Inspiration - Friday, April 30, 2010 12:11 - 2 Comments

Choosing a Color Palette

Nature’s Guide

Selecting a color palette is a crucial, and often harrowing, step in the design process. Even with the help of color wheels, countless formulas for color harmonies, and palettes based on analogous and complementary colors, the decision to pick the perfect color scheme remains difficult. Looking to nature for a starting point can provide guidance and inspiration in color selection.

Animals, insects, leaves and flowers provide ready-made color palettes that serve a purpose in nature, and can easily translate to a design. If a design requires a bold, eye-catching palette, referencing the alarmingly bright colors of a poisonous snake may help. Butterfly wings come in a wide assortment of colors, ranging from understated and elegant, to bold and dynamic. Finding an image of tropical bird with multi-colored plumage, then eye-dropping colors from its feathers, is a fun and unconventional way to obtain a color palette. The functions that these palettes serve in nature, whether to entice or placate, can do the same when applied to a design project. Continue