So we’ve talked about black and yellow, and the power of purer grays, lets move on to the more obvious way to create color contrast in an image: complimentary colors.
How to Create Powerful Color Contrast in Your Photos
8 min read
Oct 2, 2020
We’ve all seen it. That picture of the yellow raincoat on the black beaches of Iceland. Hell, even Stephen King did it with that iconic scene in ‘It’. There’s something innately powerful about a yellow raincoat in an otherwise black scene, and it’s not just because it reminds us of insane killer clowns.
In this article, I attempt to demystify some of the power in black and yellow and how you can apply that effect elsewhere in your color schemes, along with some other tips on how to get powerful color contrast in your photos (or footage). Get comfortable, this is a long one.
What is color contrast?
To understand color contrast we first have to understand that color can be broken down into three values: Hue, Saturation, and Luminance. Hue being the typical thing we think of as color (Red, Blue, Green, Purple, etc.), Saturation is how rich that color is (how far away it is from grey), and Luminance is a type of brightness.
When we talk about color contrast, we’re essentially talking about the difference between two or more colors with regards to these three elements. There’s three main ways you can create color contrast in an image:
- Using complimentary hues (hues that are opposites or near-opposites on the color wheel)
- Luminance disparity (combining bright and dark colors)
- Saturation disparity (combining highly saturated colors with greys, neutrals, or desaturated colors)
But before we get into how to create color contrast, I want to dig a little deeper into what exactly Luminance is and how it differs from other measures of brightness (this is important, trust me).
What is the difference between luminance and brightness?
‘Lightness’ or ‘Brightness’ is the measure of how bright a color is objectively. In short, how much light it reflects (or outputs in the case of digital screens). ‘Luminance’ however, is the measure of how bright a color appears to the human eye.
The reason different colors have different luminance values has a lot to do with the way we see color. Our eyes pick up color through three types of cone at the back of our retina, one is for red light, one is for green light, and the other is for blue light – the same way that every pixel on the screen in front of you is made up of red, green, and blue (RGB). Our eyes are most sensitive to yellow light because it’s the part of the color spectrum that has the most overlap between two cones (red and green). Therefore, we perceive it as being brighter.
What does the color purple mean?
Purple has a few different meanings. Around the world, countries use purple to symbolize honor, courage, royalty, and faith. It’s also used as a sign of mourning in a few cultures.
In the world of branding, purple suggests wealth, luxury, and extravagance. At the same time, it conveys fantasy, magic, and spiritualism. So if you’re a psychic or creating a more spiritual brand, then purple might be the perfect color for your brand logo.
When it comes to color psychology , purple can heighten your audience’s sense of beauty and creativity. Purple calms and stimulates the mind, putting your audience in the right frame of mind for introspection and insight. Purple also creates a harmonious balance of awareness, peace, and relaxation.
Why should you choose a purple aesthetic ?
Now that you know exactly what purple means, why should you curate a purple aesthetic ? Color psychology isn’t new—and there’s no denying that the connection between color and emotion is strong. Whether you’re a small business owner, Instagram influencer, or just switching up your social media feeds, here’s why you should choose purple.
Purple exudes luxury
Purple dyes date back to 1900 BC when it required nearly 10,000 shellfish to extract the dye for a Roman toga. With limited resources, the color was strongly associated with the wealthy and powerful. Although it’s available to the masses today, purple still carries a deep link with royalty and nobility.
Purple boosts creativity
Purple lies at the far end of the visual spectrum. It’s the last color on the rainbow, and many people believe it also exists at the edge of the imagination. Basically, purple represents thinking outside of the box—even if that means diving into a fantasy world.
Purple symbolizes spirituality
Given the scarcity of purple in the natural world, it also represents spirituality. Purple often appears in religion, symbolizing peace, wisdom, redemption, and purification across different belief systems.
3 ways to add a purple effe ct on photos
Congratulations! You’ve decided on a purple color scheme for your next creative project. Now that you have some ideas flowing, it’s time to add gorgeous purple effects on photos to amplify your designs to your audience. Here’s how to get started.
Send the right message with purple typography
Whether you’re designing a social media post or upgrading your freelancer portfolio, color matters. You already know that color is a language in itself. So, it only makes sense that the color scheme you choose for your creative designs can trigger some strong emotional responses.
Color psychology can change your audience’s perception of your business, make them stop scrolling, or even lure them to click the Buy button. For the best results, create color contrast by positioning light against dark. For example, if you’re going with a dark purple background, add some soft purple text to create visual harmony.
Flex your creative muscles with purple drawings
If you want to add some subtle touches of purple to your designs, the Color Splash effect will be your best friend. Color splashes are a simple way to make your designs even more artistic and eye-catching. And if you’re editing black-and-white photography, color splash can instantly infuse your favorite shots with a pop of color.
The best part? Adding purple splashes to your pictures only takes a few taps. Once you’ve started your project on the Picsart app, just choose Effect and select Color Splash f rom the pop-up menu. Then, choose the Color Replace option and drag the transparent wheel over the color you want to replace with purple. Adjust the color sliders to match your creative vision, and you’re good to go!
Tap into the soft purple aesthetic with a dreamy palette
From playful soft purple hues to spiritual deep purples, you can use purple to create a beautiful monochromatic palette . The only rule to building a monochromatic color palette is to only stick to one hue, but use different intensities to spice up your design.
If you want to create your own soft purple palette, try using the Color Palette Generator to create a unique color scheme. If you’re using a picture for inspiration, just upload the picture to generate your own purple palette! Or, you can choose Create a Color Palette to create a luxurious palette using HEX codes.
You don’t just have to stick to purple, either. You can switch it up with some different colors, like pinks, blues, and reds. For bonus points, try incorporating some trending colors , like periwinkle, to step up your design. The creative possibilities are limitless!
Pro tip: If you’re already using the color yellow in your branding materials, purple is the perfect compliment to bright yellow hues. Since they’re opposite each other on the color wheel, combining purple and yellow is a surefire way to capture your audience’s attention.
Place Stickers & Colored Shapes for Decoration
Using stickers on your pictures are great to make your images fun and playful. You can use them as accessories and designs, or as a way to entirely fill up your picture. BeautyPlus has purple themed and colored stickers that are bound to match well with any photos.
For this look, I simply applied a purple “Aura” sticker and enlarged it to cover the entire image. I changed the layer style to “Hard Difference” and lowered the opacity for a misty purple look. Then I incorporated these holographic, “Purple-Themed” stickers, making for a fantastical vibe!
Colored shapes and overlay styles are another creative way to get a purple aesthetic. BeautyPlus has several layer styles that allow for different kinds of blending, which can produce amazing and interesting results!
First, I added a regular square shape in a classic purple color to place over the whole picture. I lowered the opacity and changed the layer to “Overlay” so it is more translucent. I repeated this process but with a pink square on top so that the shade is a pinkish-purple. With this, the new photo feels a lot more magical!
Apply 3D Highlighting to Change Atmosphere
3D highlighting is a new addition to BeautyPlus’ features! Through it, you can change the lighting and brightness in three types of environments – Face, Background, and Atmosphere. Any color can be chosen based on the provided spectrum of colors, along with the angle at which the superficial light is added. This editing tool is the best to use if you want a more realistic display of purple color all over your picture.
In this example, I used a natural, outdoor picture that has a clear sense of light. I chose the tab “Atmosphere,” and went with this subtle light purple hue. Additionally, I lowered the brightness so that it doesn’t appear too intense and overly saturated. Thanks to the 3D highlighting, the after picture perfectly fits into the trendy purple aesthetic!
Use AR Effects to Create a Purple Vibe
Nothing can top the gorgeous colored gradients and easy application that AR Effects have to offer! With just a click of a button, your photo will be immediately transformed and painted with a lovely hue of colors. What’s even better is that BeautyPlus includes a “Retouch” and “Makeup” adjustment bar, which is perfect for when you use AR Effects on a portrait!
You can find these purplish effects under the tab “Bling.” The first effect creates a periwinkle purple gradient into a pink-purple shade. This results in a deep sunset sort of look, while the second image showcases a light gray to peachy pink transition, which is much more fitting for a lighthearted ambience. Both are great for getting a purple aesthetic image!
With the purple aesthetic on the rise, BeautyPlus is here to help you keep up with the trends! Thanks to the various kinds of filters, stickers, AR effects, shapes, and 3D lighting features that the app provides, any picture you have can easily and quickly be turned into a purple fantasy!
May these tips be helpful in stepping up your photo game and have fun editing!
