A color palette is the backbone of a project.
Now let's review different color palettes and see how to create and apply them.
I don't like to make value judgments about design solutions,
as I usually don't know the circumstances,
client interaction,
or the process involved.
But to be honest,
an off-the-shelf mediocre color palette just doesn't work for me.
A color palette is a critical element that makes the work unique and dynamic and speaks with your tone.
I know some ingenious applications can create a color palette or sample color and spit out several swatches that are guaranteed to be harmonious.
But
do you really want a software program to decide what colors are good?
There are built-in color palettes in many programs that are good starting point or as a rough, broad-stroke draft.
But in the end,
everyone else has the exact same palette.
I hear many designers choosing the colors for a palette say,
I might make a mistake.
Somehow, along the way, they were taught that color rules exist for a reason and that any errors will be met with severe punishment from the color police.
The rules are probably well-intentioned,
but I found them to be hogwash.
Here are some I was taught.
Never combine extremely bright colors with other bright colors,
or especially two fluorescents.
Wrong.
Here
I wanted a cover that could be seen from space.
The pink cover is printed with a double-hit of fluorescent pink and an overprint of two layers of yellow.
In a world of tasteful and polite paper promotions,
I wanted to see how intense I could make the colors
to convey the quality of the paper.
And on the oxygen network,
while other networks were staid and conventional,
I
used colors that ran to the limit of broadcast guidelines.
In the same vein,
never combine dark colors with other dark colors.
Contrast is always needed.
Well, yes, I love contrast, but never?
Wrong again.
And why not?
This can create drama and intensity.
This book cover is a solid matte black with a gloss varnish for the title.
I
wanted to communicate something
lost here.
And the drama of a dark theater before the curtain goes up.
This
works due to its commitment to black on black and no white at all.
And one of my favorites,
this photograph by Edward Muybridge,
is a symphony of dark browns and deep gray tones.
Why not?
Sometimes being bad is good.
I wanted colors to vibrate and glow in the dark for this restaurant identity project.
This poster for the Yardbirds was at my dad's house through my childhood.
I
inherited it when I went to college.
Granted, the concept comes from a psychedelic point of view,
but you certainly can't forget it.
Don't use earth tones and vibrant colors together.
Paul
Gauguin mixed bright green and orange with brown and dark green here,
creating an unexpected contrast.
It's
unique and unexpected,
like this magnificent amazing palette for the film Airport 1975.
Fuchsia, pink,
khaki green, and brown?
Let's go.
Steer clear of too many colors in a palette.
Again,
no.
Restraint and discipline are good traits, but can
there be too many colors in the world?
As the flamboyant entertainer Liberace said,
sometimes too much of a good thing can be wonderful.
The typographic master, Herb Luballen, is a designer of too many typefaces to name.
Here he applies the same exuberant approach to color on these individual brochures for each typeface sample.
And what a tragedy it would be for Redon to not use too many colors on this painting.
Be brave.
Know the rules.
Then break them when needed, or simply because.
Color palettes that fail are dull or default and mundane.
They are great starting points,
but then it's time to
make one's own.
Anything else, use with confidence and boldly is just fine.
Okay, now that we've tackled some of the myths of the palette world,
let's go through my process to create a palette.
First,
I determine the piece's communication,
tone, and context.
What am I communicating?
How should it feel?
Where does it live?
This project for the Library Foundation should communicate literature and writing,
feel entertaining,
and will be seen at metro stations,
often briefly, as a train passes.
One
poster from a series on photography communicates the subject and dates.
It feels erudite and curated,
and stands out with one solid color and image on a cluttered street background.
These business cards from my online publication are about design,
feel fun and joyful,
and they're handed out and viewed closely.
The
packaging solution for a line of sparkling water reads as fresh and healthy with a dose of energy,
and will compete with other products on a grocery store shelf.
The campaign for a fictional news network program
communicates the raw and honest truth.
It's serious and appears on buildings and billboards.
The
AIGA Design Conference website was about information with no extra graphic tricks.
It was on multiple media,
including screen-based media.
There
have been many times when I was sure of a solution in my head,
but changed my mind once I tested it in the environment.
I thought a light pink for the identity of this resort was perfect, but
it disappeared in the real world,
and I needed to adjust the palette.
I
try not to be seduced by one color or one specific palette,
which could lead to every project with
the same colors.
Try
things that are unexpected or uncomfortable.
I
also prefer more complex colors.
We're attracted to bright colors,
but I wanted the viewer to engage with the solution more.
So blue might be slightly green.
Or
yellow might have a little bit of orange.
Or
red might have that little touch of orange also.
The
viewer's work to identify the color makes
it memorable and unique.
Now
let's talk about my influences.
My
photo library is filled with images that aren't chosen for the subject or composition,
but for their colors or interesting use of a color.
Of
course, I collect a huge range of graphic design examples.
I
admit I'm rather promiscuous in my choices.
They also come from the world around me, such as travel.
I'm
that odd person on holiday,
not taking photos of a family,
but the color of a bathroom at Lake Como.
Or
driftwood in Mexico.
Or
building paint colors in Venice.
Sometimes it's important to look up,
not just around you.
Photographs in a department store.
These
ceramics were amazing.
And why not shoot them?
I
also love film and television.
Now, clearly,
I'm not focused on the plot of many of these things,
but the colors are pretty darned amazing.
The
point is not to be precious about the quality of the image.
You're collecting it for the color.
If I see something in a film,
I do a screen grab on my computer,
or if it's on the television,
I just use my phone and shoot the screen.
I
also look at environments and architecture.
And every once in a while,
I'll find a great color palette,
such as these colors for a 1953 and 55 Cadillac.
Fine
art and illustration are,
of course, an incredible source for color palettes that have been thought through by some of the best artists in the world.
These
icons came from a bill at a restaurant.
And
I collect photography.
Sometimes not even for the subject,
but I'm more interested in how the colors are being used.
I have a lot of swimming pools,
as you can tell.
Now,
let's talk about the color palette.
Let's talk about how I do it.
Now,
here's my process.
It's not that complicated,
really.
I have a template,
and this is the same template that I use for all of my color palettes,
just so that it's easy and they all match.
So my first step is going to be to place an image of something I found that I think could make an interesting palette.
Now,
in this case, I'm going to choose that really cool zebra that we talked about earlier.
Now that I have the zebra in here,
I can go about and just start sampling the colors.
Now, my goal is to get a good range of light to dark and warm and cool,
so it's a broad palette.
Now, let's start off with the most obvious,
which is that pink.
And then there's a darker pink and red.
And you might have to click around a little bit until you get something that's sort of specifically what you're looking for,
which is something a little bit more distinct from the
pink that I want.
And
then, of course, there's this green that's sort of everywhere.
And
this ochre color.
And
then this beautiful blue.
And
then,
finally,
the black outline.
So
I can look at this and say,
I like this.
Now, I'm not crazy about it.
I like that green.
So I'm going to go back in and dig around a little bit.
That's a little better,
a little softer.
So now that that's all done,
I can delete the image.
My next step is then to select all the unused colors that were in the palette from a previous file or the default file and delete these.
And
now I'm going to add these
selected colors.
Now they're all in here.
Now I can name them if I'd like.
But in this instance,
I'm just going to save the file.
I'm
going to name it the Alexander palette,
since
that's the name of the zebra.
Save.
And now I have the Alexander palette.
Now, the great thing about this is if I need to use it on anything else,
I can simply start a new file.
So in this instance,
I'm going to create a new file.
And I decide I don't want these default colors.
I'm going to open the swatch library.
I go to other library.
And it will let me choose from my palettes.
As I said, I have a folder of
all my color palettes right here.
Now,
they're all in here.
Look through.
And there's Alexander.
Open it.
There we go.
That's the Alexander palette right there.
Large subnail view.
I'm ready to start working.
And that's it.
Pretty simple.