For the shading I was using the color wheel and experimented with three different colors on the same flower to see which I liked best. I was loosely thinking of an analogous complementary scheme:
- Select red violet (magenta) then count two more colors over to the right - violet and blue violet. Now choose a complement by putting your finger on magenta and following the line directly across the wheel to yellow green.
Which do you like best? I'm thinking the dahlia purple... maybe the crimson red. I think the violet blue, a cool color, is not so good.