Colour Harmony

Understanding colour relationships can have an important impact on your final product
Colour combinations may pass unnoticed when pleasing, yet offend when compositions clash.1 Hence, understanding colour relationships can have an important impact on your final map or visual media product.

Tip

Analogous
uses hues located adjacent to each other on a colour wheel

The colours of fall foliage in this photo ranging from reds to greens reflect an analogous colour combination.
Image chensiyuan [GFDL and CC-by-sa]

Pro: This scheme is as easy to create as the monochromatic, but looks richer. Con: It may lack colour contrast and is not as vibrant as the complementary colour schemes. Tip: Avoid using too many hues in this scheme, as doing so may ruin the harmony.

What are the various colour combinations?

Monochromatic
uses variations of a single hue2

Triadic
uses three hues equidistant from each other on a colour wheel

This example of the monochromatic colour scheme utilizes various tints and shades of red to depict the severity of the given situation.
Image: ReliefWeb

The orange, indigo and green of this peacock feather exemplify the triadic colour scheme.

Image Mroede [CC-by]

Pro: This scheme is easy to manage and always looks balanced and visually appealing. Con: It lacks colour contrast and is not as vibrant as the complementary colour schemes. Tip: Use tints, shades, and tones of the key colour to enhance this scheme.3

Pro: This scheme offers high contrast while retaining harmony. Con: It does not provide as high contrast as does the complementary scheme. Tip: Choose one colour to be used in larger amounts than the two others.

Janet Lynn Ford, Colour Theory Tutorial by Worqx, http://www.worqx.com/colour/index.htm (accessed 24 Sep 2009). 2Definitions from Ford, Colour Theory Tutorial by Worqx. 3Pros, cons, & tips are taken from Colour Wheel Pro, Classic Colour Schemes, http://www.colour-wheel-pro.com/colour-schemes.html (accessed 24 Sep 2009).
1

Tips and Tricks from UNGIWG Map Production Guidelines Task Group - December 2009

Complementary
uses two hues across from each other on a colour wheel

DoubleComplementary (Tetradic)
uses two sets of complementary colour
In Flower Festival: Feast of Santa Anita, Diego Rivera offset the main reds and greens in the painting with purple and yellow highlights.
Image adapted from MOMA.org

The complementary colour scheme is evident in the bright orange and deep navy of this sunset.

Image Wegmann [GFDL and CC-by-sa]

Pro: This scheme offers stronger contrast than any other colour scheme. Con: It is harder to balance than monochromatic and analogous schemes. Tip: For best results, place cool colours against warm ones (ex. blue versus orange).

Pro: This scheme offers more colour variety than any other scheme. Con: It is the most difficult scheme to balance. Tips: 1. Avoid using pure colours in equal amounts. 2. If the scheme looks unbalanced, try to subdue one or more colours.

SplitComplementary
uses one hue plus two equally spaced from its complement
This example illustrates the split-complementary colour scheme, as shown by the use of reds and oranges to accent the rooms turquoise walls.
Image adapted from Ikea Catalog 2010

Trick

Color Scheme Designer

http://colorschemedesigner.com

Pro: This offers more nuances than the complementary scheme while retaining strong visual contrast. Con: It is harder to balance than monochromatic and analogous schemes. Tip: Use a single warm colour against a range of cool ones to put an emphasis on warm colour.

This site by Petr Stanicek lets you preview colour combinations. You begin with one hue and get a range of colour options that you can adjust to your preferences.

Tips and Tricks from UNGIWG Map Production Guidelines Task Group - December 2009