Tutorials

Color Selection in Graphic Design

Tutorial 2 with Matisse Template – Exercise 1

In previous tutorials, we stayed with a very simple composition. The template was a simple background with a series of non-touching forms over it.

In this tutorial, we will begin to deal with a slightly more complicated composition, with multi-colored backgrounds and floating forms which touch each other in some places.

Since this color selection method involves controlling the contrast of touching colors, this adds a few more things to think about. But sticking to the basic ideas, going through the piece from beginning to end can be just as simple.

Before -- After

Step 1

Open the Matisse template. You may download the template here.

Step 2

First, we will fill the background form, on layer “streak”, leaving the background layer white. Select white as the target color, and open the color picker. In “Auto-Range” mode, click “Create Palette”. You may save the palette if you wish. But for now, we are only selecting one color, which can be picked directly from the palette in the color picker. Here we have picked a strong red, from the 40 contrast group.

Step 3

We will simply fill the form on layer “figure” with black, for an approximately equally strong contrast against the red.

Step 4

Now we will fill the forms on the “stars” layer. Open the color picker, and again create a palette with the target color set to white. (Or use the previous palette if you saved it.) We have selected some colors from the 20 contrast group. Remember, only fill the shapes which touch the white for now.

Step 5

Now we’ll fill the star on top of the figure. For this, we’ll need a palette for black. Set the target color to black, and create a palette. Here, we’ve chosen from that palette a color from the 40 contrast group.

Step 6

Finally, fill the last star touching the red. Set the red to your target color, and create a palette. We’ve chosen a color from the 20 contrast group. The composition is complete. Every contrast here is either from the 20 or 40 group, creating a sense of order, balance, and proportion. We’ll use this template for the next two exercises, continuing to explore these themes.

Next - Exercise 2