In these projects, students explore the relationships of complementary colors: red and green, yellow and violet, orange and blue. They use gouache to experiment with color mixing. They see firsthand the effects of mixing two complements—how the mixtures eventually reach a neutral color that has its own identity, but is harmonious with both parent colors. They also explore complementary colors found in common things—paint chips, paper and wood samples, processed food, things found in nature.
The color grid is an abstraction. It allows the student to focus on a specific principle of color theory—in this case, complementary contrast—and explore how it can be used to achieve dynamic compositions.
