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7 Colour Contrasts

CONTRAST OF HUE

The contrast of intense, undiluted colours. At least three distinct hues are required to illustrate this contrast. The most extreme contrast is the PRIMARY contrast of RED, YELLOW and BLUE. The Intensity of contrast diminishes as the hues are removed fromthe pure primary colours. 

LIGHT - DARK CONRAST

The contrast of opposite VALUES such as BLACK and WHITE or a SHADE and TINT of any hue.

COLD - WARM CONTRAST

The contrast of cold colours such as BLUE, GREEN or PURPLE to warm colours such as RED, YELLOW and ORANGE

COMPLEMENTARY CONTRAST

The contrast of complementary colours located opposite to each other on the colour wheel. RED and GREEN, BLUE and ORANGE, and YELLOW and PURPLE. Physiologically, the eye requires that any given colour will be balanced by its complementary colour.

RED and GREEN is the most saturated pair of complementary colours, therefore the most intense AFTETIMAGE will occur with their use.

BLUE and ORANGE create the most extreme COLD-WARM CONTRAST.

YELLOW and PURPLE is the most extreme LIGHT-DARK CONTRAST.

SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST

The contrast of SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS where the eye simultaneously requires the complementary colour to balance the given colour. If the complementary colour is not present, those colours present will optically tinge the given colour. The contrast is less intense than the complementary contrast, therefore providing a wider range of colours. 

CONTRAST OF SATURATION

The contrast between pure, intense colour and diluted colour. There are four ways to dilute colour and that is to add a TINT, TONE, SHADE or COMPLEMENTARY COLOUR to the orginal pure colour. 

CONTRAST OF EXTENSION

The contrast between the visual amount of one colour needed to balance that of another colour. 

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