Authors use many tools, such as colors, in their writings to support their theme throughout a visual text. Using colors and color schemes in a visual text can enhance the setting, show character’s emotions, or even symbolize an underlying theme. There are multiple color schemes in art that represent different moods, that help the reader better understand the author’s point. In “Bitch Planet,” by Kelley Sue DeConnick, the author uses colors and color schemes throughout the text to show emotions felt by the main character that affect her future. 

An example of colors and color schemes, presented in the introduction, is shown is on page 182 in the first panel. In this panel the colors of pink, yellow, and orange cover the characters.  This is an example of an analogous color scheme, which is used in this panel to describe a warm mood. The colors are harmonious and warming to show that the character is experiencing a happy feeling. Warm colors such as orange, yellow, and pink are used by an artist to express a good emotion in a certain piece, which is why the author used this color scheme.  This scheme is supported by the text, which shows the character laughing and playing with her grandmother as a very happy flashback in her life. This detailed flashback is a tool used to explain to the audience that the character was heavily affected by the actions that occurred during this flashback. Using the color scheme, it’s clear that this flashback was a positive memory that influenced our character’s life in some way. 

The next time we see a significant color scheme motif expressed in this story in on page 196, in the final panel.  The colors represented in this panel are gray, purple, and black. This is a monochromatic color scheme which uses the same hue, but different tints. It is used in this panel to create a dark and gloomy feeling that foreshadows violence. The gloomy setting sets the scene for the tension building up in the character, which can also be interpreted from the color black. Dark colors such as black can be a symbol for an intense feeling. By using these dark and washed out colors, the author is progressing the violent behavior of the character throughout the story. The flashbacks begin with a warm and happy color scheme, but transfer into a dark and gloomy scheme throughout the plot in order to show how the main character has changed. The author wants to show that the character has transformed through this story, becoming more violent and aggressive, by using color schemes to describe the character’s emotions. The text supports the dark and gloomy color scheme by providing violent actions, and hostile thoughts in the panel, with the main character beating up the man making inappropriate remarks, and yelling at the snobby girls. By using the monochromatic color scheme, the author is directing the reader’s thoughts, forcing the reader to connect the color of this flashback with the main character’s emotion in present time. The same colors and color scheme, is found in the jail which the main character is located during the story. Showing the same monochromatic color scheme in the two scenes, tells us that our character had the same or similar emotions during the time that the colors are presented.  

Finally, we see another motif of color scheme that is used throughout the visual text. A complementary color scheme is found in all of the panels with Penelope in the prison (177, 183, 199). Colors which are used directly across the color wheel (violet and yellow) are found in these panels, and make up a complementary color scheme. This color scheme is usually used for dramatic, strong, or bold statements. The author supports this color scheme in the text by giving off the bold and dramatic message in the end, which shows that Penelope wouldn’t change a thing about herself. Throughout the text, the author uses different flashback’s and color schemes to show the audience, the history of Penelope’s journey to get to where she is now. There is conflict with Penelope’s past and the way she is compared to others, because she is true to herself, unlike most of society who wants to be different. By setting up the idea that Penelope really wants to be something or someone else, the author has a dramatic message at the end to show she is perfect with the way she is. The complementary color scheme backs this bold message, with the violet, yellow, orange, and gray colors. 

The significance of the author using color schemes in this literary piece is to create emotions and to foreshadow actions with the character. One could argue that by using colors, the author wants to create a happy, sad, or anxious feeling for the audience, before the reader even gets into the text. This motif of color makes the reader ponder the subject of the text by creating a meaning with the colors. Colors are a symbol, that have meaning. Knowing that colors represent meaning, would cause the reader to wonder why the author uses certain colors in a visual text, for certain panels. From contrasting text against the imagine in a panel, and interpreting the reason for colors used, these reasons cause the audience to engage the text to figure out why the author used the schemes that they did. Interpreting and analyzing the colors scheme that the author uses, one may argue that it foreshadows an event or action based on the mood set off from the colors. For example, a dark and cold color scheme may foreshadow the death of a character.

 Through this visual text, DeConnick, does a great job with the usage of colors and various colors schemes. With these tools, she creates a new perspective for the audience which enables a better understanding and a more intense reading. She also reveals the feelings and emotions of the main character, Penelope, without saying it verbatim, along with forcing us to view a panel the way she wants to. Kelley uses analogous, monochromatic, and complementary color schemes to show the emotions and feelings of Penelope, and how it is tied with her future. The colors and schemes, play a big part in this visual text by emphasizing the timeline of our character’s life, and how it plays a part of who she is in the end of the story. 