How to Use Color Theory to Create Stunning Looks
You’ve heard of color theory, but you’re not quite sure what it entails and how it can apply to your everyday life. Whether you want to make your Instagram photos more eye-catching or match the right clothing with your hair, you can use color theory to put together ensembles that look amazing and reflect your personal style. To help you get started, here are some basics of color theory and how they can be applied to everyday life.
The basics: How color relates to emotion
There are many elements that go into making a good look, but choosing the right colors can make the difference between just okay and stunning. The way we interpret color says something about our personality, mood, and what we want to feel. This is why it’s so important to use color theory when styling an outfit or decorating your home! To do this properly, there are two parts to think about: harmony and contrast.
-Harmony refers to using colors that mix well together. If you put two complementary colors together (opposite on the color wheel), they create vibrancy and offer balance without needing a third hue to blend them. Some examples of these include red with green or orange with purple.
Types of palettes
So you want to create an eye-catching look? This is where color theory comes in. A palette is a group of colors (or single colors) that go well together, based on what colors are used and their respective values. Color values are lightness, which ranges from black (zero percent lightness) to white (100 percent lightness), and saturation, which ranges from gray-browns to deep purples and reds.
3 Ways to Choose Your Colors
You’ve heard the basic color theory of complimentary colors, and have surely seen an electric look with yellow/orange and purple, but there are many ways to use color to create stunning looks. By following these tips, you can find your signature color palette and enjoy foolproof makeup that always looks great!
– Look at Color in Context: When choosing a color palette, it’s important to understand how the colors will work together. Think about whether you want soft or bold looks, warm or cool tones, or rich or light colors.
– Go Beyond Complimentary Colors: A little rainbow goes a long way! Try using a variety of different hues to create contrast within your makeup wardrobe.
2 Tips for Color Complementary Palettes
- Use opposite colors to create an attractive look that draws attention to one another. Color theory explains why this is appealing, as it provides an eye-catching contrast and balances the overall tone of the room. Think about using blue and orange, for example – two colors that are often used in complementary color schemes that seem to compliment each other and create a sense of serenity or energy. 2. Don’t be afraid to go bold with your palettes – especially if you’re looking for a way to stand out in a room full of muted shades or conventional color combinations. Trying something like navy blue and lime green is going to instantly set you apart from what everyone else might be wearing on the dance floor, even if they’re both in vogue right now.
2 Tips for Triadic Palettes
Tip #1: Recreating triadic color schemes is easy, but you have to balance the hues and values. The key to recreating a triadic color scheme is figuring out what hues are in the original palette, then picking two others that contrast nicely with them. For example, if your original palette has red, yellow and blue hues, try purple and orange as your contrasting colors. Tip #2: When selecting complementary colors for a clothing or makeup item, it’s best to make sure one of them works well with the other so that your overall outfit is cohesive instead of clashing from top to bottom. The best color pairs are opposites on the hue wheel such as blue-orange or green-red
2 Tips for Analogous Palettes
Here are two tips to help you out with creating a cohesive palette:
- Look at color harmonies in analogous palettes to get creative and exciting results. Analogous colors are close in hue but distant in value, meaning they will go well together, but there won’t be too much blending or being one shade.
- Create a color scheme by grouping like colors together to create your own palette that meets the needs of the project and your preference for style
