Ryann Z.

Elumba
ITMM 211: Digital Imaging and Desktop Publishing
Computer Science Department
College of Science and Information Technology
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Additive Color Mixing
• An additive color system
involves light emitted directly
from a source or illuminant of
some sort. The additive
reproduction process usually
uses red, green and blue
light to produce the other
colors.
• Combining one of these
additive primary colors with
another in equal amounts Additive color mixing: adding red to green
produces the additive yields yellow; adding yellow to blue yields
white
secondary colors cyan,
magenta, and yellow. Computer monitors and
Combining all three primary televisions are the most
lights (colors) in equal common application of additive
intensities produces white. color.
Subtractive Color Mixing
• Subtractive color explains the theory of mixing paints,
dyes, inks, and natural colorants to create colors which
absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect others.

Subtractive color mixing

 Ryann Z. Elumba
ITMM 211: Digital Imaging and Desktop Publishing
Computer Science Department
College of Science and Information Technology
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Color Harmony or Color Scheme
• The principle of harmony refers to the
visual agreement of all parts of a
work. The successful application of
harmony results in unity.
Monochromatic

• The monochromatic color scheme uses

variations in lightness and saturation of a
single color.
• Pros:
– Looks clean and elegant
– Produces a soothing effect.
– Can be used to establish an overall mood.
• Cons:
– This scheme lacks color contrast.
– It is not as vibrant as the complementary
scheme.
• Tips: Different levels of brown is used in this
– Use tints, shades, and tones of the key composition.
color to enhance the scheme. Source: www.deviantart.com
Analogous

• The analogous color scheme uses colors

that are adjacent to each other on the
color wheel. One color is used as a
dominant color while others are used to
enrich the scheme.
• Pros:
– as easy to create as the monochromatic,
but looks richer.
• Cons:
– Lacks color contrast. It is not as vibrant as
the complementary scheme. This composition makes use of the
adjacent colors of the color wheel,
• Tips: from red to blue.
– Avoid using too many hues in the Source: www.deviantart.com
analogous scheme, because this may ruin
the harmony.
– Avoid combining warm and cool colors in
this scheme.
Complementary
• The complementary color scheme is made of
two colors that are opposite each other on
the color wheel.
• Pros:
– offers stronger contrast than any other
color scheme, and draws maximum
attention.
• Cons:
– This scheme is harder to balance than
monochromatic and analogous
schemes, especially when desaturated
warm colors are used.
• Tips:
– For best results, place cool colors
against warm ones, for example, blue
versus orange.
– If you use a warm color (red or yellow)
as an accent, you can desaturate the
opposite cool colors to put more
emphasis on the warm colors.
– Avoid using desaturated warm colors
(e.g. browns or dull yellows)

This composition makes two opposite

colors in the color wheel; red and green.
Source: www.deviantart.com
Other Color Schemes

Split-Complementary Relationship Double-Complementary Relationship Two

One hue plus two others equally complementary color sets; the distance between
spaced from its complement. selected complementary pairs will effect the overall
contrast of the final composition.

Triad Relationship Three hues equally

positioned on a color wheel.