Complementary Colors: What They Are & How To Use Them

What are complementary colors? Complementary colors are two colors which are found on the opposite side of the color wheel.

Generally complementary colors consist of a primary color and a secondary color.

What’s a secondary color? Secondary colors are formed by mixing two primary colors. In a color wheel you will find that the secondary colors are found between two primary colors.

For example, Orange is a secondary color which is formed when red and yellow are mixed together. If you’ll look at the color wheel you will find out that orange is in between red and yellow.

If you’re an artist, knowing the complementary colors might be handy for you in the sense that you won’t have trouble making color decisions.

The complementary colors can be used together to make each of the colors look brighter. Or they can also be blended together to create a shadow effect. They can be mixed in order to create a natural hue.

What Is The Complementary Color Of Red?

The complementary color to red is green which is a mix of blue and yellow. However, the Brigtside has a color guide which suggests that each shade of red has its own separate complementary color. Look at the following table to see which colors of red have which complementary colors,

Shades Of Red	Complementary Colors
Cherry Red	Grey, beige, sandy, azure, pale yellow and   light orange
Primary Red	Green, black, blue, yellow, tawny orange and   white
Raspberry Red	Damask rose, white and black
Tomato Red	Mint green, grey, cyan, creamy white and   sand

What Is The Complementary Color Of Blue?

The complementary color to blue is orange which is a mix of red and yellow. But just like red, different shades of blue too have their own separate colors.

Shades Of Blue	Complementary Colors
Slate blue	Rust
Midnight blue	Black and white
Navy blue	Mustard
Primary blue	Orange, green and grey
Pale blue	Mint green and bright yellow
Sky blue	Moss green
Deep blue	Olive green
Jewel toned blue	Purple
Yves Klein blue	Black
Dark Blue	Hot pink

What Is The Complementary Color Of Green?

The complementary color to green is red. Following are the complementary color that go with different shades of green.

Shades of Green	Complementary Color
Fern	Tangerine
Kelly Green	Pink
Lime	Turquoise
Mint	Lavender
Emerald	White
Lichen	Taupe
Chartreuse	Black
Moss	Brass
Pistachio	Aubergine
Leaf	Royal Blue
Sage	Nantucket Red
Hunter	Marigold
Pear	Navy
Jade	Magenta

What Is The Complementary Color Of Yellow?

The complementary color of yellow is purple which is a mix of red and blue. Yellow too like the above different primary color can have different complementary colors for different shades,

Yellow Shades	Complementary Colors
Sunny Yellow	White
Marigold	Mint
Butter Yellow	Blue
Neon Yellow	Pink
Dandelion	Cinnamon Red
Banana Yellow	Off White
Mustard	Jade
Flaxen Yellow	Brown
Yellow	Turquoise, purple
Pineapple	Black
Dandelion	Cinnamon Red
Banana Yellow	Off White
Mustard	Jade
Flaxen Yellow	Brown
Yellow	Turquoise, purple
Pineapple	Black

Do Tertiary Colors Have Complementary Colors?

Yes, tertiary colors do have complementary colors. In order to find the complementary colors of the tertiary colors you’ll have to find the color directly across from it in a color wheel.

Tertiary colors are made up of one secondary color and one primary color. Here are some tertiary colors and their complements.

Tertiary Colors	Complements
yellow-orange	blue-purple (indigo)
orange-red	blue-green (aqua)
red-purple (pink)	green-yellow

In this way, the color wheel can be divided into an infinite number of colors and their complements. One thing will always remain the same; no matter what the shade or hue it is, its complementary color will always be found directly across from it.

What Are Complementary Colors Used For Anyways?

Complementary colors are used to make each other pop. You may have noticed that every set of complementary colors are made up of one warm color and one cold color.

Warm Colors: Warm colors are those colors which remind us of the warmth of the sun or remind us of fire. Red, orange and yellow are warm colors.

Cold Colors: Cold colors are those colors which remind us of water or the grass. Green, blue and purple are cold colors.

What is meant by simultaneous contrast? Using a warm color in order to complement a cold color is termed as simultaneous contrasting. These are termed as the highest contrast available on the color wheel.

Simultaneous contrast is like a natural illusion occurring when you put two colors that complement each other side to side. Both colors start to look brighter and help to catch the viewer’s eye.

But you also need to be a little careful when using both of these colors together. Both the colors make each other look more vivid and brighter and may cause both of them to clash together.

The colors are polar opposite and have similar strength and properties and so they compete with each other in certain situations and the end result may look quite loud.

Mixing Complementary Colors Together

If we’re talking about paint, then mixing complementary colors can give a pretty interesting result. When mixing them together, they can make the hue less vibrant and can also create a new shade. The more color you will add, the more neutral it will become.

For example, if you add a hint of green color into dark red, then it will create a color much similar to burnt sienna. If you add an equal amount of green to equal amount of red, then you will get dark brown.

Artists use the concept of simultaneous contrast all the time. For example, when painting or drawing sunsets, deep blue to bright orange gradients can seem more eye-catching due to this concept.

Final Verdict:

If you’re looking for a color that you can mix together, then complementary colors are perfect for this job.

Play around the color wheel a little. Experiment mixing the complementary colors and make swatch just to see how many colors you can explore.

As long as you stick to the original complementary colors, you’ll like the results very much. You can use them to create vivid effects or use them in those paintings which need a popping effect.