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Creating a Dynamic Color Palette



Tips on creating a dynamic color palette | Spruce Rd.

Tips on creating a dynamic color palette | Spruce Rd.

Color plays such an integral part of graphic design — whether through branding, web design or illustrations. There are SO many resources online to creating a color palette (such as Kuhler, Design Seeds & Colour Lovers) that you can take advantage of for your next project. Last year I attended AIGA Design Ranch (which was awesome, and you should go if you ever get the chance!) and attended a workshop hosted by Anna Bond of Rifle Paper Co. I was so pumped to meet her, and gain some insight into her process. If you are familiar with Rifle Paper Co, you know that her color palettes set her illustrations apart from any other!

How to create a dynamic color palette:

Begin with 16 colors to form your color library. Narrow your color library to 3 color groupings (3 colors in each grouping).

Your color palette must contain one of each:
– Lightness: Light, medium & dark
– Saturation: Vibrant, medium & muted
– Hue: Cool & Warm
– Explore incorporating tints, shades & tones of each color

Let me know if you have fun with this exercise! Enjoy!

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  1. Susanne G

    Great post!
    How (excactly…;-) do you find these? Like vibrant, medium and muted – do you pick the vibrant first, and then how do you get from the vibrant to the medium and muted?

  2. Liz

    Gosh thank you for sharing this! That workshop must have been out of this world.

    1. Jamie

      Thanks Liz! Yes – Design Ranch is awesome. Must admit I was embarrassingly starstruck :). Love your blog!

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