Creative Color

Link to information on Color Scheme Game Workshops

Originally I thought to use cards to play.  I changed my mind.  Dice are easier to carry.  You may print out the diagrams and rules to use along with the dice.  Please feel free to alter, delete and break all the rules.  The goal of the game is to break old habits, develop new skills and to have fun strengthening your skills.

I will continue to add sample paintings on the individual Color Scheme Sample Pages. See links below.

Use either two six-sided dice or one twelve-sided die.  Obviously you can’t throw a “1″ using two dice.  A monochromatic color scheme is only possible when using a twelve-sided die.

Throw the dice and follow the color scheme indicated by the number shown on the die or dice.  Either apply the color scheme to an existing drawing, create a drawing with the color scheme in mind or throw the dice again for more directions to flex your creative muscles. (I have not yet added those other directions to this page, so start with only the color scheme part of the game at this point.)

Use the twelve hue color wheel for making color scheme choices.

Twelve Hue Color Wheels using different palettes

The colors on the twelve hue color wheel are as follows:  Yellow, Yellow-Green, Green, Green-Blue, Blue, Blue-Purple, Purple, Purple-Red, Red, Red-Orange, Orange, Orange-Yellow.

I recommend creating a color wheel for the palette you are using.  Some of the differences are subtle, others are dramatic.  The same hue by different manufacturers can also make significant differences in mixing results. Label the pigments and keep the wheels for future reference.  I find it helpful to show the diluted mix on the wheel.  It gives me a better sense of how a painting with complete range of values might look using those mixes of color.

1. Monochromatic … One hue, including all variations from lightest light to darkest dark of that one hue. (Bend the rules a bit and add a drop of an adjacent color, barely enough to alter the hue.)

Click here to see sample paintings using Monochromatic Color Scheme

2. Complements … Two hues directly opposite one another on the twelve hue color wheel.

Click here to see Sample Paintings using Complements Color Scheme

3. Double Complements … Two hues on either side of any hue, plus the complements of both of those two hues.

Click here to see sample paintings using the Double Complements Color Scheme

4. Cross Complements … One pair of complements plus the pair of complements at ninety degrees of each. i.e Yellow, Purple, Red-Orange, Blue-Green.

Click here to see sample paintings using a Cross Complement Color Scheme

5. Analogous … Three or four colors adjacent to one another on the twelve hue color wheel.

Click here to see sample paintings using an Analogous Color Scheme

6. Extended Analogous …Five colors adjacent to one another on the twelve hue color wheel.

Click here to see sample paintings using the Extended Analogous Color Scheme

7. Analogous with One Complement … One dominant hue plus the two hues on either side of it and the one hue directly across from it on the twelve hue color wheel.

Click here to see sample paintings using an Analogous with One Complement Color Scheme

8. Analogous with Split Complements …One dominant hue plus the two hues on either side of it and the two hues on either side of the hue directly across from it.  Do not include the hue directly across from the dominant hue.

Click here to see sample paintings using an Analogous Color Scheme with Split Complements

9. Triad: Basic … Three hues equidistant from one another on the twelve hue color wheel (Three hues between each).  i.e. Red, Yellow, Blue …. or Red/Violet, Blue/Green, Yellow/Orange.

Click here to see sample paintings using a Basic Triad Color Scheme

10. Triad: Complementary … One pair of complementary colors plus one color equidistant between them on the color wheel. i.e. Yellow, Red-Orange Blue-Green

Click here to see sample paintings using the Triad with Complements Color Scheme.

11. Triad: Split Complements … One dominant hue with the two hues adjacent to the hue directly across from the dominant hue on the twelve hue color wheel. Do not include the hue directly across from the dominant hue.

Click here to see sample paintings using a Triad with Split complements Color Scheme

12. Triad: Modified … Three hues with one space between them, i.e. yellow, orange, green.

Click here to see sample paintings using the Modified Triad Color Scheme

Throw the dice again to determine which color will be the dominant hue.

1. Yellow

2. Yellow – Green

3. Green

4. Green – Blue

5. Blue

6. Blue – Purple

7. Purple

8. Purple – Red

9. Red

10. Red – Orange

11. Orange

12. Orange – Yellow