Color Theory Brooch

This color changing wearable will always be in harmony with the outfit it is pinned to. This brooch reads the color of a garment and turns either the complementary color or displays the missing two colors in the triadic color scheme. This project uses the Adafruit color sensor, Neopixels and an Arduino Mini 05.

Don’t remember color theory from art school?

Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel, when paired they make a vibrant combination.

Triadic colors are 3 that are evenly spaced from each other on the wheel. When all are used together, it is recommended to let one be dominant and the other two be used as accents. The dominant is automatically the main color you are wearing, while the two lit panels act as your accent. The brooch has it covered! Because this project uses light, thus additive, the color wheel to be referenced is the RGB color wheel.

 

Mentioned on KQED’s Science Friday.