colours

paddyc

folks only really starting out in the design field, can anyone point me to a site or any info about what colours go with what coulours in a design sense ??? like what looks good, I know there is a word for it but i cant think of it at the minute

many thanks, paddy

DadaKopf

The best thing is really to work out what colours go together by experimenting yourself and collecting design ideas from all over the place. Build up a scrap book.

But if you're looking for colour theory, the most basic is Goethe's colour theory [try here: http://painting.about.com/cs/colourtheory/](yes, the poet) but many artists since have developed colour theories. The benefit of Goethe's formulation is that it clearly shows what colours are antagonistic and complimentary. Of course, it's up to every designer to work out what colours they should use where.

One guy, and book, worth checking out is Josef Albers' Interaction of Colour which is a masterwork of colour theory for the 20th century. I highly recommend you take a look at it.

My best advice, though, is just to scour the web and magazines etc. for what you like and experiment yourself.

Baz_

I have no eye for colour so you're first suggestion would be of no use to people like meself, the scrapbook is a good idea though.

The links I will check out too, mainly because of my first point (I have no eye for colour) so resources like that will be very helpful.

But again the experimentation idea is just bad from my perspective, I've tried it before, and colours that seemed to look good to me sent many a person blind.

seaghdhas

Using the colour wheel may sound a bit funny but it can work. Bearing in mind it relates only to colour and not texture. You can pick out contrasting and complementing colours, eg if you were looking for a colour link a blue sky and a red/brown ground. Darkness/lightness can have an effect also, depending on the point you're trying to make with that portion of that visual. Hope it helps.

DadaKopf

In the end, it's all down to process, experimentation and a lot of feedback.

Check out graphic designers' websites in particular.

www.designiskinky.com
www.creativeireland.com

Follow the links, have fun.

chewy

i posted this to creative ireland and got no reply maybe you can help me

ive been trying to go back to basic and learn the fundamentals i never did, i happened upon
josef albers book on interaction of colour, great book but are they any sites or other books that show practical application of his ideas, (maybe step by step) on things other then abstract art? ( graphic advertising etc)
same goes for shapes i've got a few books on this one interesting one is by molly bang em how this picture works a brilliant simply boook that explains what emotional effect shape and colour has on us through her illustration of red riding hood

take a look at
http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~chewy/art/

the josef albers book is great but i dunno if theres any practical use beyond abstract colour studies i mean anyone show me where his colour tricks are used in grpahic design or advertising