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colouring ideas

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Doug Bernhardt
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Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
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colouring ideas

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

I have a project on the go right now and am looking for the "inspiration" ideas that others have for colouring a sign. Over the years I've seen some great work from folks on this forum like Mark Oatis, Dave Smith and Mike Jackson that use colours in unusual ways. Mixtures of things that on the surface you'd think impossible. This project of mine has many different panels and various outlines that need something different. Here are just 2 of the ideas I could track down and am sure Mark and Dave won't mind me quoting their work. It goes without saying that I'm doing this all "analogue" right....so visual reference is the thing.....books, methods or periodicals. Thanx in advance
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2e-letterhead studios 6.jpg
2e-letterhead studios 6.jpg (135.44 KiB) Viewed 4355 times
2e-Art 006.jpg
2e-Art 006.jpg (131.04 KiB) Viewed 4340 times
Kelly Thorson
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Location: Penzance, SK Canada
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Re: colouring ideas

Post by Kelly Thorson »

They've changed the site recently and I don't like it's new interface nearly as well, but colourlovers has endless colour pallets and different patterns that you can try them out on, or you can just create your own pattern and easily try out different colour combinations. You could do the same in Photoshop but this gives you a starting point. For those that have their design in vector format you could just copy some pallets into your editing program and use the dropper to try them out. Magazines (National Geographic is great) can be a great source of colour inspiration as well.
I just reread and noticed the analogue comment, so this might not be of use to you but I'll leave it in case others are interested.
I believe there is no shame in failure. Rather, the shame lies in the loss of all the things that might have been, but for the fear of failure.
Dan Seese
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Re: colouring ideas

Post by Dan Seese »

Doug,

As you know, the nature of the project you're working on is going to drive the color scheme you choose.
Not knowing what you're working on I'll shoot in the dark by sharing a couple of artists whose use of color always brings inspiration.

David Lance Goines has a wonderful muted color palette and a signature use of outlines in his work. One of the things I really like is that he uses sort of a "glow" outline on a lot of his images, reminiscent of German designer Ludwig Hohlwein's poster work. The design of his website is pretty awful but his years of posters displayed are a real treat. http://www.goines.net/poster_art.html

Next, in a completely different direction, I love the work of Dan Cosgrove. His colors are more vibrant and lean toward some of the colors used in fruit crate labels. http://www.cosgrovedesign.com/pagesdc/P ... Spots.html

Hope this helps stir up some ideas.
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David Lance Goines - muted color palette
David Lance Goines - muted color palette
symphony_the_senses.jpg (147.92 KiB) Viewed 4295 times
Dan Cosgrove - vibrant "fruit-crate" color combinations
Dan Cosgrove - vibrant "fruit-crate" color combinations
DanCosgroveAirChicago.jpg (197.82 KiB) Viewed 4312 times
Dan
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Doug Bernhardt
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Re: colouring ideas

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Thanx a bunch for the links K and D. Will start pursuing some of these shortly. If I have time before the weekend I'll scan the drawing (it's full size) and post it as well. Should have considered that earlier...Duhh!
Mike Jackson
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Re: colouring ideas

Post by Mike Jackson »

https://kuler.adobe.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Kuler

Doug, if you are needing color scheme ideas, check out Adobe Kuler.

Mike Jackson
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