gray,
or black) are complementary colors. On the HSV
(hue, saturation, and value) color wheel, opposite
colors are complementary. When properly mixed,
they become a shade of gray. In the additive color
model (RGB), they are paired in the following way:
red and cyan, green and magenta, and blue and
yellow. A color may also harmonize with colors that
lie on either side of its complement, such as magenta
with yellow-green or with green-cyan. These colors
are called near-complementary colors, or split-
complementary colors. See Figure 11-10.
Shades and Tints
Monochromatic color schemes are comprised of
the shades and tints of a single color.
• Shades are created by lowering the saturation
of the color selected, Figure 11-11.
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Figure 11-7. The true color wheel or additive color wheel as
determined by the use of light. This is the color wheel that
should be utilized in the graphic communications industry.
R
C
G
Y
N
M
B
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Figure 11-8. Triangles drawn in the center of the color wheel
identify different triads.
R
C
G
Y M
B
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Figure 11-9. Geometric shapes drawn on the color wheel to
show color palette selection options.