Complimentary Colors | Color Theory for Classical Oil Painting

The only color theory you really need to understand is the relationship between complementary colors. They’re across from each other on the color wheel. Not only do they help to contrast each other but they also neutralize when mixed together. Just like how black and white end up gray when mixed together. Understanding this relationship will inform you about how to choose different colors while painting. If you find a color is too vibrant you need to neutralize using its complement to not ruin the color. Balancing complementary colors on a big scale will create harmony in your paintings. Which should make sense considering they balance out and end up gray when mixed together.

[lynchie]

complementary colours are super useful, and can add so much drama and interesting light effects to a scene. i think orange and blue especially are really useful for understanding how light bounces and interacts in the real world, as we most commonly see it in the warm light of the sun and the blue of the atmosphere

[jimcortez]

Absolutely, which is why it is important to have an actual blue on the palette. Ultramarine is the most useful.

[NicThurman]

The only color theory you really need to understand is the relationship between complementary colors. They’re across from each other on the color wheel. Not only do they help to contrast each other but they also neutralize when mixed together. Just like how black and white end up gray when mixed together. Understanding this relationship will inform you about how to choose different colors while painting. If you find a color is too vibrant you need to neutralize using its complement to not ruin the color. Balancing complementary colors on a big scale will create harmony in your paintings. Which should make sense considering they balance out and end up gray when mixed together.