This is a an extensive beginner guide to colors with a focus on anime and manga. If you don't know much (or possibly nothing at all) nigh the colour wheel or different color combinations and then this is a must read. These are the aforementioned principals used by professional artists, designers and animators.

Anime girl different color combinations examples
Color combinations

The colors of anime and manga characters or even unabridged scenes are not chosen at random. Certain colors go improve together so others.

Color Bike

Color wheel
Colour wheel

A colour bike shows colors based on their relation to ane some other.

Please note that while the color wheel used in this tutorial is probably the most common instance, colour wheels can accept far more divisions then this or even a shine gradient transition from one color to another.

Primary Colors

Primary colors color wheel
Chief colors

There are iii primary colors, reddish, bluish and yellow. The principal defining characteristic of principal colors is that they cannot be created past mixing other colors.

Secondary Colors

Secondary colors color wheel
Secondary colors

Secondary colors are created by mixing two of the primary colors. For instance yous can mix red and xanthous to get orange or blue and yellow to go green.

Tertiary Colors

Tertiary colors color wheel
3rd colors

Third colors are a combination of a primary color and a secondary color. And so if for example you mix xanthous and dark-green you lot will go a yellow-dark-green color.

Applying Colors to Anime Characters

In the beneath examples yous tin can see how colors and color combinations tin exist practical to an anime style character in different ways.

Please note that for these examples the colors will only be changed on the hair, eyes and clothes. The shaded half of the color circles correspond the colour used on the shaded areas of the character.

Color Intensity

Anime girl drawing color intensity example
Color intensity case

The color intensity is the effulgence of a colour. Information technology is effected past tints, shades and tones.

  • Tint – adding white to a colour
  • Shade – calculation black to a color
  • Tone – adding grey to a color (a mix of black and white)

In the above instance yous can see the difference betwixt colors with and without tone.

Having the right color intensity can be very important when coloring a character.

More intense colors may be more than appropriate for a more than cheerful graphic symbol while less intense colors may be more than appropriate for a more serious one.

Generally you exercise not want to use colors with no tone at all color an entire character. But you may desire to apply more intense colors if for instance you desire parts of their outfit to look like they are glowing.

Achromatic

Anime girl achromatic drawing
Achromatic colors cartoon

Pure achromatic "colors" are black, white and greyness but achromatic tin too include browns, tans (light brows), besides as very dark or very pale colors.

Achromatic outfits are fairly common in anime characters (black adjust with white shirt for example).

Monochromatic

Anime girl monochromatic drawing
Monochromatic drawing

Monochromatic simply means one color. In this case the colour is a mix of crimson and blue forth with some white and black (tone) to make different color intensity variations of pink.

A monochromatic character may be good if you lot want to create a grapheme that stands out. For example if you saw someone walking down the street dressed in pretty much all vivid red or yellow that person would probably take hold of your attention more then others.

Free Colors

Anime girl complimentary colors drawing
Gratis colors cartoon

Complimentary colors are located across from one another on the color wheel.

One time over again this is a good color combination to utilize for a character that you desire to stand out.

Split Complimentary Colors

Anime girl split complimentary colors drawing
Dissever costless colors drawing

Split gratuitous colors are a milder version (less contrast) of complimentary colors. These basically create a "Y" shape on the color wheel.

Dissever complementary color schemes are very common for anime characters.

Analogous Colors

Anime girl analog colors drawing
Analog colors drawing

Analogous colors are some other common color combination for anime characters. These are colors that are next to each other on the color bicycle.

Analogous colors create a adequately mild, low contrast look.

Triadic Colors

Anime girl triadic colors drawing
Triadic colors cartoon

Triadic colors are a combination of three or more colors. These colors will grade a sort of triangle on the color bike. You can selection any 3 colors you lot desire as long as yous keep the same distance between them (in this example three divisions apart).

Square Colors

Anime girl square colors drawing
Square colors drawing

Foursquare colors are a combination of iv colors. These colors will basically grade a square on the color bicycle.

Tetradic Colors Combination

Anime girl tetradic colors drawing 2
Tetradic colors cartoon 2

Just like a square a tetradic is a combination of four colors. These colors will form a rectangle shape on the color wheel.

Warm Colors

Anime girl warm colors drawing
Warm colors drawing

Warm colors are ones similar yellow, blood-red and orangish. Basically colors that y'all would associated with warm things like the sun or burn.

This type of a color scheme may peculiarly be useful for fantasy or sci-fi characters (a character with fire magic for example).

Cool Colors

Anime girl cool colors drawing
Absurd colors drawing

Absurd colors are blue, purple and some greens. They are colors that you would commonly associate with cold things similar ice and snow.

Aforementioned as the warm color combination a cool color combination tin also exist keen for sci-fi and fantasy characters (water ice magic using grapheme for example).

Conclusion

There is a lot to know when it comes to colors simply hopefully this tutorial helped you gain a better understanding of different types of color combinations. You lot can try and use these when coloring your drawings and you can also try and spot some of them in your favorite anime characters.

For more than on colour see:

How to Colour an Anime Character Step by Pace

For beginner drawing tips run across:

Beginner Guide to Drawing Anime & Manga