I was wondering if someone would be kind enough to explain how you achieve precise color schemes for your cakes? Or if you could recommend a great color theory book for me to have as a reference that would be great, as well. My problem is that I do not know which colors look good together or how to get them all in the same color value. I hope I am using the correct terminology. I am referring to the rows on a color wheel. For example, how do you achieve getting multiple shades of your different colors in fondant or buttercream in a specific range like neon, a pastel shade, or bold colors? In any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Danyelle

You can buy a color wheel at most art supply stores. As for mixing colors you have to learn the basic ones, I have an art background so it comes easily to me, once u learn it you dont forget! Good luck!

Thank Monkess,
I have a color wheel, but I am not sure if am using it correctly. Is it okay to pick light shade of blue then any complement color in the orange range or do I have to stay in the same row that the light shade of blue is in?

Thanks for your time,
Danyelle

I feel like color really is a learned thing. Call me crazy, and I would've done it myself, too, but I know!

As a graphic design major, I had to take a Color class-- yep, a class about color. Every Saturday morning for 14 weeks, 6 hours a Sat, I would sit in a classroom and paint swatches, learn about color value, tint, tone, hue, complimentary colors, analagous colors, and so on.

It was a pain in the butt at the time, But I'm loving that I learned it now!

As for deciding color pairings, I find that a lot of my inspiration comes from things I see--fabrics, patterns, scrapbook papers, etc. When I see colors together I like, I save them. However I will say that it helps to understand color when blending/mixing with the gels.

That being said, I don't feel that theres a way to use a color wheel right or wrong; the wheel is simply a diagram mapping out where colors fall amongst themselves and an aid in locating what is primary, secondary, tertiary, complimentary, etc.

If you were to pick a light shade of blue, you don't nessecarily need to stay in the blues; doing so would make for a monochromatic (different shades of all the same color) scheme. There's no rule that says you can't pair blue and orange; in fact I believe blue and orange are on the same split-complimentary diagram.

As far as neon, pastel, etc. goes, these are shades and It depends on mixing your colors right. Value, on the other hand, refers to the lightness or darkness of the same color.

I feel like this is really long so... If I've confused you, feel free to call me out!

But unless you are doing a cake for a customer who requests an exact shade, shouldn't it just be whatever colors are appealing to you? You are the "artist" after all.