Usually, one color is used as a dominant color while others are used to enrich the scheme.Ĭomplementary colors are opposite from each other on the color wheel and add drama to any room. Analogous colorsĭeveloped from colors next to each other on the color wheel, analogous color schemes offer more nuances while retaining the elegance of the monochromatic scheme. Shades are created by adding a black or combination of colors across the wheel.

Tints are created by adding white to a color. Monochromatic color schemes use tints and shades of the same color to create a sophisticated and elegant look. Monochromatic colorsĬolors from the same color family tend to look great together. These colors are red-orange, red-violet, yellow-green, yellow-orange, blue-green and blue-violet. Tertiary colorsĬombining primary and secondary colors creates tertiary colors. For example, if you start with a warm red (a red that has yellow in it) and you add blue to make purple, the purple you get will be muted or even muddy because the yellow will dull the blue (yellow + blue = green). This helps you understand in part why some colors are stronger than others. A warm red will be more orange, meaning it has more yellow (red + yellow = orange) or cool red will have some blue in it (red + blue = purple). For example, you can have a red that is warmer or more purple. It's good to understand colors can be warmer and cooler. Secondary colors are created from combining two primary colors, and consist of orange, green and violet. Any color can be created from primary colors, but primary colors can't be created from other colors. The three primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. This glossary of color terminology and accompanying Color Wheel will help you better understand color and how to use it to complete a better-looking paint project.

Color wheel primary colors