In the Color Wheel illustration above, the complement of the color is used as text in that section. This is to illustrate the opposite character of the color. Color Complements are on opposite sides of the Color Wheel. The ratios and illustrations on the right of the chalkboard are ideal amounts of color compliments according to Johannes Itten. These ratios were probably devised to counter the intensity of colors like yellow and orange.
All colors travel in waves within light.
Color Complements have drastically different wavelengths and, consequently, cause some perception problems for a viewer if they are placed close to each other in a work of art. The cones and rods of the eye cannot handle so much information, so we sometimes detect a quivering or optical distortion when two complements are used near each other.