The split complementary scheme is very similar to the complementary, but it has a slight twist. You pick a color for emphasis and instead of picking the opposite color, you pick one color that is just to one side or the other of the start color. In other words, it uses a color and the two colors adjacent to its complementary. As such, this provides a high contrast color scheme without the strong tension of the complementary scheme.

This web site happens to have a split complementary color scheme. Find below, a screen shot from the Kuler web site to see an example of a split complementary color scheme. Please note that for it to be a proper split complementary, you would pick only one of the side colors not both. The image demonstrates the choices you would have.

The six color schemes are: Monochromatic, Analogous, Complementary, Split Complementary, Triadic and Tetradic. Make sure you review all of them to get a complete understanding of color schemes.

Next >