Designing with Color Palettes
In the rapidly evolving design world, there are some key parts of every design toolkit that have not changed. While popular designs may come and go, only a few things really truly stick when it comes to a field that is this dynamic. One of these is the importance of a color palette. No matter what corner of the design world, whether it is interior design or graphic design, a good color palette is widely appreciated, not just by professionals, but everyone else alike.
One of the causes for this is the impact a color palette can have on the viewer of the design. It is not a huge secret that a viewer should feel drawn to the design, and the best way to do that is to ensure that the color palette is both simple and unique. These include palettes that are only monochromatic or ones that include similar colors overall, but also one that is complementary to it. Examples can be designs that are created only by 2 or 3 shades of red, or a design that is mostly warm tones like reds, oranges, and yellows, complimented by a sudden but satisfying dash of a cool-toned green or blue.
Another major cause for this is how the color palette can highlight and enhance an already existing design. For this, we can consider designs that, at first glance, are quite common. Although they won’t be very attractive to most people from the start, they can instantly be transformed. It only takes stripping the design completely of color, turning it black and white, or using slightly desaturated hues to turn the design on its head. Suddenly, it can go from something that others can easily walk past, to something that naturally attracts those who lay their eyes on it, enticed by the strangely shocking color, added with the familiar design.