Cool Colour Palettes

Browse our collection of artworks with cool colour palettes.

Intro to Cool Colours & Colour Theory

Skip ahead to the art please!

Blues, greens, and purples tend to be categorized as cool colours, but unfortunately it’s not QUITE that simple.

Since each colour hue, aside from the pure primary colours, is developed by mixing of the primary colours (red, blue, and yellow), each colour has an element of warmth and an element of coolness. Certain yellows can be considered cooler than other yellows, as shown by the image below.

warm vs. cool yellows schematic

What determines whether the yellow above is cool or not is the “undertone” or “bias” of the yellow. This bias is defined by the primary or secondary colour which the colour in question leans towards.

For example, when thinking about yellows, the primary and secondary colours which surround it on the colour wheel are green/blue (on the cooler side) and orange/red (on the warmer side). In the image above, the yellow which has a stronger bias towards red is a warm yellow, while the yellow which has a bias towards green is a cool yellow.

This can be tricky to identify in isolation, but it is also somewhat intuitive. Without all that theory, you might have naturally arrived at the conclusion that the yellow on the right was cooler than the yellow on the left.

Colour temperatures are relative, and it therefore helps to put colours beside each other, or to use a colour wheel, to determine their relative coolness.

Link to a great article on colour theory if you really want to nerd out.

colour wheel with warm and cool tones

Design Considerations

  • Cool colours have a receding quality and are generally less demanding / more passive on the eye.
  • Cool coloured walls can be used in smaller rooms to make them feel more spacious.
  • Cool coloured decor, objects, and artworks might contribute to a cleaner, less cluttered feel.
  • Typical sentiments related to cool colour palettes:
    Refreshing, Clean, Delicate, Earthly, Playful, Peaceful, Innocent, Loyal, and Comforting.
  • Neutrals such as browns and beiges tend to look excellent when paired with cool palettes. They provide contrast and coziness without taking away from the clean feeling.
  • The 80-20 rule, while just a rule of thumb (which can and should be broken if you want), is a good fall-back when using cool tones in your palette. 100% cool tones might result in a sterile or (dare we say) COLD feeling.
painting mockup
painting mockup

Paintings with Cool Colour Palettes

All of the artworks shown below have a (predominantly) cool colour palette. They might may have other tones present, but the cool colours are dominant or the painting imparts a cold feeling.

Select any artwork to learn more, or to reserve / purchase the piece.

If you are a collector local to the artist, shipping is complementary and the artist is usually able to deliver the painting in person and tell you about their inspiration. Our mission is to build local connections!

Showing 1–45 of 207 results

Need Help Selecting Art?

We know buying art can be daunting. Take advantage of our complementary art consultations, digital mock-ups to view artworks in your space, and flexible return policy after receiving the art. Learn more about our art services.
Reserve an artwork you love (with no payment obligations), or fill out the contact form below to get the ball rolling.

Narrow Down the Selection

On our shop page, you can filter artworks by size, subject, price, location, palette, and more.

ArtMatch Logo - Canadian Online Art Gallery

ArtMatch is a curated online art gallery & consultation service connecting outstanding local artists and buyers seeking quality, original artwork from their community.

Operating since 2015, we have filled hundreds of empty walls in spaces with beautiful pieces of art, both residential and commercial. We offer flexible art consultation services and a diverse collection, working with emerging and experienced artists across a range of genres.

Testimonial

“This is my second time purchasing art work at ArtMatch and like the first time, it was conducted in a very professional manner, very fast delivery and most importantly, the pieces look exactly like how they are presented and described online. It is nice to support very talented local artists.”

– Shalina O.

Stay tuned on new releases, local events, design ideas, and more!