Page 102 - DMGT552_VISUAL_MERCHANDISING

Unit 5: The Basics of Visual Merchandising

3. Split-complementary: Colour scheme is composed of any hue plus the two hues on either Notes
side of its complement, such as yellow with red-violet and blue violet, or blue-green with
red and orange.
4. Triad: Schemes are built on three hues equidistant from each other, such as red, yellow,
and blue; or orange, green, and violet. The combination of unrelated hues is lively, but
harmony may be difficult to create because of the variety generated.
5. Tetrad: Scheme combines four hues equidistant from each other on the colour wheel, such
as orange, yellow-green, blue, and red-violet. When three or more hues are combined, the
colour scheme works better if the value or intensities are similar so as to create some
unity. The various hues provide the contrast and interest. The merchandise itself can
provide the colour schemes for the display. In a merchandising grouping, a multicolour
item such as a figured blouse can establish the colour scheme. When an item comes in
several colours, that range, of hues can become the colour scheme.
The colours within the merchandising area also contribute to the colour scheme. The hues in the
flooring, carpet, walls, and partitions may be very apparent or rather inconspicuous. Orange,
red, and yellow in the walls and ceiling demand attention and must be considered as an important
part of the presentation of the merchandise. Clear, bright greens, yellows, and red-oranges
would be good items to place on the forward stands on the aisle. They would harmonise with
the clear, bright colours on the walls to carry out the active mood for a sportswear or junior
department.

Colours on the fixtures that are deep in a department are less important than the colours on
forward fixtures, because the aisle provides space for the shopper to see the total picture of the
front merchandise against the backdrop of the wall. There is less space farther into the department,
so the colours are seen close up, eliminating the background wall from view.
More neutral colours for walls, flooring, and carpeting provide an inconspicuous background
for many colour schemes.
Colour Illusions: Some of the effects of colour occur only in the eye and brain of the viewer, and
are not physical properties of light waves or pigment. These illusions, however, are very
powerful, and have enormous impact on our responses to colour.
Colour Proportion: It refers to the impact of the relative quantity of a given hue or value used
in colour compositions. In order to achieve overall unity, and/or create emphasis, one should
make a clear decision as to which colours should be assigned the largest and least areas.

The colour proportion choice will also affect the impact of the colour composition. This can be
seen in the set of panels shown here. The very same colours are used in each panel. Yet depending
on the choice of dominant colour, the feeling of the composition, and even the appearance of
each colour, is altered.
Simultaneous Contrast: It is the phenomenon, which occurs when a colour appears to change
when seen against a different background.
Optical Mixture: It is the phenomenon, which occurs when small particles of different colours
are mixed in the eye; this type of mixture differs from pigment mixture in that it is based on light
primaries. However, optical mixture differs from light mixture in which the primaries will mix
to white, and from pigment mixture, in which the primaries mix to black. In optical mixture
there is an averaging of hue and value, resulting in grey. Optical mixture is experienced when
observing many textiles, such as this example, a detail from a hand-woven tapestry. It can also
be seen in natural objects, colour television, and printed colour pictures.
Psychological Implications of Colour: Market researchers have done extensive studies exploring
the emotional responses of people to colour. Some of these responses seem to be powerful and

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