Create high-contrast color schemes with colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel.
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Base
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Complement
This is a preview of how your complementary color scheme might look in a design. The background uses your base color, the heading uses the complementary color, and the button below uses a variation of the complementary color.
A complementary color scheme uses two colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. This creates a high-contrast, vibrant look that can be very eye-catching and dynamic.
Complementary colors naturally enhance each other's intensity when placed side by side. This creates a strong visual impact and can help draw attention to key elements in your design. However, this high contrast can also be jarring if overused, which is why complementary schemes are often used with one color as dominant and the other as an accent.
Complementary colors are excellent for call-to-action buttons, highlighting important information, or creating visual separation between different sections of a website.
In posters, advertisements, and marketing materials, complementary colors create eye-catching designs that immediately grab attention and emphasize key messages.
Photographers often use complementary colors to create striking compositions, with subjects that stand out dramatically against contrasting backgrounds.
Artists have used complementary colors for centuries to create vibrant, dynamic paintings where elements seem to pop off the canvas.
The most well-known complementary pairs are red/green, blue/orange, and yellow/purple. These create strong contrast and visual impact when used together.
Complementary schemes can be challenging for beginners because the high contrast can easily become overwhelming. It's often best to start with one color as dominant and use the complementary color sparingly as an accent.
Use one color as the dominant color, use the complementary color only as an accent, incorporate neutral colors, and consider using tints and shades of your complementary colors for more subtlety.
Complementary colors create maximum contrast and stability. When placed side by side, they enhance each other's intensity through simultaneous contrast. Our eyes are naturally drawn to this contrast, which is why complementary schemes are so effective at grabbing attention.