Purchase a color wheel at
an art store or online
source.

The Color Wheel

When working with schemes that involve two or more colors, choose your hues carefully. Think of how the colors work together.

In fact, there's an easy way to determine if colors will be harmonious. Identify the colors on the color wheel, then determine which of the following categories they fit and treat them accordingly.

 

As opposites, red and green
intensify each other.

Opposing colors are known as complementary colors; for example, purple and yellow, or red and green. These combinations will always contain both warm and cool tones, contrasting with one another with drama and intensity in their differences.

It's best to let one of the strong hues dominate. Start by choosing a favorite color as your main color, then look directly across the wheel for an accent color. You can even split from the first color and choose two opposing colors for accents.

 

Green, yellow, and orange
are analogous, or
neighboring, colors
on the color wheel.

Neighboring colors are known as analogous colors. For example, green, yellow, and orange. These schemes can be created from any point on the color wheel. The slice of colors you select doesn't have to be strictly warm-family or cool-family hues. It can span both hemispheres. Start by choosing a favorite color as your main color, then look on either side of it.

Like both colors? Include them. If you only like the color on one side, select that one and use the color adjacent to it as your third choice. Divide the palette into major and minor accent hues to work with the main color.

In fact, the true spirit of an analogous scheme is expressed best using three or more adjacent hues. Don't get carried away, though. Use no more than half the colors on the wheel for your palette, unless you're doing a child's room in a rainbow of color.