COLOR VALUES

1. Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. Value is relative.
2. Intensity refers to how pure a color is. Intense colors are pure and brilliant; low-intensity colors are grayed and subdued. As a general rule-use intense colors in small areas of design as accents and low intensity colors in large areas.

COLOR WHEEL

1. Monochromatic - One color from the color wheel. The key is variety in value, intensity, pattern and texture. It relies on contrast other than color.
2. Direct compliment - 2 colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
3. Triad -Three colors that are equidistant on the color wheel. Generally, one of the colors should be dominant.
4. Tetrad - Four colors that are equidistant on the color wheel.
5. Analogous - Adjacent colors on the color wheel. The key is that one color is common to all of the colors in the group. For example, blue, blue-violet, violet and red-violet all has blue as the common color.
6. Analogous with direct compliment - Adjacent colors on the color wheel with a direct complement of one of the colors.
7. Polychromatic - Most or all of the colors on the color wheel. Neutrals are important in bridging the visual gap between fabrics and unifying the multicolored blocks.

USING A SIGNATURE FABRIC (Look for a multicolored print with a variety of values. For the most flexibility use a medium or large-scale pattern.)

1. Add one very dark solid or a print that reads as a solid that relates to the signature fabric
2. Choose another very dark solid or a print that reads as a solid that is the compliment (directly across the wheel) of the first one chosen
3. Choose a very light solid or solid-reading fabric that relates to the major colors and again another very light solid that is its complement.
4. Choose three or four more solids or solid-reading prints that fill in the range from dark to light, either related (same side of the color wheel) or complementary (opposite sides of the color wheel) to the main colors of the foundation print.
5. Choose one dark and one light print. The basic colors can be either the major color or its complement. Try to find prints that vary the scale of their designs and that contrast with the feel and motion of the signature print. If you start with a geometric print or plaid, look for a print with curves. If you start with a floral, you might want to find a plaid or stripe.
6. Arrange the fabrics from dark to light. Don’t second-guess once you’ve chosen all of the fabrics. You may use some or all of them in your quilt. Take the lead fabric out of the group, step back and look at the fabrics. Can they stand alone, or do they collapse visually?

©2004 Jeanne R. Prue