Thanks Lindsey for being with us again today! Can't wait to read what great things you have to share with us about using colors. If you missed Lindsey's first post you can view it here Colors 101:Color Wheel
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Last time we discussed the basics of the color wheel. While I plan to get a little more in depth with that lovely wheel of color, I thoght it best to cover some basics on neutral colors since they are a staple of both design and fashion. Neutral colors are your blacks, white, greys and browns. Every shade (darker/add black) and tint (lighter/add white) you can image of these Neutral colors are what one might call your foundation colors or base colors.
Most outfits include some form of Nuetral colors... such as Khaki pants (light brown), black boots, white undershirts, or even a grey cardigan. Neutral colors are very versitile and can be paired with the colors from that infamous color wheel in a plethora of ways.
Blacks, whites, and greys go with just about anything. It is important to remember balance when using these colors. You typically want your darker, or heavier, colors on bottom. Meaning blacks, charcoals and darker shades of colors should make up the bottom half of your outfit.
An example: Black skirt with a green cardigan and light grey under shirt. (The darkest color is on the bottom and your lighter colors are on top.) This is not to say that you can't do a lighter color on the bottom and a darker top... but if you are just starting out, the heavy color on bottom is probably a good rule to start with.
Browns are a bit more tricky in that browns are made by combining various amounts of the three primary colors... or in simpler terms, complementary colors. If you use orange and blue to create a brown, you might end up with a more orangish or blue tinge to your brown. If you use red and green, you might get a more clay like color or even a greenish camofluage variation. You have probably noticed the drastic variation in browns when you shop for that perfect pair of boots or piece of clothing. You have also probably noticed that some of your browns go well with your warm color tops, while other browns in your wardrobe go best with your cool colored clothing. It is all about the colors used to create that specific shade or tint of brown. So... the next time you want to find a brown to go with a specific top, I would suggest taking the top with you to the store... because even if you know what type of brown you are looking for, a brown with more red rather than orange can be deceptively similar.
Browns are great for a more casual look. From brown slacks to khaki shorts, you can accomplish a more down to earth feel when pairing brown with your other clothing items.
Now... lets go back to black for a moment... Black, like brown, is also made by combining the three primary colors but in a very specific formula. Black, when it fades, can begin to look more red or blue at times depending on the fabric. When this happens, all is not lost, just grab a box of black fabric dye at your local craft store or walmart, and throw in your blacks witht he dye in your washer as recommended in the instructions on the box. Simple fix.
Black is your friend. Why? Because it goes with virtually any color on the color wheel spectrum, it is a "classy color" meaning it can dress up an otherwise not so dressy clothing article, it is versitile for all seasons, and it never goes out of style.
Black is also a very sliming color. Why? Because it is hard to cast shadows on black! :) So any curves you want to hide can best be done under a veil of blackness.
Black can also be a great color to use in showing off a sexy sillouette. Because black has such a high contrast when paired with other colors... a tighter fitting black outfit will make those curves pop... unless of course you stand against a black backdrop. :)
Whites are great for contrast as well. When paired with a bold color like a royal blue or vibrant purple, the white really helps the color to stand out. White is a good neutral undertone to almost any color pallete... especially those with a pastel appearance or as I would refer to them... tints. This is due to the fact that pastels are made by simply taking a color and adding white pigments to it to create a muted color. For this same reason, lighter greys tend to work well in that they are black with white added as well.
Greys are great for when you are not wanting such high contrast but still want to break up your colors a bit with a filler. Greys are great to use as undershirts, camisoles, jackets, or even your accessories. They are not for creating bold accents, but rather a muted statement.
The same rules above can apply to color coordinating fabrics, yarns, paints, or any other medium, for your crafting projects. Simply mix and match your neutrals and colors until you get a combination that appeals to your taste. There really is not right or wrong when it comes to your creativity, but combinations will be more widely accepted than others if you follow these basic rules of the color world.
So next time you go shopping and they have a sale on the perfect fitting cardigan, camisole and/or pants... I suggest getting those fashion staples in various Neutral colors rather than bold colors so that you have more combination opportunities. :) Remember, you can always add color through accessories.
Color 101 will be diving into the more intricate parts of the color wheel next time.
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