Piss and Vinegar

For some Graphic Designers and Art Directors (as well as other creative professionals) color theory can be subjective, prone to trends and fraught with uncertainty. If you paid scant attention in color theory class (what the hell is analogous?) or it has been a stone’s age since you graduated art school (both apply to me) color schemes become even more troublesome. I went to a local chain bookstore in search of a general guide. Happily, I found Color Harmony Compendium: A Complete Color Reference for Designers of All Types, 25th Anniversary Edition.

Since I hate paying full price, I ended up purchasing it from amazon.com for much less than the cover price. I found the structure of the book logical. You can scan the pages easily, making short work of your task, reducing the need to pad your timesheet. The book starts with some chapters about color theory and the psychology of color. In the ‘Moods and Color’ section, you find the scheme that fits your concept, i.e., powerful, energetic, professional, etc., which is presented to you through examples applied to page layouts, logos and packaging. When you find a scheme you like, you can look up the CMYK builds in the ‘Color Swatches’ section. If you are looking for a useful color theory book this is a title worth the price. check it out.

Filed under: Uncategorized by admin Tagged with: Art Director • Art School • Color Schemes • Color Theory • Graphic Design