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Home ARTicles Complementary Colours
Complementary Colours Print

To new artists, when first encountered, this term can be quite confusing. What does it mean? How will I know what is a complementary colour?

There is a clear explanation for the phrase.

  • In art terms, Complementary is another way of saying 'opposing'.
  • Two opposing colours allow each one to be made more clear or more dominant.
  • Each opposing colour 'zings' against the other, highlighting both.
  • Complementary colours follow the following basic pattern:-
  • Red/Green, Blue/Orange and Purple/yellow.
  • All shades in between follow the basic principle.
Not all of your paintings will need to use complementary colours. real constrast may be obtained using light against dark, texture and depth of colour, and not always will you wish to include opposite colours to those already used. It is simply meant to be one of the techniques used to help your paintings to work.

Paul Bonnie-Kent is using the principle here to good effect.

photo
 

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