complementary color
1
4.0
- noun
- /ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛntəri ˈkʌlər/
- Specialized
:
color complementario
- Mixing yellow with its complementary color, purple, produces a muted hue that can enhance your artwork.
- complementary colors of blue
- complementary colors yellow and purple
- complementary colors—red and green
Examples
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And in fact, he purposely chose complementary colors like oranges and yellows with Blues and greens.
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Complementary colors, such as blue and yellow, are located on opposite sides of the triangle.
Academic text (1999) -
So now for green, what is the complementary color of green?
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Find a style you like and then select a complementary color.
Blog text (6) -
I work with complementary colors a lot.
Blog text (9) -
Instead, focus on using complementary colors and fonts that are easy to read.
Blog text (9) -
Another way to make complementary color schemes successful is by using different proportions of each color.
Blog text (1) -
So, to really make them pop, choose a background that's either the same color or the complementary color on the color wheel.
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In art, red and green are considered complementary colors because they are opposite each other on the color wheel.
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Using complementary colors like blue and orange in your design can create a visually striking contrast.
Synonyms
One of two colors that make white light or gray paint when mixed
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally combines 'complementary' (serving to complete or complement) with 'color', so its basic meaning — a color that complements or pairs with another — is directly derivable from the constituents. This is a compositional, non-idiomatic term with clear cross-linguistic equivalents, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand the core concept (even if they might not know the precise technical detail about light vs. pigment mixing).
Etymology
Complementary color comes from the simple idea that two colors sitting opposite each other on the color wheel are complementary, meaning they 'complete' each other. Placed side by side they make each other look brighter, and when mixed as light they make white, so 'complementary' explains why these pairs balance each other visually.