Which color combinations below are NOT complementary colors?

Complementary colors are pairs of colors that, when combined, cancel each other out, resulting in a grayscale color (i.e., black or white). They are positioned opposite each other on the color wheel.

The combination of violet and blue does not form a complementary color pair. Instead, violet and blue are adjacent to each other on the color wheel, which means they are analogous colors. This means they are close in hue and will blend well together but will not achieve the striking contrast that complementary colors provide.

In contrast, the other color combinations—red and green, violet and yellow, blue and orange—reflect the true definition of complementary pairs. Red sits opposite green, violet is opposite yellow, and blue is opposite orange on the traditional color wheel. Each of these pairs creates vibrant contrasts that are typically used in various design and artistic applications. Understanding these relationships is essential for mastering concepts related to color theory, such as harmony, contrast, and the emotional impact of colors in various contexts.