Summer School – It’s Your Turn to Learn: Complementary Colors

Written by My Favorite Things on July 14, 2015. Posted in Educational Series

Are you ready for another lesson on color theory? We hope you enjoyed our lesson yesterday on creating using the Gallon/Quart/Pint theory. If you missed it, you can check it out HERE.

Surprisingly, color can trip up many a creative person. I’d wager a guess that you have a go-to color combination that you use frequently. And there’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with that! When you find something that works for you, it’s never a bad idea to use it again and again. But sometimes it’s fun to dip your toe into the pool of something a little new, don’t you think?

Today’s lesson will give you the tools you need to come up with fun and fresh color combinations that just work. Are you ready class? Let’s begin.

Lesson #7 – Color Theory: Complementary Colors

Complementary Colors do just what their name suggests — they compliment each other. They are found directly opposite one another on the color wheel. Let’s take a look at some cards by Melania Deasy, Inge Groot, and Alice Wertz that use three different variations of complementary colors.

Yellow and Violet 

Blue and Orange

Red and Green

No matter if you choose a true blue or a blue green, using the color wheel helps you to find the perfect complement — simply run your finger across the color wheel to find a color’s match! You can also play with different hues and saturations of the complements to come up with a wide variety of combinations!

Today’s instructor is My Favorite Things Design Team member Keisha Campbell. Keisha played with the hues of the complements red and green by using Fuse Green, Razzle Berry, and Electric Red.

While the complementary colors could stand on their own, pairing them with neutrals like black and white really allows the colors to take center stage. Keisha started with Electric Red and Fuse Green to create her focal point. You could easily make the entire flower one shade of red, but Keisha’s addition of Razzle Berry (another color in the red family) makes quite a statement.

Tie it all together with a neutral sentiment, and you’ve got complementary color magic!

Voila! By using her knowledge of complementary colors, Keisha has pulled off a lovely card with a fun and fresh color combination!

To aid in your learning, we have created a My Favorite Things Summer School Session Two Study Guide. Download it HERE, and then print it. It will be a handy tool that you can refer to as you design!

This week you’re the student, and instead of grades, we’ve got two prizes per day and two ways to win. Using today’s lesson, we’d love for you to create a project that exemplifies what you learned and upload it to the link below. Master the lesson and win a $50 voucher from My Favorite Things and be featured on the blog on July 28th. Just by participating, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a $20 voucher, so everyone has a chance!

All entries must be submitted by noon EDT on July 24th. Winners will be announced here on the blog on Tuesday, July 28.

Here’s your homework for your chance to win:

1. Create a project following the lesson you learned today.
2. Be sure to link your project below for your chance to win!

Before you go, be sure to stop by the blogs of these members of our Creative Team for more lessons in how to use the color theory of using Complementary Colors in your projects.

Now make sure to do your homework! Class dismissed.