I can go into longer instruction, but pretty much, the complimentary colors are used to draw your eyes to that area. Blue compliments red for example, and depending on the saturation type to a more degree.

Warmer colors give the feeling for the painting. Earth tones, greys, blus, fall colors, things like that will strike the peice as being something more loving, or just happy(or morese depending what shades you use). Do not over do greys unless you want -

Cold peice: Usually used to dipict sad artwork if these are the only shades used. Blues of deeper shades, dark reds, purples, anything thats mixed with black.

Never use black.

Primary Colors
Red, Yellow and Blue
Lightwaves travel at different frequencies: Red is longest, Yellow is middle range, Blue is close to the short end (Violet)


Secondary Colors
Orange, Green and Violet
Combining Primary Colors in pairs results in Secondary Colors. (Yellow + Red = Orange, Yellow + Blue = Green, Red + Blue = Violet)


Tertiary Colors
Filling in the Gaps
The colors that fall between the Primary and Secondary Color mixtures are Yellow-orange, Red-orange, Yellow-green, Blue-green, Red-violet and Blue-violet

Complementary Colors
Yin and Yang
Colors that are 180° opposite each each other on the Color Wheel. Complementary colors afford the highest possible color contrast and stability. Colors next to their complimentary counterparts set off a visual excitement in their contrast that jars us



NOTE: Using lighter shades of complimentary colors can create a PURE COLOR EFFECT. For example, take a pale grey-tinted green, put red on top-it looks liminous. Good use for putting attention on certain parts of the art, ie: eyes, jewelry, markings, or using this to make 'glowing' objects.

Color and emotional temperature

Primary Colors - Red, Yellow, Blue
Red is the color of blood and living things, it is warm. Yellow is the color of the sun and warm gold flowers. Blue is the color of coolness and water and distant skies.

Secondary Colors - Orange, Green, Violet
Orange is the color of citrus on warm trees and the last warm rays touching the edges of a distant canyon. Green can be vital and growing or distant and alien. Violet can be rich with a neutral demanding presence or find itself in flashes of organic mischief.

Tertiary Colors - Yellow-orange, Red-orange, Red-violet, Blue-violet, Blue-green, Yellow-green
Yellow-orange is a flash of flesh and life. Red-Orange is a shouting invitation to celebrate it's presence. Red-violet is the shadows of sandstone canyons at dusk not yet cool. Blue-violet is a mystery with deepening shadows holding the night's chill. Blue-green is a cooling insistence that promises comfort in another place.

http://stuff.veekun.com/pkcolor/ This is a pretty neat thing, I think. Sorry of the writing is hard to read, though, I don't know why they didn't use text instead. :|

http://www.ctrlpaint.com/basic-color-schemes/ Also this.

http://www.ctrlpaint.com/vibrant-colors/ And this too

Just pulling some stuff out of thin air to give you some rough ideas. I'm not that good with color theory either, really, but these helped me a while ago.

If you have any questions, I could try to help?