Page 101 - DMGT552_VISUAL_MERCHANDISING

Visual Merchandising

Notes  Low-intensity colours are greyed or dull in appearance, for example, maroon. Dull or
low-intensity colours tend to create a calm and restful mood.

Colour Schemes

Colours often occur in various combinations, referred to as colour schemes. Combining colours
attractively is an art marked by individual style and preference. Although there are no laws for
combining colours, there are some formalised methods for producing harmonious colour schemes
that students may find helpful. These methods are illustrated on a wheel of 12 colours.
The two major categories of colour scheme in terms of hue are related and contrasting.
The second category is referred to as contrasting because there are no common hues in these
colour schemes. Contrasting colour schemes are often bold and dramatic.
Related Colour Schemes

The first category is referred to as related because this type of colour scheme utilises one or more
hues in common, that is, colours that are adjacent on the colour wheel. Related colour schemes
tend to produce a stable feeling and allow the mood of the hue of the colour scheme to be
expressed clearly.
The principal types of related colour schemes are monochromatic and analogous.

1. Monochromatic: Harmony uses only one hue in various values from almost black to
almost white and intensities from brilliantly saturated to very grey. This mixing of black,
white, and greys can be used in all schemes because includes neutrals, which are not
considered colours. If texture is a selling points, a monochromatic colour scheme may be
a good choice for highlighting textures, which would be more apparent when the colours
are all the same or similar.
2. Analogous: colour schemes comprise three colours that are adjacent on the wheel, which
means they contain a common hue. An example is yellow-orange, yellow, and yellow-
green. Another example, from the cooler side of the colour wheel, is blue, blue-violet, and
violet. An analogous colour scheme offers more variety in colours than a monochromatic
scheme and avoids the possibility of clashing colours since there is a common hue to
provide harmony.

Contrasting Colour Schemes

Contrasting colour schemes are subdivided as follows:
1. Complementary: These schemes are formed by two hues that are directly opposite each
other in the colour wheel, such as red and green, orange and blue, or yellow-orange and
blue-violet. Complementary colour schemes can be exciting because opposites are
combined. However, they are more difficult to handle than analogous schemes because
their colours can clash. One of the two colours should be present in a larger amount than
the other and thereby become the dominant hue for the scheme.
2. Double Complementary: These schemes are based on two adjacent colours combined with
their complementary or opposite colours, such as yellow orange and yellow with violet
and blue-violet, or red-orange and orange with blue and blue-green. This scheme
incorporates both contrast by means of opposite hues and similarity by means of related
hues. The related hues give a sense of unity, making this scheme slightly easier to produce
than a simple complementary scheme.

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