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Selecting a color has not always been something that was achieved with just a few clicks. Color had to be collected from pigments of the earth and then dyed into fabric. You had to collect the berries to make the purple-ish/reds or dirt to get a brown. Color, binds the creative realm together be it graphic design, photography, interior design, textile design, transportation design etc. Of course you can take pictures in black & white or make a logo black with greys but the colors are where we can experience emotion. That emotion ties us to the image, art, design or product. The colors bring the brand, the curtains, the rug, the subject, the foreground or the background to life.

Do you just start picking colors and hope for the best or is there more science at work? In order to make your color picking easier there are several different color relationships that will help you along the way. These are the basic fundamentals of color wheel.

Primary Colors

Primary colors are the basis of the color spectrum. With these three colors, you can create any other color in the spectrum. Red, Yellow & Blue. This is a bold and powerful color scheme when used together.

Secondary Colors

Secondary colors are made by mixing two primary colors together. They lie opposite of the primary colors on the color wheel. Green, Violet & Orange. These colors are very bold like primary colors, when used together.

Tertiary Colors

The colors in-between the secondary & primary colors are what make up the tertiary colors. You can create these colors by mixing one primary color and one secondary color. Using tertiary colors as a color scheme is very bright and vibrant.

Monochromatic Colors

Monochromatic color schemes use a single hue (green above) and then use various tints and shades of that original color. They are very low in contrast but can be used very easily because of their simplistic nature.

Analogous Colors

Analogous colors are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. One of the colors is dominate while the others are accents for the main color. These schemes are easy to create and have unity and consistency.

Clash

Clash color schemes pair a first color with a second to the left or right of it’s color wheel compliment. Clash colors are VERY bold and have high contrast. The more colors you add the harder it is to make clash colors work effectively.

Split Complementary

Split complementary colors are created by taking the colors directly beside your original colors compliment. (purple above so yellow is purples compliment) Split complementary colors can be very difficult to make work correctly. Try using one color as the main color and the other two as accent colors.

Neutral

Neutral colors are a mix of a hue and its compliment and is sometimes mixed with black. These colors schemes are not bright and commanding but they can be calm & effective.

Tertiary Triad

Tertiary triads are a set of three tertiary colors that are equal distance from each other on the color wheel. Tertiary triads are some of the least recognizable color schemes. They are very vibrant and comfortable to the eye.

Download the Color Wheel in Vector Format

File Type: Ai
Number in Set: 1
License Type: Creative Commons 3.0
Author: Chad Engle

Ai – Illustrator Download

Compatible with CS1+ and comes with 1 color wheel.

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Photography is a way to capture an event and preserve it as long as the photo or the digital proof exists. Minimal photography is very expressive especially if there is a subject in the middle. Sometimes with bright colors or deep rich D-maxed black & white minimal photography is beautiful, simple, clean & inspiring.

Tim Simmons – Arizona

Alan Cook – Objects

Toby Keller – White

Minimal Photos – Creasence

Michael Kenna – New York City & England

Photos of Dan Flavins’ – Constructed Light Exhibition

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Rob and I have always landed on the side of photography enthusiasts, and if we had a better camera we might have actually graduated to the amateur shutterbug status by now, but alas, that has yet to be. But being an enthusiast is good, too. Don’t get me wrong, we are more than happy to don the devotee moniker, and do it proudly. As photography fans, our role is more of a passive one, which suits us fine from time to time. Though having a chance to create and capture some amazing images like those that are constant sources of inspiration to us, would be an awesome opportunity.

Take for instance, the following showcase that we have prepared for our readers. This collection of stunning high contrast photographs have been gathered for their awe-inspiring beauty, and vibrant, expressive tones. By enhancing the highlights and shadows in drastic differences of density, the photographers below have taken their work to a whole new colorful level. These artistic alterations act to re-stylize the images into more stirring captures that always leave us inspired. Here’s hoping their effect is contagious!

Creative Contrasts on Parade

Wrap up

That will about do it for the showcase, we hope you enjoyed the images, and found a little inspiration along the way. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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I love browsing around the creative web for new inspiration. Lately I’ve been really attracted to bold & creative typographic portraits. It’s really impressive how one can express their thoughts & mood by arranging text within a shape. Below is a list of 15 stunning typography art which I found over the web. Some of you may have already seen certain artworks, but to those who have not, I hope you’ll gain inspiration through these creative works.

1. mos def lyric portrait | Cris Wicks

2. britney | Cris Wicks

3. Thom York in typographic style illustration

4. Neville Brody | Thierry Eamon

5. i give you desire | lupuscrystalus

6. John Lennon in Type | Dencii

7. RickRoll in Type | Dencii

8. Face Typography Style | faisali

9. Type Face | paperairplane

10. Weiland Type | CaliburlessSoul

11. Michael Jackson, Text Portrait | BenHeine

12. Che. | smLLan

13. 007 | saabe

14. Ze Frank Layout in Type | thewalker09

15. CAP Typography illustration | moratlitas