Thursday, November 15, 2007

How about a purple and yellow colour combination?

The best colour combination is purple and yellow. Due to the fact that the colours are opposite to each other in the colour wheel it creates maximum contrast when they are used together. (see image below Copyright © http://www.marlborough.oxon.sch.uk/)


When the two colours are used effectively the results can be quite impressive. One of the most extraordinary uses of this colour combination is in purple and yellow tulips (see image below Copyright © 2003 Katinka Matson). The contrast between the two colours makes the flowers really stand out.

Purple combined with yellow can also create some really eye-catching designs. There are several commercial uses of this colour scheme one of which is Galaxy FM (see image below Copyright © http://www.galaxyyorkshire.co.uk)

The two colours also have a more practical benefit which is shown with the Nike Total 90 Premier League Football (see image below Copyright © http://www.kitbag.com). This ball is used in games where there are low visibility conditions. The purple combined with they yellow makes the ball much easier to see compared to a white ball.

So purple and yellow are the best combination of colours. The colours are used to create some really striking commercial designs. Along with this they are also present in nature with the purple and yellow tulips.

7 comments:

Craig Allington said...

From the current blogs (sorry journals) I have seen you seem to be the only person to use contrasting colours as your favourite colour combination. I think the idea of complimentary colours may have swayed people subconsciously perhaps?

I do think that purple and yellow is a very good colour combination however, and one I've never really thought about using before. Perhaps when I am designing I am considering my own personal preferences too much and I should detach myself from these thoughts.

Craig Burgess said...

Purple and yellow is a cracking combination, but I think it can only be used in very specific circumstances. For example, I don't think it suits Galaxy FM at all, because it's just too classy.

It can also suffer from being quite a feminine colour scheme, so it has to be a very particular variant of purple and yellow for it to lose that feeling.

It's a good colour scheme used in moderation.

DREW said...

I think that Purple and Yellow is a good combination though personally I would not use it. I think this is to do with it being a contrasting combination which can be a little too lurid. Personally I prefer complimentary combos like Craig A pointed out.

I would have to disagree with Craig B though as I wouldn't consider Purple and Yellow a classy combination. I think it is a good choice for Galaxy as together with, the logo, I think they match the Ideology of Galaxy as it is a Radio station that plays Dance music which, like the colour combination, is loud and brash.

Ben Waller said...

Thanks for your comments. I think like Craig B says it is a good scheme to use in moderation. The effectiveness of the scheme depends on the circumstances it is being used in however.

I think complimentary colours are appropriate for a lot of designs but there are times where a contrasting combination may work better. Overall though I think that it all depends on what you are designing for.

Richard said...

I didn’t really like this colour combination before I saw how the colours worked together in real life. Eg your images. I think it is one of the most striking colour combinations there is. It certainly catches your eye from a glance.

I think with this combination you defiantly need another colour to split the harshness of the two very different colours. Whether this is just adding black or white to the combination just breaks the colours down and makes them appear less harsh.

Mirhad Kalabic said...

To be honest mate, i think the colours are fantastic. tylish and elegant, which is why i chose to use the two colours for my ambient world project and to be fair some of the stuff i created looked great, maily because of the use of the two colours.

Suzanne Hullah said...

Purple is my favourite colour and contrasting combinations are my favourite harmony. I find that they really grab your attention and draw you into, but like craig says, they have to suit their specific purpose.

Purple represents sophistication and royalty. Something Galaxy radio isn't.