Colour Theory

Colour theory is a set of principles used to determine which colours will look visually appealing when used together. It is a practical combination of science and art that helps designers choose colours that will have the desired effect on the audience.

The theory is based on the colour wheel, which is a visual representation of the relationships between different colours. The colour wheel is typically divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary colours, with primary colours being red, blue, and yellow, and secondary colours being orange, green, and purple.

The basic principles of colour theory include colour harmony, colour context, and colour meaning.

• Colour harmony - refers to the way colours interact with each other.
• Colour context - refers to the colours that surround a given colour.
• Colour meaning - refers to the emotions and associations that a colour can evoke.

Different cultures relate certain colours to different emotions and ideas.

The rules of colour theory can be used to find pairings of colours that work well together which can help create aesthetically pleasing design. The main three types of colour combinations are:

• Monochromatic - one or various tones of one colour
• Analogous - colours beside each other on the colour wheel.
• Complementary - colours on opposite sides of the colour wheel.