The Colorist
Artists and designers use color wheels to establish color scheme before beginning a project. With colors evenly spaced around the color wheel, one can create colors that are monochromatic, analogous, complimentary or triadic. Triadic color schemes combine any three colors of equal distance from one another on the color wheel. Triadic colors are determined by using the points of an equilateral or isosceles triangle.
Instructions
1. Use the compass to draw a 10-inch circle on "all media" drawing paper such as multimedia artboard or Strathmore 400 series drawing paper. Inside the outer circle, pencil in a 5-inch circle with the compass. Inside the second circle, make a 2-inch circle. With the black marker, outline each circle. Using the ruler, divide the circles into six sections like pie wedges. This is the foundation.
2. Using colored pencils or paint, color in the primary colors, starting with yellow, the lightest hue, at the top of the color wheel. Along the outer circle, move clockwise four spaces and color the space in red. Moving in the same direction, go down four spaces and fill in blue. Primary colors are true colors, which are not the result of the combination of any other colors. These three colors make a primary triadic color scheme.
3. Create secondary colors by combining primary colors. Secondary colors are more subtle. Mix red and yellow to make orange. Along the outer ring, move clockwise; apply orange two spaces down from yellow. Next, blend red and blue to make violet. This hue goes two down from red, directly opposite of yellow on the wheel. Secondary colors are also known as complimentary colors. These hues are opposite one another and considered secondary triadic color scheme.
4. Generate tertiary colors by blending one primary and one secondary color equally. Yellow and orange make yellow-orange. Apply one space after yellow. Orange and red make red-orange. Color in one space after orange. Red and violet creates red-violet. Blend and place right after red. Blue and violet makes blue-violet. Apply to the left of violet. Blue and green creates blue-green. Color in one above blue. Yellow and green make yellow-green. Place above green. These create a tertiary triadic color scheme.
5. Create an extension of the color wheel by now working in the 5-inch circle and later moving into the 2-inch circle. Split the tertiary colors into color values. Add white to one of the colors to bring a lighter version of the hue, called a "tint." Add black to the color, in order to give a darker version or "shade" to the hue. Start dark in the 5-inch pie shapes. Then, continue to color in the center circle where the tints will be lightest. Consider these extensions for triadic color scheme combinations.
6. Place the drafting triangle in the center of the color wheel. The three colors touched by the triangle points at once create triadic colors. Consider a project and examine triadic colors carefully. Keep them balanced. Let one color dominate. Use the other remaining colors as accents. For strong visual impact, use extreme contrasting hues with the triadic color wheel. Primary colors will create the greatest impact. For a dynamic triadic color combination, merge yellow, turquoise and magenta.
7. Move the triangle around the color wheel. If the colors look kitschy, subdue the color value. Allow one color to dominate, one to be secondary and a the third to be an accent color. Try another combination by using two warm colors or tones and another cool color or tone. Use lively color combinations, or experiment with contrasting triadic combinations. Consider the combination's visual effect.
8. Instantly establish triadic color schemes by using an interactive color wheel. The Color Schemer website allows individuals to immediately and effectively create specific color combinations including monochromatic, complimentary and triadic to name a few. Go to scheme on the page and select "triadic." Now, choose the primaries of red, yellow and blue. Next, decide on saturation and tone values. Create the exact combination that you wish. This program works wonders when a designer or artist has time constraints.
