Color Harmony

Color harmony involves the careful arrangement and combination of colors to create a visually pleasing effect, blending both artistic intuition and perceptual rules. It provides a framework for exploring various color schemes, such as complementary, analogous, and triadic, which are essential for understanding how colors interact to achieve balance within a composition. By delving into the intricate relationships between colors and their impact on design, color harmony illustrates the delicate balance that defines a visually harmonious composition.

One widely used method to achieve color harmony is based on the relationships between hues, often represented on a color wheel. Although RGB operates within a Cartesian coordinate system, colors can be converted to hue-saturation-value (HSV) or hue-saturation-lightness (HSL), where relationships between hues become more apparent. In these models, harmonious color combinations can be identified using simple mathematical relationships based on angles (measured in degrees) on the hue circle:

• (A) Complementary Colors

  Complementary colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. In the HSL model, the hue of the complementary color is determined by adding 180° to the base hue and adjusting for the circular nature of the color wheel (360°).

  Huecomplementary = (Huebase + 180) mod 360

  Saturation and lightness typically remain constant to preserve the balance between the two colors. If variations are necessary, small adjustments to saturation and lightness may be made to fine-tune the aesthetic.

• (B) Analogous Colors

  Analogous colors are positioned close to each other on the color wheel, typically spaced 30° apart. In the HSL model, two analogous colors are calculated by adjusting the hue of the base color by +30° and -30°.

  Hueanalogous 1 = (Huebase + 30) mod 360
  Hueanalogous 2 = (Huebase - 30 + 360) mod 360

  Saturation and lightness generally remain constant to maintain visual harmony among the colors. Alternatively, slight variations in saturation or lightness can be introduced to add depth while keeping the colors cohesive.

• (C) Split-Complementary Colors

  The split-complementary color scheme employs the base hue’s complementary color and the two colors adjacent to it. This approach creates a more nuanced version of the complementary scheme, offering contrast without as much tension.

  Step 1: Calculate the complementary color

  Huecomplementary = (Huebase + 180) mod 360

  Step 2: Calculate the split-complementary colors

  Huesplit 1 = (Huecomplementary + 30) mod 360
  Huesplit 2 = (Huecomplementary - 30 + 360) mod 360 

• (D) Triadic Colors

  Triadic colors are evenly spaced around the color wheel, forming an equilateral triangle. This means the hues are spaced 120° apart in the HSL model.

  Huetriadic 1 = (Huebase + 120) mod 360
  Huetriadic 2 = (Huebase + 240) mod 360

  Saturation and lightness can remain constant for balance or be varied slightly to create more dynamic, visually engaging color combinations.

• (E) Tetradic Colors

  Tetradic colors form a rectangle on the color wheel and consist of two complementary pairs. The hues are spaced 90° apart. This creates a complex yet balanced color scheme in the HSL model.

  Huetetradic 1 = (Huebase + 90) mod 360
  Huetetradic 2 = (Huebase + 180) mod 360
  Huetetradic 3 = (Huebase + 270) mod 360 

  Saturation and lightness values can remain constant across all four colors for simplicity, but slight variations may enhance the scheme’s visual appeal while maintaining harmony.

These are RGB harmonious combinations derived from common design sources, but I avoid mentioning the specific sources to prevent any legal issues or copyright infringements. By focusing solely on the factual color data, rather than directly referencing or using the common design sources themselves, the aim is to study and present the color schemes without invoking any controversies related to intellectual property or trademark violations. This method allows for the analysis of the color combinations as independent elements, free from any association with their original branded contexts.

• Sans, E. M. (2022). Color dictionary: The color shades & swatches names reference guide for graphic designers, artists and illustrators. Independently published.
• Sutton, T. (2020). The pocket complete color harmony: 1,500 plus color palettes for designers, artists, architects, makers, and educators. Rockport Publishers.