Opposites Attract

Do you think opposites attract… in painting… in life? Our next watercolor wisdom - lessons I’ve learned through watercolor that can be applied to life – is…

Opposites attract…

In the world of color, complementary colors are those that sit opposite each other on the color wheel. These colors create the strongest contrast of any pairing on the color wheel. When used together, complementary colors are striking and visually appealing. They can create a focal point in a painting or bring balance to the color scheme. They complement and bring out the best in each other.

The main pairs of complementary colors are:

-        Red and green

-        Yellow and purple

-        Blue and orange

You’ll find these color combinations in company logos and other graphic designs with the purpose of catching attention in a bright and visually appealing way. In paintings, complementary colors can be used to create a focal point or a bold color scheme. If you mix complementary colors, the result becomes a neutral, which is perfect for shading. Understanding color theory is important to creating pleasing paintings.

In life, color theory just might come in handy as well. We need to have people in our lives, on our work teams, on committees who see things differently than we do. Let’s call them our complementary colors. If we’re willing to listen to each other and work together side-by-side, we can create focus and bold ideas and maybe even create neutrality. We can bring out the best in each other. Will there be disagreements? Absolutely! But together we can find solutions that benefit the whole. If we surround ourselves only with people who think like us, believe as we do, like the same things, life can be comfortable but perhaps less exciting. And it doesn’t bring out the best in us.

So in painting and in life, be sure to incorporate complementary colors. And get ready for the WOW!!