COLOUR HARMONY Harmony can be defined as a pleasing arrangement of parts , whether it be music , poetry , or colour . In terms of the visual experience , harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye , delivers visual interest , and creates balance .
Colour harmonies , or colour chords , are combinations of colours that are instinctively pleasing to the eye . The colour wheel is a valuable tool in creating colour harmonies . Six well established colour harmonies exist to create cohesive colour palettes .
Complementary Colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel are considered to be complementary colours . The high contrast of complementary colours creates a vibrant look making something stand out or drawing attention to the focal point .
Split-Complementary The split-complementary colour scheme is a variation of the complementary colour scheme . In addition to the base colour , it uses the two colours adjacent to its complement . This colour scheme has the same visual contrast as the complementary colour scheme , but is less aggressive and so more versatile .
Analogous Analogous colour schemes use colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel . This low-contrast combination is serene and calming , making it one of the most instinctively harmonious colour pairings .
Triadic A triadic colour scheme uses colours that are evenly spaced in thirds around the colour wheel . It often employs one dark colour and paler shades of the other two colours as accents .
Tetradic The tetradic colour scheme uses four colours arranged into two complementary pairs . This scheme offers a balance between warm and cool colours .
Monochromatic Monochromatic harmonies use shades and tints of a single colour . A monochromatic palette creates a simple , clean aesthetic .