The principle of colour harmony

The principle of colour harmony is based on many different theories for example; the principle of familiarity, the principle of novelty, the principle of resemblance, the principle of order and so on. All of these bring new and exciting opinions and attitudes towards colour.
When looking at different brands and their seasonal collections one can easily apply these theories and consequently a closer insight into the designers thoughts can be seen.
Take for example Thakoon’s Fall 2008 collection.




All three pictures are individual in their own right, so how can you tell their from the same collection? The designer uses over four different patterns, however the proportions of colour, hue and tone within the garments remains the same. For example the skirt in the first picture is most prominently blue in colour with the pattern detailing in purple and white and in the second picture the jacket has the same proportions of colour with white being most prominent and the use of brown shades and pink for contrast. Although the colour’s may appear to clash they have in-fact been thought through very carefully and meticulously so that there is some kind of order and uniformity. This can be linked to the alternation of colour, where the changing tints and shades of colour contrast and the advancing and receding hues counter each other; with light and dark values showing opposition.


Advertising campaigns are also an interesting way to interpret the designers direction for the season. Miu Miu’s advertising campaign for spring 2008 uses a balance of colour and a variety of hue. Both light and dark values, bright and dull intensities have been used which all balance the colour scheme. The red floor has a high value due to its dark colour and shade which contrasts heavily with the high chroma purple curtain. The matt and shiny textures of the colour mix well and give the image a feeling of seduction and playfulness.

The effect of colour harmonies can also be seen daily; from colour merchandising in shops to advertisements and even the simplest things we take might not initially notice such as public transport. When you look closely colour theories are all around you in many different shapes and forms. See the examples below:


This beauty shop uses a calming tint of blue so that the impression you get is one of natural ambiance. It suggests relaxation and consequently reflects the products it’s selling. It relates to the theory of resemblance, which states that colour harmonise when the difference between them is less. Here different tints and shades of the hue blue are used, there is a lack of contrast and the cabinets and shelving are in white to create a clean cut, fresh image.


I noticed this colour scheme when walking through a bus station. It uses the Triad colour theory in which red, yellow, orange (high chroma colours) are used to complement each other and give a bright feel to this dark and dingy building. It also links in with the principle of order which suggests that colour should be based on an orderly plan. These hues are all in order in the colour wheel and therefore are aesthetically pleasing as there is little contrast.


The colour scheme for this lush advert is bright and attention seeking. The colour yellow gives it a fresh feel, which again links into the products its selling. It is based on the principle of novelty as the colours are not realistic they are false, high chroma colours. However this draws the customer into the store as the advertisement is exciting and almost cartoon like.



I saw this window display in a shopping centre. The minimalistic white contrasts heavily with the bright florescent tree colours which represents the principle of novelty and the emphasis of colour. It also draws attention to the black bags and main product it is selling.


I saw this advertisement on the side of a shop window and I took a picture of it as it captured my attention. Repetition of pink, blue and purple helps unify the pattern so that there is enough variety for interest but little boredom or conflict of the colours. It gives the image of a funky youthful brand and brings excitement and interest to the product.


This is a simple and effective way of colour merchandising. The sequence of colours draws attention to the t-shirts but also makes it easier for the customer to select their preferred colour. It is based on the principle of order.

The Burberry Check

The Burberry Check colour theory analogy

















The Burberry check consists of the black, white and red pattern was first created in the 1920's and simply first used as a lining. But by the 1960's its popularity increased and it quickly became the trademark of the Burberry brand, globally recognised it quickly became a strong status symbol and an inconic pattern.
The Burberry check combines subtle tints of low value colours such as soft beige contrasting with shades of high value colours like black and territory colours such as red-purple. This results in a constant colour scheme with the same brightness level throughout.
Tones of grey are added to the black to soften the contrast between the colours and decrease the intensity. The effect is one of low chroma.

The colour theory that can be applied to this pattern is the analogous colour combination. This is because the Burberry check lacks contrast between warm and cool colours; all the colours are of low value and therefore there are no stark differences in brightness. There is also a lack of colour contrast and the pattern doesn’t overwhelm you with vibrant colour scheme. The pattern also avoids using multiple hues so that the colours appear in harmony with another and is atheistically pleasing to the eye. The result is a feeling of sophistication and muted elegance, with a luxurious feel.


The Burberry check takes its inspiration from the traditional Scottish pattern tartan or plaid used to make kilts. The Burberry check uses the same crossing effect as the tartan fabric. Tartan however uses a basic hue usually consisting of a primary or secondary colours; red, green and blue. The pattern uses both aggressive and receding colours to create an intense effect, such as red and black.

The tartan pattern above uses a Triad colour scheme, as blue, red and yellow are all used, as well as the complementary colour scheme. This scheme has the strongest contrast between colours and uses both warm and cool colours. This means more emphasis is also put on the warm red so more attention is drawn to this colour.

Changing the tint and saturation of the Burberry check dramatically effects the balance and the harmony of the colours as shown in the four samples below:




















As you can see from the sample the saturation has been altered so it appears to have low chroma and a achromotic colour scheme. The tones have low value and therefore appear lighter. From a personal perspective the scheme looks boring and dull and does anthesis of luxury fashion.



















In this sample I changed the tint, but kept the saturation the same; the result was a light green base colour with a dark grey pattern.




















For the third sample I changed the colour temperature so it appeared cooler and altered the saturation. The result was a sky blue hue with a striking pink border a complementary colour scheme. This is my personal favourite out of the four samples as it looks fresh and clean cut but also a lot brighter than the original burberry check.




















In the final sample both the tint and the saturation have been changed so that the pattern appears a lot lighter. This is known as a mono-chromatic colour scheme, as the basic hue (pink) is highlighted by different shades, tints and tones this gives a more subtle effect due to the lack of contrat. However in my opinion the pattern is very boring and 2D. Nothing about this use of colour strikes me as exciting, it is very unadventurous and a 'safe' use of colour.