John Kricfalusi (you know, the Ren & Stimpy guy) has been blogging about cartoon color theory using examples from high art (like Yogi Bear) all the way to low end crap like direct-to-video Disney schlock.
If you like art, or cartoons, or are a graphic designer who struggles with color, hese are worth a read:
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theories-for-cartoons-garish.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-pee-and-poo-colors-versus.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-look-at-sky-before-you.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/whats-wrong-with-these-pictures.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-good-color-without-lot-of.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-does-cost-equal-quality.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/will-it-ever-end.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-eye-relief.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-steal-from-anime-if-you.html
Yes. It’s a lot of links. But it’s mostly pictures!
My recipe for a no-fail color scheme for a web site?
Simple:
In Photoshop, create a new document that is 300 pixels wide
by 100 pixels tall. Divide the image into three equal
boxes, each 100 pixels square.
Pick one color you like. Any color. How about…Abouthalf orange? (#FF9933) Use the Marquee tool and the Paint Bucket tool to fill the first box with your color:
Use the Marquee tool to select the second box, and
fill it with your color again:
Then invert the color using the Invert command under the Image->Adjustments menu. (or Command+I on a Mac, Control+I on Windows)
Fill the third square with this new color too:
Add a new layer to the file, then set the Opacity to 50%:
On the second layer, fill the third square with white (which at 50% opacity will tint the layer beneath):
Add another new layer at 50% Opacity
Then fill the second and third squares with white again:
Now, use the first color as your “main” color – for logos, headers, etc.Use white as your background color, and use the other colors as accents, like the colors for links, or borders, or what have you. Here are some more examples, with white added on at the end:
Now, you may not always get a winner, but it’s a fast and easy way to make a color scheme without having to rely on mysterious artistic talents (which you may not have) If you’ve got a project coming up, and you can’t think of what colors to use, just do this exercise 5-10 times and you’ll find something you like. Better yet. Save the file as a JPG, email it to the client, and let her pick.
