Color relationships are subtle and profound and reach beyond rules of color theory into human emotions, culture and even commerce. Below is Pantone’s Color of the Year 2009. What emotional or cultural qualities does this color evoke? Compare to the dress worn by Michelle Obama at the Inauguration. What statement is she making with this color?
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| Inauguration Dress |
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| Pantone Color of the Year 2009 |
There is an entire field of design termed Color Forecasting that develops color swatch collections. These collections are used by fashion and industrial designers. Click here for Pantone’s Spring 2016 Color Forecast. Click here for Pantone’s Color of the Year 2016.
Color relationships are found in works of fine art. This is what makes a painting have a cohesive sense of mood and light. Check out the painting below by Monet. Then examine the swatches that represent this work in a palette of 6 key hues.
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| Monet |
Inspiration for color groups can come from anywhere… color theory, a trip to the beach or a subway ride. The questions to ask when designing a color group include:
- How does one color effect the formal qualities of another color (value, temp, intensity)?
- Do the colors contrast or blend?
- What are the real-world associations/ meanings of the colors?
