Different Color Schemes and How To Use Them in Art

Art is all about expression and color scheme is one of its most powerful languages to establish that communication. Colors in art are not only for visual appeal but also to evoke emotions, accentuate contrasts, and add meaning to the work — all the more reason to be careful about your choice of colors. 

In this blog, we will discuss the meaning of color schemes, some basic color schemes you should know, and how to incorporate them into your art. Before we get started, the purpose of this blog isn’t to solve all your color-related problems by following a specific scheme, because colors aren’t so simple. Rather, I want to help you build a strong color foundation that allows you to experiment and develop your own color palettes. 

What is a Color Scheme?

The color scheme in art is a selection of all the colors used to create a particular piece of work. Viewers who are unfamiliar with colors in art may sometimes think that they are randomly chosen or are influenced by the personal taste of the artist. However, that’s not always the case and most good artists take numerous factors into consideration before deciding on a color palette. 

These color schemes however are not just limited to paintings or sculptures. They are used in a plethora of creative and design fields including fashion, interior, graphics, and a lot more. It is an important concept in color theory and utilizes two or more colors to create a scheme. While there are some basic schemes commonly known, you can always create your own. 

Different Types of Color Schemes in Art

A color scheme can be created using any number or type of colors that you wish. However, if you are skeptical about experimenting with colors at this stage of your art journey, you can always follow some tried and tested schemes that we are going to discuss here. These are proven color combinations that you can use anytime to create the right palette for your next work. 

Monochromatic Color Scheme

When you use the same color in different values and saturation for the entire painting, it is called a monochromatic color scheme. In other words, all the colors used in a monochromatic painting come from the same hue. Artists use neutral colors like black, white, and gray to change the saturation and light of the color to differentiate it at different values.

Analogous Color Scheme

When you use colors that reside next to each other on the color wheel, then you have created an analogous color scheme. For example, blue and violet, red and violet, or yellow and orange are analogous colors. These colors do not carry a sharp contrast and usually create a harmonious color palette. However, the lack of contrast can sometimes make your artwork look flat; therefore you need to be careful and add variations in saturation, light, etc for more depth. 

Complementary Color Scheme

The colors on the opposite side of the color wheel are complementary to each other. If you place these colors next to each other, they create a sharp contrast because they oppose each other.

A color scheme can be created using any number or type of colors that you wish. However, if you are skeptical about experimenting with colors at this stage of your art journey, you can always follow some tried and tested schemes that we are going to discuss here. These are proven color combinations that you can use anytime to create the right palette for your next work. 

Monochromatic Color Scheme

When you use the same color in different values and saturation for the entire painting, it is called a monochromatic color scheme. In other words, all the colors used in a monochromatic painting come from the same hue. Artists use neutral colors like black, white, and gray to change the saturation and light of the color to differentiate it at different values.

Analogous Color Scheme

When you use colors that reside next to each other on the color wheel, then you have created an analogous color scheme. For example, blue and violet, red and violet, or yellow and orange are analogous colors. These colors do not carry a sharp contrast and usually create a harmonious color palette. However, the lack of contrast can sometimes make your artwork look flat; therefore you need to be careful and add variations in saturation, light, etc for more depth. 

Complementary Color Scheme

The colors on the opposite side of the color wheel are complementary to each other. If you place these colors next to each other, they create a sharp contrast because they oppose each other.