When two or more colours are combined in an unappealing or jarring way, this is referred to as a “colour clash”. A colour clash happens when colours compete with each other rather than complement one another. This can make a design visually unappealing and difficult to look at.
What causes colour clashes?
There are a few key factors that can lead to colours clashing:
- Using colours from opposite sides of the colour wheel – For example, combining warm red tones with cool green tones.
- Combining pure, saturated colours with dull, muted colours – Vibrant colours paired with greyish or brownish tones.
- Using colours with very different intensities – A very pale pastel shade alongside a bold, rich colour.
- Combining colours with competing undertones – Like a yellow with a red undertone and a yellow with a green undertone.
When colours are close together on the colour wheel, they tend to look harmonious and pleasing together. But when very different or opposite colours are combined, they can appear jarring and clash visually.
Examples of colour clashes
Here are some common examples of colour clashes:
- Bright orange and neon green – Both are bold, saturated colours from opposite sides of the colour wheel.
- Pale pink and burgundy red – The soft muted pink conflicts with the deep, intense red.
- Royal blue and mustard yellow – These lack a transition colour between them on the colour wheel.
- Red and brown – Red has a warm undertone while brown has a cool undertone, creating dissonance.
In graphic design, photograph, fashion or interior decorating, these types of colour combinations often look harsh and unappealing.
How to avoid colour clashes
There are a few strategies designers and artists use to choose colour combinations that work together:
- Select colours close together on the colour wheel – These tend to share undertones and create colour harmony.
- Use the 60-30-10 rule – Pick a dominant colour for 60% of the scheme, a secondary colour for 30%, and an accent colour for 10%.
- Go for contrasting colours with a transition colour between them on the wheel.
- Stick to a limited palate of 3-5 colours that are related.
- Aim for a mix of colour intensities – Don’t combine only pale or only bold colours.
Carefully considering the hue, saturation, brightness and undertones of colours can prevent clashing combinations.
Tools for checking for colour clashes
There are a few helpful tools designers use to test for colour clashes:
- Colour wheel – Shows colour relationships and helps identify harmonious colour schemes.
- Adobe Color – An online tool that generates colour palettes and shows how colours interact.
- Coolors – An app that lets you try out colour combinations and get feedback on what works.
- Canva – Design platform with a built-in colour matcher tool.
These tools can help preview colour schemes before using them and make adjusting colours quick and easy.
Colour theory concepts
Understanding key colour theory concepts is important for avoiding clashes:
- Colour wheel: Circular diagram showing colour relationships. Helps pick colour harmonies.
- Primary colours: Red, blue and yellow – can’t be mixed from other colours.
- Secondary colours: Green, orange, purple – made by mixing two primaries.
- Tertiary colours: Mix of primary and secondary beside each other on the wheel.
- Complementary colours: Opposite each other on the wheel, create high contrast.
- Analogous colours: Next to each other on the wheel, create harmony.
Learning how these colour relationships work through colour theory helps prevent unintentional colour clashes.
Psychology of colour clashes
Colour clashes don’t just look unappealing – they can evoke psychological and physiological reactions.
Some effects of colour clashes include:
- Visual discomfort, eye strain, headaches
- Feelings of chaos, confusion
- Difficulty concentrating and focusing
- Sense of imbalance, lack of order
This is because certain colour combinations literally vibrate against each other. The eye has trouble blending them smoothly.
Colour harmony, on the other hand, feels peaceful, orderly and aesthetically pleasing.
So while colour preference is somewhat subjective, colour clashes have real impacts on perception and psychology for most people.
| Colour Wheel Position | Colour Harmony | Example Colour Scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Complementary | Across from each other | Red & Green |
| Split Complementary | A colour plus the two on either side of its complement | Red, Yellow-Green & Blue-Green |
| Analogous | Next to each other | Red, Red-Orange & Orange |
| Triadic | Evenly spaced around the wheel | Red, Yellow & Blue |
This table summarizes some common colour harmony schemes using the colour wheel.
Cultural differences in colour perception
Colour clashes can sometimes be culturally dependent. Certain colour combinations that clash to some may seem beautiful and symbolic to others.
For example:
- In Western cultures, white is associated with weddings. But in India, white is the colour of mourning.
- Red and yellow are considered energetic and auspicious in Chinese culture. But can look childish and unsophisticated in other contexts.
- Bright purple and turquoise complement each other in Latin American textiles. But may seem fluorescent and garish elsewhere.
While some colour combinations tend to universally strain the eyes, cultural traditions can redeem other “clashing” colour schemes.
Colour clashes in fashion
In fashion, colour clashes used intentionally can create striking visual effects. Often designers use colours in contrasting ways to make a statement.
Examples include:
- Pairing bright orange and hot pink for a bold, fun, youthful look.
- Combining black and brown for an earthy urban edge.
- Mixing olive green and maroon for an unexpected fall/winter palette.
High fashion runways also rely on colour theory to create harmonious, dazzling displays. But edgier street style and avant-garde editorials play with “ugly chic” colour clashes.
Colour clashes in interior design
In interior decor, colour clashes usually feel inappropriate and can make a space feel chaotic. It’s best to stick with complementary palettes in most rooms.
Ways to create harmonious colour schemes include:
- Picking two colours from opposite sides of the wheel for an accent wall and furnishings.
- Choosing a warm neutral, like tan, for walls and pairing with blue-green accessories.
- Alternating solid-coloured throw pillows in analogous shades of blue around the room.
In some cases, slightly clashing colours can liven up a space. But moderation is key for interiors.
Conclusion
Colour clashes happen when the hues, tones and intensities of colours fight with each other rather than unify a palette. Factors like undertones, saturation and value, along with cultural colour symbolism, determine if a colour combination works or feels jarring.
While colour preference is personal, following basic colour theory principles helps avoid strains on the eyes. Tools like colour wheels and digital apps make it easy to preview and adjust colour schemes for harmony. Some colour clashes can be used creatively and intentionally in fashion and graphic design.
Overall, understanding how to combine colours that complement without clashing takes practice and a knowledge of the psychology between colours. But a little colour theory goes a long way in creating aesthetically pleasing designs and spaces.