I put the following together using information from--

• The Scrapbooking Information Network,
• handouts supplied to me by a helpful lady on the net I know only as "Canadian Claire" and a professional scrapbook consultant Penny Jewett,
• a book on color theory from the library where I work:
  The Pantone Book of color by Leatrice Eiseman (New York City, H.N. Abrams Co., 1990)
• Ideas on color theory as presented by Color Me Beautiful(tm) and Color One(tm) consultants.

The concepts of color theory/colorwheels can help you when you are trying to choose the right colors to complement your layout. There are lots of cliche color combinations: pink or blue for babies, black and orange for Halloween, etc. These are fine--there's nothing like tradition--but there are times when you're having trouble figuring out what colors to use! Thus, this handout!

A colorwheel is used to visualize color relationships. This can suggest possible color combinations, some of which you might never consider otherwise. Take a look at your pictures before you decide which color scheme to try. The photos will "tell" you which colors to be bring out (not always the most dominant) and the feeling to be portrayed (dramatic, simple, royal, subdued, lively)

A basic colorwheel consists of the primary and secondary colors arranged in spectrum order in a circle: primary colors = red, yellow, blue; secondary colors = orange, green, purple (violet). We all learned in kindergarten that the secondary colors were made by mixing two of the primary colors together; i.e., red = yellow = orange, etc. Click on "Basic Colorwheel" above to see examples.

An expanded colorwheel adds in the tertiary (intermediate) colors to our spectrum--red-orange, blue-green, etc. Thus, we now have twelve colors (generally in spectrum order): red, red-orange, orange, orange-yellow (gold?), yellow, yellow-green, green, blue-green, blue, blue-violet, purple, red-purple. Those are the colors of the wheel we'll work with.

• ColorMatters.com
• University of Florida's Environmental Horticulture site

Complementary colors--colors which are directly across the wheel from each other. They complete each other, thus the term complementary. On the expanded wheel, orange-yellow's complement would be blue-violet; red-orange's would be blue-green.

• They balance each other and create a unified page layout. Side by side, they each make the other more intense
• Each pair consists of a warm and cool color: blue (cool) and orange (warm)
• In their purest form, complementary colors are vibrant and energizing.
• In their pastel form, complementary colors are softened and generally work well using one color predominantly (patterned paper, paired with complementary color photo mats works well)
• Dark colors and/or subdued, "dusty" colors can create an older/historical/heritage feel. (Burgundy and deep green instead of "Christmas" red and green, for instance). They are powerful and yet calming. Think of a denim blue with a terra cotta (orange) as in many Southwestern combinations.
• One vibrant color also works well with its complementary pastel (bright yellow with pale purple OR bright blue with pale orange [cantaloupe]) The vibrant color willoverpower the pastel is used in equal proportions. Vibrant accents create a nice balance in a pastel scheme.
• Always take care when trying to mix color values (lightness vs. darkness) as well as tones (colors with grey added to give "dusty" effect) or shades (colors with black added). As anyone who has had their "personal colors" done can tell you, mixing brights with dusty colors can be particularly tricky or, in some cases, disastrous!!

Analogous colors are separated by one color on the wheel. For example: on the basic 6-colorwheel, purple (violet) and green are analogous--blue is between them. (NOTE: The Pantone Book of Color calls three colors analogous: "A 'classic analogous set' would be 1 primary, 1 secondary and 1 tertiary color that were all immediately adjacent on the wheel." Blue, green and blue-green would be this kind of analogous set.)

• These colors create continuity as they share a common color. Red and yellow share orange--so if your photos are of beautiful orange sunsets, shades of red and yellow may be perfect to bring that out--depending on what other shades are on the page!
• Split complementary colors: use two analogous pastel colors and add an accent of one of their more vibrant complementary colors for pizzazz. For example: if using pastel shades of violet and teal (blue-green), try some bright yellow accents (yellow being the complement of violet).
  The Pantone Book of Color mentioned purple/violet with yellow-orange and yellow-green. Doesn't that sound awful? BUT they wrote--"What if you visualize a Violet with a Beeswax-yellow center sitting on Leaf-green leaves? That certainly shows that the right shades can make these things work!

Adjacent colors are side by side on the colorwheel. Example: peach (pastel orange) and yellow.

• These colors harmonize and blend together.
• Mint green with an accent of bright blue can work well for water scenes.
• Three adjacent colors on the wheel will work together will also (See classic analogous colors description above). Use the middle color as the predominant color and the other colors for accents. They work best if their intensities are not mixed: if using deep blue, use deep colors with it. Same for "dusty" colors.

Earth tones/Neutrals--browns, 'dusty' colors, gray, black, etc.
Brown is a combination of all three primary colors (chocolate brown being the vibrant example and tans and sandy brown being the pastel examples) Different shades have more of certain colors than others. Terra cotta is a very orangey brown, mustard brown would have more orange and yellow.

• Earth tones are dramatic with black accents
• Earth tones with bright secondary colors (orange, green, violet) are energetic but more soothing than with the primary colors.
• Neutrals (black, white, grey) can be teamed up with virtually any color and appear to be its complement.
• Green is perceived by many as being almost neutral (look how much it shows up in nature) so go ahead and try something wild!!

• Color can be added with paper, diecuts, colored pens. Make sure that whatever you use contributes to your color scheme and theme, instead of detracting.
• Add you accent color to frames by placing it under a punched-out shape in the corner of your frame on on it with an appropriate sticker.
• Make a layered photo mat or page border out of thin layers of three adjacent colors (vibrant blue, green, yellow), then use a pale green for your background paper or vice-versa.
• Use vibrant blue, red, and yellow for the most striking color combination. Great for kid's pages, of course!
• Earth tones like terra cotta make a beautiful vack drop for forest and other rich blue or green photos.
• Pictures that are light and washed out can be livened up by using their brightest color and introducing it 1n as many shades as possible throughout the page. Or: if that doesn't seem to do it, try using a mat of the complementary color. I had old photos of myself and a friend as bridesmaids in yellow dresses. Yellow mats didn't do as well as a pretty shade of light purple to bring out the photos
• Large patterned paper will make your page appear smaller. Fewer photos may be needed--a nice idea if you don't have too many photos of something.
• striped or other repeating pattern backgrounds recede when topped with frames made from a slightly darker shade of the same color.
• Sometimes a touch of black can bring some definition to a layout--such as outlining something lightly to "punch it up".

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