Color Theory: The Patterns of Color
Posted by: jstartup
on Dec 18, 2008 
When selecting a design color scheme it can be difficult to know where to start. Fortunately, though, a lot of work has gone into the study of this process, and with the use of the color wheel the choices can be narrowed down to a few time-tested strategies. I've laid out three of these below, which are by no means the only possible schemes but demonstrate well the possibilities the color wheel provides.
Monochromatic Color Scheme
The monochromatic scheme is the safest choice of color sets. One color is selected, and accents come from lighter and darker tones of itself. This scheme can useful for associating a design to specific corporate branding, or to give a consistent look to images being used together in a collage or intro.
Complementary Relationships
Colors opposite one another on the color wheel are referred to as complementary. Used together they give a sense of balance, and will make each other appear more intense than on their own. This can be used in drawing attention to particular areas in a design. Using design elements colored a complementary color of a logo, for example, would make it stand out more on a webpage, or make it easier for a site user to identify useful navigation.
Analogous Relationships
Analogous colors are neighbors on the color wheel. This means they are very similar in hue, and together can provide nice range to a design. One color is chosen as the main focus, and the accents are selected from those adjacent to in on the wheel. The impressionist painters used analogous colors together in their works to give the images more natural lighting and a sense of harmony.
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