Triadic Color Scheme

To understand a triadic color scheme, the color wheel has to be fully understood first. A color wheel is a tool that is used by art students or interior designers or wedding planners, basically anybody, who wants to come up with the perfect color combinations. Colors that go well together are those that look well coordinated and appeal both to the eye as well as the mind. Let us understand the concept of the color wheel, before moving on to know what are triadic colors.

Color Wheel
A color wheel is made up of three kinds of colors, namely primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary colors are those which cannot be created from other colors, such as red, yellow and blue. Secondary colors are those which are created by mixing two primary colors, such as orange, which is made by mixing red and yellow, violet which is made by mixing blue and red, and green which is made by mixing yellow and blue. Tertiary colors are those that are created by mixing primary and secondary colors, such as yellow-orange, red-violet, blue-green, blue-violet, yellow-green etc.

Triadic Color Schemes
Besides the triadic color schemes, there are a number of other color schemes as well, such as monochromatic, complimentary, analogous, split-complimentary, contrast, double contrast and tetradic. All these color schemes are created by combining colors belonging to the three color groups of which a color wheel is made i.e. primary, secondary and tertiary.

This color scheme is created by using such three colors that are spaced out equally on the color wheel. Some examples are red, blue and yellow - made from primary colors; orange-red, green-yellow and blue-violet - made from tertiary colors; blue-green, yellow-orange and red-violet - made from tertiary colors; orange, violet and green - made from secondary colors.

A triadic color scheme provides the right visual contrast, yet maintains a kind of harmony, making the color combination look good and unique. Although they do not provide as much contrast as a complementary color scheme would, still it retains the balance and makes the colors look rich. That is why we see many interior designers and wedding planners these days experimenting with three-colored triadic color combination schemes.

To get the right visual effect, one of the colors should be used largely, while the other two should be used only to highlight. Another way to use triadic color schemes creatively is to use the colors in accordance to their natural values. For example, in a combination of green, orange and violet, violet should be used to paint dark things, green for painting mid-tones and orange only for highlighting. If the color combination is looking gaudy or over the top by any chance, then subduing the colors a bit would do the trick.

Triadic color schemes are the perfect choice for people who look for a well-balanced and harmonious contrast in their color choices. If this is what you like too, then go ahead and use this color scheme while designing your wardrobe or painting your house or even planning your wedding.