Image source: Digitalartsonline.co.uk
Color is tricky. A 24 bit RGB computer has 256 shades of red, blue, and green, which adds up to a whopping 16,777,216 colors. How on earth are artists supposed to be able to pick the right colors for every situation? There’s no right or wrong answer in the constant struggle to pick the perfect hue. Luckily, Digital Arts Online has provided a few color tips.
1. Frame Images with Dark Backgrounds
Simon Wild from the UK recommends that you contrast bright objects against dark backgrounds: “Framing your palette with a darker background can sometimes intensify the colours in your work. I wanted to capture the vibrancy of a jukebox for this piece, so I decided to frame it by using an almost black background. This is particularly useful for identifying shape and directing focus on a particular area.”
Image source: Digitalartsonline.co.uk
Artist Patrick O’Leary echoed his fellow artist, saying, “The contrast between light and dark shades can be used to frame certain areas of the illustration that I feel are more important.”
2. Scott Balmer Suggests that You Go with the Flow
Leave some wiggle room, Balmer suggests. He likes to pick a color and then intuitively figure out neighboring hues while he works. “It sounds mad, but it’s down to trusting what your instincts tell you about whether both colours feel like a right fit together and work well in harmony.” I think Obi-Wan would agree with Balmer — trust your instincts.
Image source: Digitalartsonline.co.uk
3. Cut Down on Color Options to Create Simple Scenes
A couple of the artists suggested that you self-censor your color options. Sac Magique suggests that it’s best to “keep the number of colours to a minimum, so that the image retains clarity, using my initial colours as much as possible and only adding another colour if necessary.”
Image source: Digitalartsonline.co.uk
Similarly, Ryan Bubnis likes to start with a handful of colors and then use varying hews to maintain consistency.
But that’s enough from Digital Arts Online artists. In addition to these general tips, it’s always a good idea to stick with the basics.
Bonus Tip 4. Use the Color Wheel
Yeah, I realize that using the color wheel is kind of like art theory 101 material, but just because it’s basic doesn’t mean that it’s worthless. Using an online color calculator like this one can help you find the perfect color combos for your art project.
Image source: Fanpop.com
Bonus Tip 5. Read Up on Color Theory
Sometimes, a color is just a color. Other times, it evokes powerful emotions in the viewer because of its association to other concepts. Red is usually passionate, blue is often reserved and serious, and green gives off feelings of youth and nature. Make sure that you fully understand the connotation of colors so that you don’t sabotage your own work!
Image source: Digitalartsonline.co.uk