Halfway color combinations
Beyond complementary and analogous combinations
Complementary and analogous color combinations tend to be spoken of as the most harmonious and attractive pairs. And indeed, they are quite satisfying to the eye. But what about “halfway” combinations, those that find themselves roughly at a right angle in the color wheel? Here is my ode to these slightly less obvious combinations.
Red and purple
I still remember the day I wore bright red pants and a purple sweater to school and got laughed at. I admit it was a risky move, as it is a flamboyant combination to wear from head to toe. But it also regal and powerful (hey, Meghan Clarke pulled it off). If this duo is too intense, the use of tones, shades and desaturation can create a multitude of more restrained moods: warm pink and lilac are sweet and delicate together, dried blood red balanced by a lighter, muted purple hint at sensual elegance, while old rose combined with midnight purple create a more sober mood.
Orange and magenta
A spectacular sunset in a tropical part of the world, where the air remains warm through the evening. The opposite of a dull subway ride to work. Intense orange and magenta together can, however, be suffocating for some. To create some breathing room, lighten either one or both colors. Even a touch of white will take this combination from torrid to joyful. With added black, orange becomes a quieter, rich brown that combines beautifully with pinks. Magenta can be hushed into eggplant, a sophisticated counterpoint to a still energetic orange. Or, introduce desaturation for sandy tones and dusty dry pinks, which will further soothe the stimulation of this warm pair.
Yellow and magenta
When I think of yellow and magenta — particularly if magenta is softened to pink — I picture myself having strawberry ice cream on a sunny holiday. This combination is multifaceted though, because yellow mysteriously becomes greenish as soon as black touches it, and can almost pass as a complementary to magenta. Yellow also quickly shifts from cool to warm, giving the combination an acid sparkle or a touch of cosiness. The pair becomes harder if one of the two hues is strongly darkened, or calmer if light-dark contrast is kept low and desaturation is introduced. Pale, muted magenta, for example, is a lovely tone that quietly complements a more vibrant yellow.
Yellow and red
Beyond the basic scheme one may find on a flag or well-known logo, yellow and red is a surprisingly rich combination that can switch from spicy to jovial to nurturing, in part because of yellow’s chameleonic nature. Even shifting one of the two hues away from its pure form, interesting things happen. A grapefruit-like coral becomes a softer companion to a luminous yellow. Or, when yellow is darkened, the duo recalls a complementary scheme, yet warmer. Tackling both hues at once and introducing desaturation, one can arrive to combinations such as green beige and brick red, which might conjure memories of a beloved grandma’s cozy kitchen tiles.
Green and orange
Green and orange may evoke fall fruit and vegetables, moss and earth, potted succulents on a terracotta Spanish balcony, marigolds. Dense, fluctuating between warm and lukewarm, the pair almost wishes for a balancing third hue. Yet by accentuating the light-dark contrast between the two colors, the combination can appear lighter, almost cooler. Try an elegant dull dark green combined with a gently diluted peach tone or even a creamy, nearly white orange. Or create a calm pistachio with caramel chocolate mix by swapping where white and black is added.
Green and yellow
Notice how yellow and green feel lighter already, like lemon trees swaying in the fresh summer breeze. As with yellow and red, it is worth going beyond the basic, saturated state of these two hues. For example, green can be darkened to create an energetic light-dark contrast where yellow shines and green remains solemn in the background. Something softer results from the combination of light yellow and a muted pea green. And, in those instances where yellow becomes darker and peculiarly “green”, the two hues seem to draw closer together.
Blue and green
I used to think of blue and green as neighbors in the color wheel, possibly because it is a combination so often seen in nature. Yet there is distance between them, more so if blue shifts towards purple, or a warmer green is used. If desired, one can easily suggest forest pines and clear skies reflected on a lake by placing dark green next to sky blue. Thankfully, going beyond the sky-vegetation association is possible. Incorporate, for example, an electric blue with purple undertones to any green, or lighten green while considerably darkening blue for a taste of mint and blueberries.
Purple and blue-green
This combination feels cool to the touch yet seems to carry the warmth of nostalgia — think 80s rain jackets or vintage sci-fi book covers — , particularly when the tones are slightly washed out. Include more jolting saturations, and the pair might draw closer to our digital world. Purple and blue-green can also be perfectly sophisticated when significantly toned down through desaturation and added black or white. I’m particularly fond of the lavender and forest-in-the-shade combo, or the hushed, misty penumbra resulting from both colors being dark and slightly muted.
Blue and magenta
Blue and magenta create an impactful, cool palette at maximum intensity, reminiscent of girl-boy differentiation, cotton candy and cherry blossoms against the blue sky once white is introduced. One of the hues can remain electric, backed up by a generously lightened or darkened companion. Or, add white to one and black to the other for a more refined effect and a dramatic light-dark contrast. Inky blue, for example, adds solemnity and balances the sweetness in quiet pink. Another option is to desaturate: note how pale dull rose and powdery denim belong comfortably together.
Conclusion
“Half-way” combinations might not provide the satisfying punch of a complementary combination, nor create the subtle harmony of two neighboring colors. Instead, they are like two friends with different personalities who also have quite a few things in common.
Notably, they share a certain temperature area in the color wheel — generally cool, warm or lukewarm —, which inevitably tinges these combinations with certain emotions and sensations. Additionally, some of them, particularly when hues are in their basic forms, can recall existing elements from culture or nature.
But more than anything, it is the choices around value and saturation that dramatically alters the mood and derived preconceptions of these palettes. The same combination can shift from fierce, sharp or sparking, to serious, serene or delicate, and make you forget about the fast food logo you initially had in mind. They carry, as any hue combination, more possibilities than one may think.
