Tutorials

Color Selection in Graphic Design

Tutorial 4 with Matisse Template – Advanced Coloring Exercise

Now we will take on a very complex composition, utilizing every principle we’ve covered in all previous exercises.

(Three color combination guide.)

Before -- After

Step 1

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

Step 2

Hide all the layer groups except for “Level 1”.

Step 3

Choose a color for the background layer. Here we chose a strong red.

Step 4

Choose colors for the layer “Window view (1)”. Create a palette from its black border using any range you prefer. Here we chose both colors from a strong 60 range, and stayed somewhat literal with a green and a blue. We also filled the tablecloth, in layer “Table/Dishes (1)”, with white.

Step 5

Choose base colors for the figure and the dishes. We created a palette from the red with a range of 15, sticking to the scale we established of 60 being the highest contrast. We chose both colors from this palette, a dark green for the figure, and a dark gray for the dishes. (On layers “Woman shape (1)” and “Table/Dishes (1)” respectively.)

Step 6

Show layer group “Level 2”.

Step 7

Select colors to complete the figure. You may wish to use the three color method for some colors here. (Layer “Woman features (2)”.) First we created a palette from the dark green base color with a range of 15, and selected a lighter green for the clothing accents. We then used the lighter green to create a palette of 15 range to find the skin tone. Using the three color method, we coordinated this choice with the dark green, and found a pink that was also a 30 contrast from the dark green. We could have coordinated it with the red background instead, since it also touches that. Or we could have coordinated it with neither, for simplicity. This is left up to you, whatever you believe is most effective or worthwhile. Finally, we filled the hair with black.

Step 8

Now move on to coloring the forms on layer “Fruit/Glass (2)”. First, we colored the forms touching the dishes, creating palettes from the gray. Each color was found using a different palette range. 15 for the blue, 30 for the darker blue-green, and 60 for the lighter blue-green. These could also have been coordinated with the red. Then we colored the forms on the tablecloth. These were all found from one palette made from white with a range of 30.

Step 9

Show layer group “Level 3”.

Step 10

First we colored all forms on layer “Plants (3)”. The higher ones were chosen from a palette from the red with a range of 45. This is 3/4 our highest range, 60. You can feel free to be creative with the proportions. As long as there is some mathematical logic, and the scheme is consistently is adhered to, the work will visibly benefit. The plant forms on the tablecloth were then colored by creating a palette from white, also with a range of 45.

Step 11

Next the forms on “Flowers (3)” were colored. First the containers and stems were colored. A palette was created from the red with a range of 15, and used to color the forms above. Black was chosen for the forms below. Using the same red palette, range 15, orange was picked for the flower above. This was coordinated with the flowerpot, found to be 30 from the dark red. Another palette was created from the red at range 30 for the flowers to the right. Flowers on the tablecloth were colored from palettes from white, at ranges 30 and 45.

Step 12

Show layer group “Level 4”.

Step 13

Color the chairs, on layer “Chairs (4)”. One we colored black. The other was picked from a palette for red at range 15. Finally, color the view from the window, on layer “Window scenery (4)”. The trees and bush are both from a 15 range from the pale green. The house color was coordinated with both the green and blue. The composition is finished, quite quickly for a relatively complex piece. Furthermore, almost every single contrast has been accounted for, and each relates to each other through an elegant proportional scheme. Feel free to try any number of variations on these templates to explore the process in a way that suits you personally.

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